Chevron Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner vs Gumout Regane Complete Fuel System Cleaner

Techron is the one whose maker publishes an actual dose per gallon, an explicit ceiling of two treatments between oil changes, and a written recommendation for direct injected engines. Gumout gets you most of the same job for less money and is the only one of the four that tells you what the detergent is.

Chevron Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner

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The most disciplined product here: a published 1 ounce per gallon treat rate, a stated ceiling on how often to use it, and direct injected engines named on the maker's own comparison chart.

• Chevron's product comparison chart states a treat rate of 1 ounce per 1 gallon, so a 12 ounce bottle treats 12 gallons and a 20 ounce bottle treats 20 gallons, which is a far higher dose per gallon than most rivals ask for.
• The comparison chart lists it as best for cars, SUVs and pickup trucks including GDI and PFI modern engines, so the direct injection recommendation is written down rather than implied.
• Chevron publishes a use ceiling rather than encouraging continuous use: every 3,000 miles, and no more than two treatments between oil changes.

• Chevron does not disclose the detergent chemistry. The safety data sheet lists hydrotreated light petroleum distillates at 80 to 85 percent plus trade secret components, so you cannot verify what the active is.
• Chevron's own FAQ says 'Unlike some competitors' PEA-based fuel additives formula, our technology will not cause sludge in engine oil', which distances Techron from the PEA family without telling you what it uses instead.
• Chevron's FAQ also states that a bottle is up to 10 times the additive concentration of Chevron fuel with Techron, which is another way of saying you are buying a stronger dose of something you already get at a Chevron pump.

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Gumout Regane Complete Fuel System Cleaner

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The only product in this group whose maker names the detergent chemistry on the product page, and it is the one chemistry with the strongest published record: P.E.A. (polyetheramine).

• Gumout's product page states the product uses 'P.E.A. (polyetheramine) to effectively remove deposits other products can't', which is a chemistry you can look up rather than a marketing adjective.
• The 'what it does' list is specific about hardware: GDI/direct and port/indirect fuel injectors, intake valves and ports, piston tops, cylinder heads and combustion chamber.
• Gumout states it is oxygen sensor safe, safe for turbocharged and supercharged vehicles, and will not void the manufacturer's warranty, which covers the three questions most owners actually have.

• The dose per gallon is much lower than Techron's. Gumout directs both the 6 ounce and the 12 ounce bottle into a tank filled with up to 21 gallons, so a 6 ounce bottle works out under a third of an ounce per gallon.
• Naming PEA is not the same as publishing how much of it is in the bottle, and Gumout does not state a concentration.
• The intake valve claim can only apply where fuel actually touches the valve, which on a direct injected engine it does not, so half the listed hardware is out of reach in a DI car.

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Side by side

The bottom line

Our overall pick is the Chevron Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner - The most disciplined product here: a published 1 ounce per gallon treat rate, a stated ceiling on how often to use it, and direct injected engines named on the maker's own comparison chart. Choose the Gumout Regane Complete Fuel System Cleaner instead if someone who wants a named PEA detergent at a low price and is happy to treat a full tank rather than chase a maximum-strength one-tank dose.

Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Fuel Injector Cleaners: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).