Injector cleanor any good ?

[livi]

Found a bottle of Injector cleaner in the garage the other day. Probable my brothers.

Anybody use the stuff ? Any good ?

The text on the bottle promises a miraculous boost...

[Quicksilver]

IF your injectors have a problem and IF the stuff is any good then injector cleaner is great stuff but anything that makes great promises is almost certainly junk.

Basically good injector cleaner comes with a label that says, "Chevron Techron"

[Quicksilver]

(Hmmm "Location: South of Sweden"... )

Not sure if they sell it there or by that name...

[livi]

Whats a typical sign of injector failure ?

[TimT]

If you think you have injectors that are not working, and to find out which injector is not firing

While the engine is running, unplug the connector to each injector, one at a time

If the engine stumbles when you disconnect the injector, the injector is working, if you disconnect the plug and engine keeps the same beat, the injector is not working

[livi]

Thanks, guys

Actually I have no reason to believe my injectors are bad. I was rather wondering if the stuff perhaps had any prophylactic effect or protection against potential future failure.

[randywebb]

It's a good idea to run some Techron thru there periodically - can you get it in your market?

[livi]

I donīt know Randy. I think the label on this bottle was STP or something similar.

So I gather (as long as car runs fine) the general consensus is that it probably wonīt hurt anything - but then it probably wonīt do any good either ?

[safe]

I have only seen STP and Slick50 injection cleaning products here in Sweden.

[randywebb]

No, a good injector cleaner will help keep the low levels of varnish, etc. from getting worse. Think about it as like cleaning your teeth...

But what happens to the cleaner when it sits and gets 'old'??

I'd get new and the highest quality I could find. Is Ventil Sauber in your area?

[AndrewMac]

BMW used to recommend the use of Techron in the 318, which was for some reason prone to accumulate junk in the injectors. It worked very well and the local crusty sports car garage kept cases of it on hand. Pay your bill in cash and you got a free bottle or two of techron as a spiff. Kind of a running joke. Though the shop bills were never funny.


I think the STPs and other brand name stuff is mostly worthless and especially given the high volume of detergent now blended in the petrol they deliver very little appreciable benfit, prophylactic or otherwise.

I seem to remember having to take the injectors out of my Saab 99EMS periodically and soaking them in paint thinner to clean....those were the days.

One thing to remember is that these cleaners dilute the motor oil. Especially Techron. It is not completely combusted away which is why it is recommended that the treatment take place just prior to an oil change in that final tank of fuel. It does thin the oil and will introduce all the evils inherent

[sammyg2]

The problem I have with fuel additives and cleaners is, if they are not snake oil (slick50 cough, cough) they will clean everything. Even things you don't necessarily want cleaned.

Suppose you have a 25 year old gas tank with 25 years of stuff built up in it. It stays there stuck to the walls and floor so it doesn't create a problem. Who cares?
all of the sudden it gets washed away from the walls and floor of the gas tank by some very strong detergent and gets into the gasoline. Get ready to start changing fuel filters. If you are lucky that is all you will have to change. BTDT on a VW bug many years ago. I ended up having to pull the tank and have it cleaned and re-coated, that was after about 6 filters and 6 times getting stuck on the side of the road.

Obviously if your tank is pristine and sparkling clean you won't have a problem, but how many of us have tanks like that? Prolly not many.

[livi]

Thanks for your comments,

All in all, best left on the shelf in the garage I guess..

[Jims5543]

PM me your address and I'll ship you a couple of bottles of Techron.