Fuel Injector Cleaner Recommendations

Can someone recommend a brand of fuel injector cleaner. No obvious problems but I was wondering if I should run a bottle through the tank for GPs.

-- The brave might not live forever but the timid do not live at all

Reply to
Jim Higgins
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For do-it-yourselfer use in Toyotas, I recommend either the Toyota-branded stuff that dealer parts departments sell or Chevron Techron if you follow the directions for how quickly it has to be used.

For services performed by service facilities, Motor-Vac and BG seem to work well.

That said, I do not believe in using fuel injector cleaner on a regular basis or for GP unless the vehicle is exhibiting signs of a fouled injector because the stuff is pretty potent and is pretty hard on rubber hoses and seals. I would only use the stuff if trying to clean up a clogged injector.

Toyota seems to agree with me because there is no factory recommendation for routine fuel injector cleaning.

Of course, there are a lot of people who read a lot of car magazines or who have friends or relatives who are automotive experts who read a lot of car magazines who will tell you that you should use fuel injector cleaner or some other snake oil once a month or whenever you pass a black cat, whichever comes first. They know they are correct because they have never had a clogged fuel injector and their car runs better than when it came from the factory. These people are correct in the same way that you will not get a broken back if you don't step on sidewalk cracks ;-)

Reply to
Ray O

Thanks for the info Ray.

Reply to
Jim Higgins

You're welcome!

BTW, one can avoid injector problems by purchasing fuel for a gas station that sells a large quantity of gas whenever possible.

Reply to
Ray O

Thanks to Ray for a reasoned view of fuel injectors.

Looking back on my own experience with injection systems, I've had about five cars now with fuel injection, including two Camrys and an Avalon, and have never had the need to use any f.i. cleaner.....in a couple of hundred thousand miles. My only negative experience with fuel injection was with a 1970 VW squareback, on which all four injectors started leaking. New injectors would have been outrageously expensive (even in 1980 dollars) and I was able to do a fiz on them using neoprene hoses and aircraft hose clamps, which worked admirably and only cost a couple of bucks.

Reply to
mack

Shell and BP gasolines also have good additive packages that can clean up injectors without risk of damaging anything.

Reply to
jd

The local Toyota dealer "suggests" that you have injectors cleaned at their 30-60-90 k services.

I have never done it since I've had fuel injected cars for some 20+ years.

BUT

I do dump a bottle of Techron cleaner in the tank when I go in for oil changes. Kind of preventative maint. to me.

Ray is correct that it is probably not needed if you use clean gasoline. I just like the insurance. Ron

Reply to
ron

========================================= Read the technical data page for Red Line complete fuel system cleaner and form your own conclusions. Note that their test results on Toyota were over 10,000 miles. Also note, BMW evaluated many different brands and wound up approving only the Red Line for use in their vehicles.

Reply to
nospampls2002

Has anyone tried using STP Complete Fuel System Cleaner? I tried some in my

90 Camry DX to clear up the hesitation in accleration and it seems to work very well.

Savalas

Reply to
Savalas

Do you have a reference for this? This guy (

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) claims BMW approves Redline and Techron (and their own of course). Personally Chevron Techron is the only one I approve. The Redline stuff is probably OK, but from personal experience, I am confident that the Chevron product works. Information on the Redline product is available at
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and
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Information on the Chevron product is at
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and
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and
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I prefer the Chevron PRO-GARD® Clean-Up Engine Deposit Remover.
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is a good reference on why you might want to use Techron.
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is another interesting reference. Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

Chevron Techron is fine. It's also sold as Pro Guard Clean Up, not to be confused with the other weaker Pro Guard products. Because of pollution regulations, all gasolines now contain considerable amounts of detergent to keep injectors and engines clean.

Don't get the injectors flushed as part of preventative maintenance because it's rough on the insulation of their solenoid coils, which are submerged in the fuel for cooling.

Reply to
rantonrave

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