Fuel Injector Cleaner Service

[PackerBacker]

My question is: Is it worth it to pay $120 for a fuel injector cleaning service? Or can I put a bottle of fuel injector cleaner in the gas tank and have it do almost as well?

[yarcraft91]

Dunno. I've been running fuel injected engines since 1985 and never had injectors cleaned. Still waiting for signs it is necessary on my 1997 Camry (178Kmiles).

FWIW, automakers including GM, Honda, Toyota worked with gasoline companies to define the minimum level of detergents in fuel to ensure satisfactory vehicle engine performance during the entire life cycle, leading to the Top Tier fuel supplier group. I only buy Top Tier fuels.

http://www.toptiergas.com/

[Leinie]

Unless your having seious issues at the moment I'd not spend the money, but rather run seafoam occasionally to give the detergents in the fuel a boost.

[REW]

Packer,
If you have a true dirty injector issue, spend the $120 and get the injectors cleaned properly.

When you run a can of injector through your gas tank, the cleaner is diluted many times by the quantity of gasoline in the gas tank.

But when the injectors are cleaned by disconnecting the fuel line from the fuel rail, and then using a pressure assisted container with injector cleaner in the container; the injectors are seeing 100% pure fuel injector cleaner.

This method is many many times more effective than a tank of cleaner in the fuel tank.

Having said that - it is very seldom that fuel injectors ever need cleaning.
Are you sure that you have a dirty injector problem?

REW

[PackerBacker]

Originally Posted by REW

Packer,
If you have a true dirty injector issue, spend the $120 and get the injectors cleaned properly.

When you run a can of injector through your gas tank, the cleaner is diluted many times by the quantity of gasoline in the gas tank.

But when the injectors are cleaned by disconnecting the fuel line from the fuel rail, and then using a pressure assisted container with injector cleaner in the container; the injectors are seeing 100% pure fuel injector cleaner.

This method is many many times more effective than a tank of cleaner in the fuel tank.

Having said that - it is very seldom that fuel injectors ever need cleaning.
Are you sure that you have a dirty injector problem?

REW

No I do not think that I have a dirty injector problem, but the dealer wants to do the service every 60k or so. I am guessing from reading this thread that it is not worth doing unless you notice a problem.

[REW]

Packer,
Many vehicles go 500,000 miles without any fuel injector cleaning or replacement.

REW

[Leinie]

When a problem arises it should still cost $120 to clean the injectors. No point spending the money until then.

[2catch1]

get a couple bottles of chevron techron and throw it in the tank. The stuff is like liquid gold. The only in the tank injector cleaner that I have had 1st hand experience with that worked.

[Dacotah Eye]

I use Sea Foam in everything. When I had 60,000 miles on a pickup I told the service foreman at my dealership that my truck was due for an injector cleaning. He asked if I use an injector cleaner in my gas and I said I did. He said not to worry about it because all they do is pull the infectors and pump an injector cleaner through them and running a cleaner in the gas will keep them clean. Probably lots of opinions about this though. I have never had to have an injector cleaned.