We have had a rash of customers lately who have been sold fuel injection cleaning services by convenience oil change providers in a deceptive manner. A fuel injector is either a fixed or electronically controlled aperture, which atomizes pressurized fuel and delivers it to the engine. Fuel, which is turned into a directed fine mist, ignites easier and burns more evenly and efficiently. Over time dirt and residues from the fuel will interfere with an injector. Deposits form, decreasing the injector’s performance turning the fuel into a fine mist directed as a conical spray pattern.
The business end of fuel injectors and their spray pattern cannot be seen in a live situation. It usually takes well over an hour to access a fuel injector for testing or replacement. Symptoms of dirty fuel injectors may include: hard starting, rough idle, tip in hesitation, pre-ignition (sometimes heard as that pinging sound), poor overall performance, decreased gas mileage. Using a quality fuel will decrease but not eliminate the need for cleaning the injectors periodically. I would recommend cleaning the fuel injectors at least every 30,000 miles or every 24 months. Consider it like a tune up for your fuel system. It is really amazing the difference people experience after having a fuel injection and throttle body cleaning on a car that has gone more than 60,000 miles without those services.
Using an appropriate mileage interval or attempting to resolve a symptom would be the best possible reasons for a technician to recommend a fuel injection clean. If a quick lube kid tries to sell you a fuel injection cleaning because your air filter is dirty, or because he shows you a finger full of dirt he scraped from somewhere, don’t be fooled.
Don’t be fooled be angry! Unfortunately most convenience oil change providers try to Up-Sell services that are best not done in a hurry. (Up-Sell- to bring in customers with a cheap deal and then try selling them more profitable goods or services that they may or may not need. Unfortunately a very common practice in the automotive convenience market.) They also are not equipped to deal with any real problems or related services. Why would you buy a fuel injection clean from someone that; could not test your fuel pressure, could not change your fuel filter, could not diagnose or replace a damaged fuel injector or any other part of the fuel system for that matter.
There are plenty of “cure in a can” fuel system products. Don’t waste your money or risk damage from panaceas or potions. The only do-it-yourself fuel system cleaner that works and won’t damage your car is Techron from Chevron. I’m not talkin’ the low level they put in their fuel at the pumps, I’m talkin’ 20 oz bottles into the gas tank. To get a real benefit Techron must be used at least every 4,000 miles or so. Unfortunately even used properly Techron doesn’t work as well as professional cleaning systems.
Currently the best systems for cleaning fuel injectors are a type that is a self contained fuel delivery system using a detergent enhanced gasoline, plumbed directly to the fuel injection system at the engine. Motorvac and Carbonvac are two such machines. The complete fuel rail (injectors, screens, hoses, regulator) is scrubbed clean first and then the vehicle is run for about 30 minutes to clean the injector nozzles. These systems hold many advantages over the old pressurized can cleaning setups, (that did not work in my opinion) from years past.
So the next time someone tries to sell you a fuel injection clean, make sure you need the service first and then make sure that the facility has the best equipment and the expertise and will take the time to do the job right.
Tom Dwyer
