Fuel injector cleaning?

[duragezic]

Should I get this done on my car with 129k miles? I heard its a good thing for cars with high miles and "gives it back the pep, more power like it was new".

I don't know if its just the small engine, but for instance a few days ago I was cruising and there was a yellow light but I didn't wanna stop so I accelerated (tried too heh) to get through it (yah its wrong who cares) but it's like it hardly accelerated. I was going about 28 and tried to speed up to like 35 or so but it just felt like it was hesitating and I didn't floor it but I gave it a decent amount of gas but it was like it hardly worked. I've noticed that the most; trying to accelerate a bit from like 20-30. It takes off okay from a stop and even passes acceptably but again I don't know if the fuel injection cleaning would help something like that. I posted a little back how rough it idles and the rpms are low, do you think the fuel injector cleaning would help that?

There's a ton of thigns that could be fixed on my car but I only wanna do things that'll realy make a difference (so I don't care THAT much about the power window and door lock not working on one of the doors ) and this fuel injection thing is suppose to cost like $100 and that kinda hurts for a student with a min wage part time job.

I don't know where to take it but I'll just call around all the car places and see what the prices are if I decide to do it.

edit: IIRC/AFAIK, this has never been done on the car. I looked through all the service stuff the owner gave me when I bought it and it was only routine stuff like exhaust redone couple times, brakes redone couple times, new alternator, oil changes, tuneup at 100k.

 

[LordUnum]

I wish I knew more about cars to give you a definite answer either way, but giving these two articles a read shouldn't hurt any.

One

Two

Good luck.

 

[Mungla]

I had the local GM dealer do a complete fuel system cleaning last year. I have an 1989 Chevy Silverado 5.7L that has 73k miles on it.

They flushed out the tank, fuel lines, and injectors with a cleaning agent. I couldn't really tell a difference before and after. Then again,
who is going to miss a few HP with a 350?

 

[edog]

Look around for a product called seafoam it is a fuel injector cleaner that you add to a tank of gas. It works just as good as having an auto garage do it, and it's alot cheaper. It's like 5-6 bucks a can. I have been using it for around ten years or so and I swear by it, try it for your self and if it does not work for you, you only lost 5 bucks.

 

[Viperoni]

When's the last time the tranny fluid has been changed?
Usually I find if my car is sluggish, the tranny hasn't shifted out of gear (or is sluggish to do so)....then again I'm nearing 200k :Q

 

[axelfox]

I was going to get one awhile back, but when I was calling around for quotes, the guy said that fuel injection cleanings aren't really worth it, and the chemicals kind of just eat away at the injectors.

 

[duragezic]

Well I've heard people recommend those things too that you add to a tank of gas but since my car has so many miles and has never been done I thought actually having it done would be helpful, as those cans of the stuff are good only say every 15k miles or whatever. ?

I had the tranny fluid changed a few weeks ago cause it had never been done either...

 

[cx32m4]

i got mine done few months ago,
i couldn't feel any difference.

 

Take this advice from an experianced A.S.E. certified Automotive Technician.
Cleaning your fuel injection system can make a difference but not always.
It depends on the condition of your engine,the area of the country you live in,the type of gas you burn,the climate,driving style and how well the vehicle was cared for.
Go to your local auto parts store and purchase Chevron techron fuel Injector Cleaner,add it to your tank then fill the tank.
I have been using this cleaner many,many years and it has never failed me yet
There are too many variables that can contribute to your problem,one of them being a misadjusted T/V cable (Throttle Valve) if your car is an automatic.This cable is responsable for downshifting your transmission while at speed.If this cable is not adjusted corerectly,your tranny will stay in top gear and the vehicle will feel sluggish while trying to accelerate while cruising.

When was the last time it was tuned up ?

 

[Ladies Man]

don't add anything to your gas tank

gas already has additives in it....
going to a shop is the only way to properly have your fuel injectors cleaned

if you get a tune up and fuel injectors cleaned you might notice slightly better performance... and if it needed to be done mpg will be better as well

 

[iamwiz82]

<< don't add anything to your gas tank

gas already has additives in it....
going to a shop is the only way to properly have your fuel injectors cleaned

if you get a tune up and fuel injectors cleaned you might notice slightly better performance... and if it needed to be done mpg will be better as well >>




Why listen to Roger, who is a A.S.E ceritifed mechanic, when you have Ladies Man? LOL


Anyways, i used Chevron fuel injector cleaner on my old car when it started hesitating, and it perked it right back up. I didnt gain power, it just made the power more readily available. Thats the best way i describe it.

 

[Ladies Man]

roger beat me to the punch by 1 min

if he feels that works for him i will believe him.. he does have the papers to back himself up

from my experiences and the experiences of others that i know there is already enough additives in the gas tank, that bottle won't help

 

[Modeps]

Just to share my personal experience, I drive a 1985 Ford Crown Victoria (which has TBI). My car, about a year ago, started hesitating when I gave it the gas, and sometimes even almost stalled. I took a bottle of chevron, poured it in, and the problems stopped by my next fill up. Havn't had a return of that problem since.

edit: my car has 190k miles on it.

 

[resinboy]

and to throw my 2.5 cents in, and also being ASE cert. ., and a shop owner for 17 years, I also must state that the "grade" of the "over the counter" cleaner available to the general public is much weaker than what a pro can buy. When we doing a fuel system cleaning, we have to isolate the injector rail from the fuel tank , so the cleaning solution will NOT make it's way back to the tank, reason being it's SO strong, it'll eat away the seals in the fuel pump, and toast the sending unit ( ask me how I know this ).
However, the diameter of the pintle in the nozzle of the injectors has increased over the years, so an actual plugged injector is very rare nowadays. More common is build- up in the throttle body assembly: this'll give you a slight hesitation when stepping on the gas, taking off from a light.

Resinboy

 

[Sneezer]

I have never done the pro cleaning, although a shop across the street does do it for about 100 or so. I think the one they advertise is the complete oil flush deal with all the concentrated detergents. I have used the Chevron stuff before, but I recently used the Outlaw brand on my last fillup, and I think it made a bigger difference than I recall the Chevron stuff did. Of course, I also put fresh spark plugs in as well, but I was satisfied with the results. Less pinging and hesitation. I have a 1992 Dodge Dakota 5.2l V8 with 158K miles on the clock.

 

[hoihtah]

just but a fule injector cleaner for a few dollars at a local store.
that should do the job.

they say that it really doesn't make much of a difference between the expensive ones and the cheap ones.

 

[duragezic]

Ok I'll try a bottle of that Chevron stuff.

It was tuneuped at 100k. If its not just that its a small engine and theres something else wrong, well I would have no idea how to fix it or anything and I can live with if its gonna cost a lot to fix as long as it isn't causing a problem. That's not a good way to think about cars, cause if I let little stuff go by it could get major real quick but theres no way I could pay to have it fixed...

 

[duragezic]

Um it's really loud now. I don't know if it was that fuel injector stuff I put in a few days ago but I started it this morning today and it seemed loud and when I was driving it is definitely louder for some reason. I was coming home and it was so loud I thought it wasn't shifting or something and thought it was at like 6k rpms or something heh but it was just nearing 4k and it's never that loud before. It's like I'm a ricer with a wahsome 25hp loud muffler.

???

 

[Pacfanweb]

<< I also must state that the "grade" of the "over the counter" cleaner available to the general public is much weaker than what a pro can buy. When we doing a fuel system cleaning, we have to isolate the injector rail from the fuel tank , so the cleaning solution will NOT make it's way back to the tank, reason being it's SO strong, it'll eat away the seals in the fuel pump, and toast the sending unit >>

Exactly. Another ASE (useless cert, but I got it anyway) and Ford-certified person here. We use BG fuel system cleaner. Works great. Has one can that gets run through the injectors, 2 that go through the throttle body/intake, and one that goes in the tank.
The more miles a car has, the more difference it can make.

<<they say that it really doesn't make much of a difference between the expensive ones and the cheap ones. >>

"They" who? Not anybody who knows what they're talking about.

 

[NetworkDad]

Any local dealership will do a good job and rip you off at the same time. I think on my 95 escort it ran $75 last time...

 

[duragezic]

Yah wtf it sounds like there exhaust just stopped working on the car or something.

 

[Blundar]

I wouldn't waste the time with any gas additives, however if you want it done properly and can deal with the car being down for a while, unbolt you fuel rail(s), pull the injectors and send them off to RC Engineering to have them cleaned and balanced. THAT will make a big difference if your injectors are clogged or otherwise aged.

 

[Lars]

Good thread. Reminded me that I really need to do something with my 1992 Ford Taurus (98K).

 

[StageLeft]

I don't know any monkeys that can take apart a fuel injector.

 

[Blundar]

whatever monkeys work for RC can
They do something....
Check their website. I'm gonna get my set of 450CCs balanced + cleaned one of these days. A friend sent away his 240CC stock injectors and they found that on average they were only squirting 203CC prior to cleaning and balancing. They were all within .1% of 240CC after.
Go figure.