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Fuel Injector Cleaner: Does it really work? - READ ONLY

22 messages,  Last post on Mar 24, 2003 at 2:53 PM

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#1 of 22 Fuel injector cleaners by the_big_h

Feb 14, 2003 (3:32 pm)

I've seen those STP Fuel Injector cleaner commercials quite frequently lately. Has anyone actually used it or similar products, and have seen actual improvement in your car's gas mileage and overall performance?
 
don't want to dump in my fuel tank something that doesn't work...

#2 of 22 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Feb 14, 2003 (3:56 pm)

I don't have much confidence in off-the-shelf injection cleaners. I think they are at best *maintenance* strength, that is, they might keep clean injectors clean but won't clean up dirty ones. I'd say STP was a waste of money for anyone who already has a injector problem.
 
There are some professional/industrial grade cleaners which are super-nasty and I've used them and they can definitely work (sometimes).

#3 of 22 by q45man

Feb 14, 2003 (4:43 pm)

Even professional strength BG44k is a maintenance product [just stronger than the rest]. ~~$15 a 12 oz can.
 
Injectors can be cleaned [on car] with a rail pressure flush and 30 minutes of idling with BG Injector cleaner pressurized system [usually at a higher rail pressure 50 psi]. ~~$100
 
You can remove injectors and send them out for ultrasonic cleaning at $25 EACH plus 2 way freight
 
You can replace them for $80-$150 each plus o rings and labor.

#4 of 22 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Feb 14, 2003 (6:22 pm)

I've had luck on let's see...three occasions with a very heavy duty injection cleaner (basically an outlawed product given me by a friend who had it stocked in his shops for years), but it has also failed to work twice as often as that, or more.
 
I usually don't mess around if I know the bad injector and just replace it. Problem is you don't know if the rest are going to go, and that gets expensive.

#5 of 22 by q45man

Feb 16, 2003 (5:52 am)

Owners bought the gasoline that destroyed the injectors. They chose to live in states where the produce was dispensed. They get to pay for their votes and lack of knowledge.
 
Study the failure rates by gasoline regions.
 
On a certain V8 the injectors are $155 x 8 + $750 to change........almost no failures in Southeast region, in Arizona/parts of CA [lots of other regions also] they go out every few years.

#6 of 22 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Feb 16, 2003 (1:08 pm)

What does the gasoline do to them allegedly? It is corrosive or ???

#7 of 22 by q45man

Feb 17, 2003 (9:30 am)

The alleged cause is the water in the transport pipes [they use water slugs between batches]and high levels of aromatics and MTBE interact with the ethanol creating new compounds after they sit in storage tanks at tank farms?
The new compounds attack the coil insulation through the seal.

#8 of 22 most injectors, I am told, are gas through the coil by swschrad

Feb 17, 2003 (6:47 pm)

and in fact the gasoline is the cooling agent for the coils on injectors. there used to be cases of gasoline dissolving the varnish on the coil windings and causing low-resistance failures of the fuel injectors. those are supposedly behind us now... mostly due to different varnish on the injectors...

#9 of 22 If I'm not mistaken... by fleetwoodsimca

Feb 20, 2003 (8:39 am)

Consumers Report gave high marks to GUNK brand of over-the-counter injector cleaner. I recall the article saying something about the price per ounce of such products not being a reliable guide to strength or effectiveness. I bought a case of it [12 bottles] on sale about three years ago, and just the other day used the last of it. My "fleet" is not suffering injector problems at this time. No further evidence is currently available! (:o]

#10 of 22 I don't know about... by leadfoot4

Feb 20, 2003 (9:10 am)

$25 each to have injectors cleaned, however last year I sent my Camaro's injectors to Lingenfelter Performance Engineering for a cleaning. They charged $10 each, plus $3 or $4 for a new set of o-rings.

Messages Page 1 of 3

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