Are fuel system cleaning services scams?

[virtueixi]

Firestone "recommended" a "3-step" $90 fuel system cleaning for me. Anyone had any experience?

 

[FoBoT]

do you use dirty fuel? where did the dirt come from?

 

[virtueixi]

They just reccommended it as saying that my car has carbon built up despite the fact that they didn't open any engine components up. I only use bp or shell fuel.

 

[FoBoT]

so they use an xray or secret magic powers to spot the carbon on the inside?

sounds bogus , but i am not a motorhead

 

[overst33r]

What kind of car is this and how many miles do you have on it?

 

[Greenman]

Snake oil.

 

[doze]

My guess is that they dump a bottle of this in your tank and charge you $90

 

[thehstrybean]

Go to autozone and buy it yourself.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: virtueixi
Firestone "recommended" a "3-step" $90 fuel system cleaning for me. Anyone had any experience?

Yea 3 step - step one, open fuel cap. Step 2, add fuel system cleaner. Step 3, close fuel cap.

 

[BoomerD]

There are different ways of cleaning your fuel injection system. For $90., I'd suspect that they will use an in-line bottle of fuel system cleaner, then dump a bottle of a cleaning additive in your gas tank. D0oes your car need this? Depends on the mileage, but probably not, IF the car was routinely maintained...Here's more info on the process:
http://www.repairtrust.com/fuel_inj.html

 

[virtueixi]

98 chrysler concorde 70k miles. Maybe I'll pick up a can of seafoam today.

 

[virtueixi]

Originally posted by: Atheus

Originally posted by: virtueixi
Firestone "recommended" a "3-step" $90 fuel system cleaning for me. Anyone had any experience?

Yea 3 step - step one, open fuel cap. Step 2, add fuel system cleaner. Step 3, close fuel cap.

lol

 

[IGBT]

..black soot accumulates on the throat of FI throttle bodies. It will cause rough idle and stalling if it isn't cleaned of from time to time. I use carb cleaner and an old tooth brush to clean it off and I always notice a much smoother idle. I do it every oil change. The dealers do the same thing and call it throttle body service and charge as much as 100.00 to do it. Takes about 15 min to remove the air cleaner spray the inside of the TB scrub it wit the tooth brush..spray again. Install the air cleaner..finished. The soot accumulates AFTER the engine is shut off I'm told and all FI/TB's will accumlate soot.

 

[jhayx7]

Seafoam is the way to go.

 

[Pepsi90919]

you do not need this service.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: IGBT
..black soot accumulates on the throat of FI throttle bodies. It will cause rough idle and stalling if it isn't cleaned of from time to time. I use carb cleaner and an old tooth brush to clean it off and I always notice a much smoother idle. I do it every oil change. The dealers do the same thing and call it throttle body service and charge as much as 100.00 to do it. Takes about 15 min to remove the air cleaner spray the inside of the TB scrub it wit the tooth brush..spray again. Install the air cleaner..finished. The soot accumulates AFTER the engine is shut off I'm told and all FI/TB's will accumlate soot.

you need to clean your throttle body at every oil change? You should check your intake/air filter sealing.

 

[Thorny]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
There are different ways of cleaning your fuel injection system. For $90., I'd suspect that they will use an in-line bottle of fuel system cleaner, then dump a bottle of a cleaning additive in your gas tank. D0oes your car need this? Depends on the mileage, but probably not, IF the car was routinely maintained...Here's more info on the process:
http://www.repairtrust.com/fuel_inj.html

For a $90 service he should be getting a high pressure in line treatment. This is where they hook a bottle striaght to the fuel rail of your car to inject the solvent under pressure. This can be beneficial if you have a clogged injector that is creating problems such as rough idle or poor mileage. The only way to tell for sure if there is an injectory giving you probs is to test them independently off the vehicle, so this is not a sure fix.

I would only recommend this if your having a problem that been narrowed to the fuel system. If you're not already having problems this will not help you much, if at all.

 

[jdoggg12]

Did they at least offer a discount on the blinker fluid if you paid for this service?

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Thorny

Originally posted by: BoomerD
There are different ways of cleaning your fuel injection system. For $90., I'd suspect that they will use an in-line bottle of fuel system cleaner, then dump a bottle of a cleaning additive in your gas tank. D0oes your car need this? Depends on the mileage, but probably not, IF the car was routinely maintained...Here's more info on the process:
http://www.repairtrust.com/fuel_inj.html

For a $90 service he should be getting a high pressure in line treatment. This is where they hook a bottle striaght to the fuel rail of your car to inject the solvent under pressure. This can be beneficial if you have a clogged injector that is creating problems such as rough idle or poor mileage. The only way to tell for sure if there is an injectory giving you probs is to test them independently off the vehicle, so this is not a sure fix.

I would only recommend this if your having a problem that been narrowed to the fuel system. If you're not already having problems this will not help you much, if at all.

They may indeed use such a system...IF they're reputable...
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_auto_f...ticle/0,2021,DIY_13679_2276265,00.html

 

[FlashG]

Originally posted by: jhayx7
Seafoam is the way to go.

works great in all of my cars

 

[Hossenfeffer]

1 - cut a hole in the car
2 - put yo' junk in that car
3 - make her open the car