Clean injectors at 25k miles?

[Retired Bob]

"The fuel cleaning they do if it's that expensive would be the type that's hooked up to your fuel rail. They run two cans of cleaner right through your fuel rail with the fuel pump turned off. The car/truck runs for 15 min solely on the stuff in the can. As far as cleaning valves go, non of these products will ever work on modern day direct injection engines. The valves will never be touched by the stuff."

 

So what's the final thought - adding a bottle of cleaner to the gas tank does no good for DI engine valve cleaning? If that is so, do the injectors actually need the injector cleaning service offered by the dealers?

[2014 Sporty Shorty]

No it won't ever be needed as long as your using proper gas from a legitimate company. They all have detergents in them now to keep your injectors clean. If you want to clean your intake valves, you have to take the intake manifold off and start scrubbing the backs of tje valves and stems. I took my heads off my 2014 Sierra with 20k on the engine to do my cam and dod delete kit. The valves showed no signs of coking and kind of relieved me. My Cobalt SS turbo I had would require me cleaning them every 25k because the stems would gunk up so quick. The new PCV system and valve timing overlap seems to be doing it's job like GM intended. At around 50k I'll take the manifold off again to inspect again. I wouldn't advise any "special treatments" for your fuel system. Your more less pissing your money away with a di vehicle.

[redwngr]

Run top tier gas its in it already.

 

+1

[gone_fishing]

No it won't ever be needed as long as your using proper gas from a legitimate company. They all have detergents in them now to keep your injectors clean. If you want to clean your intake valves, you have to take the intake manifold off and start scrubbing the backs of tje valves and stems. I took my heads off my 2014 Sierra with 20k on the engine to do my cam and dod delete kit. The valves showed no signs of coking and kind of relieved me. My Cobalt SS turbo I had would require me cleaning them every 25k because the stems would gunk up so quick. The new PCV system and valve timing overlap seems to be doing it's job like GM intended. At around 50k I'll take the manifold off again to inspect again. I wouldn't advise any "special treatments" for your fuel system. Your more less pissing your money away with a di vehicle.

 

Curious if you had any pics of the engine when it was town apart. Thanks!

[bladz1454]

No it won't ever be needed as long as your using proper gas from a legitimate company. They all have detergents in them now to keep your injectors clean. If you want to clean your intake valves, you have to take the intake manifold off and start scrubbing the backs of tje valves and stems. I took my heads off my 2014 Sierra with 20k on the engine to do my cam and dod delete kit. The valves showed no signs of coking and kind of relieved me. My Cobalt SS turbo I had would require me cleaning them every 25k because the stems would gunk up so quick. The new PCV system and valve timing overlap seems to be doing it's job like GM intended. At around 50k I'll take the manifold off again to inspect again. I wouldn't advise any "special treatments" for your fuel system. Your more less pissing your money away with a di vehicle.

 

True but the carbon build up from oil being thrown into your intake will take a toll down the road. Doesn't matter what gas you run, doesn't clean the tops of the valves. I'm actually working with a company now that is making a catch can for our trucks so look for my threads when i get the prototypes installed.

[Silverado-Hareek]

I don't know if this has been said because I was too lazy to read the entire thread but according to my side mechanic I've been going to for a while now, any vehicle with a direct injection engine should have a BG induction cleaning service performed about once a year or every 15,000 miles. This service cleans your entire fuel system as well as cleans your valves and cylinders and internal engine parts by running a special cleaning product directly through your throttle body. Long story short, DI engines build up a lot of crud on the valves because the fuel is sprayed directly into the cylinders as opposed to a port injection engine where the fuel washes over the valves and keeps them clean from carbon build up and oil blow by. Some will say you can install an oil catch can but again according to my mechanic whom I trust blindly, a catch can won't catch everything and you'll still need to clean the engine. This service unfortunately is becoming part of routine maintenance with a DI engine.

 

Some food for thought, Diesel engines are direct injected, they have oil catch cans, and you're supposed to get them cleaned like this and this has been the case for a long time now. Us owners with DI gas engines are now in the same maintenance boat. So the service manager isn't wrong, but I would be skeptical of the specific service he is trying to sell. I would personally only do the BG induction service as it was designed and patented by them specifically for gas DI engines. Go to BG's website and you can find a mechanic shop local to you that is certified to perform this service. You can also go on YouTube and watch videos of the service being done.

 

We just had it done on my wife's Hyundai Accent 4 cylinder hatchback and it ran about $160. The performance of the vehicle was noticeably better and I will now be doing this service once a year on both her car and my truck. She had 45,000 miles on her engine when we did this service so crud had been building up for a while and the engine was starting to make some weird noises like valves slapping or sticking. The engine runs like new now. My cousin is about to get this same service done on his Mazda Speed 3 which also has a DI engine and the Mazda forums are recommending the BG service as well.

 

And yes adding fuel system cleaner like Techron won't work on DI engines like it did on port injection engines. It will clean the areas that it touches but it won't do anything for your valves. You have to get this BG induction service done to really properly clean the engine.

[KARNUT]

I had a service writer come after me with that, all I say is show me in the matiness schedule where it says that. I have extended warranty on the wifes Hyundai Geneses so I follow the book. 3 years and 55k miles later it stills run like new.

[Black02Silverado]

Like stated above, run a good quality fuel from a high turn around fuel station, one that gets fresh fuel often and you should not have any issues.

 

A bottle of fuel cleaner every now and then doesn't hurt.

[Silverado-Hareek]

I had a service writer come after me with that, all I say is show me in the matiness schedule where it says that. I have extended warranty on the wifes Hyundai Geneses so I follow the book. 3 years and 55k miles later it stills run like new.

 

It's not in a lot of manufacturers maintenance schedules and that's the problem. People are driving around fouling up DI engines not knowing it until a problem shows up. DI engines have only become more common in the last couple of years so this stuff is still developing and the market is just becoming aware. At 55k miles, I guarantee you have carbon build-up on your valves and you have lost horse power and engine power as well. You may not notice it, but it's happening and avoiding cleaning the engine will only make it harder to clean it properly down the road. Just my $0.02. I've been researching this crap for months now and talking to multiple people with knowledge about engines about it.

 

 

Like stated above, run a good quality fuel from a high turn around fuel station, one that gets fresh fuel often and you should not have any issues.

 

A bottle of fuel cleaner every now and then doesn't hurt.

 

Good quality fuel from a high turn around station helps with keeping your main fuel system clean. This has no affect however on carbon build-up in the engine from the way DI engines work and you will still need to get the engine properly cleaned.

[KARNUT]

 

It's not in a lot of manufacturers maintenance schedules and that's the problem. People are driving around fouling up DI engines not knowing it until a problem shows up. DI engines have only become more common in the last couple of years so this stuff is still developing and the market is just becoming aware. At 55k miles, I guarantee you have carbon build-up on your valves and you have lost horse power and engine power as well. You may not notice it, but it's happening and avoiding cleaning the engine will only make it harder to clean it properly down the road. Just my $0.02. I've been researching this crap for months now and talking to multiple people with knowledge about engines about it.

 

 

 

Good quality fuel from a high turn around station helps with keeping your main fuel system clean. This has no affect however on carbon build-up in the engine from the way DI engines work and you will still need to get the engine properly cleaned.

I have used sea foam in the past, what do you think on that?

[kstruckcountry]

I think the thing people are missing here is that diesels are DI. And I've never done any valve cleaning on a diesel.

[Silverado-Hareek]

I think the thing people are missing here is that diesels are DI. And I've never done any valve cleaning on a diesel.

 

Yeah but aren't you supposed to be doing that? I feel like that's like saying you've never changed transmission fluid and your transmission is fine.

I have used sea foam in the past, what do you think on that?

 

I haven't personally used it but seafoam is pretty similar to the BG product from what I understand.

[Z45]

Injector cleaning is a money making scheme, nothing more....Its would dealers do when they get you to come to them for service. All you are is money in the bank for the dealer.

[Silverado-Hareek]

Injector cleaning is a money making scheme, nothing more....Its would dealers do when they get you to come to them for service. All you are is money in the bank for the dealer.

 

Yeah I'd skip the injector cleaning if that's the only thing the dealer is pushing. I would, however, spring for the BG induction service which has an injector cleaning component to it. That way you aren't doubling up on maintenance work and still getting the necessary cleaning that DI engines need.

[Black02Silverado]

It is only a matter of time now that DI engines are getting to be more common place that we will see issues with deposits on the back side of the valves causing issues. Especially with those running old fuel from a mom and pop store. Fuel system cleaners will not have any effect, the ones you pour into your tank, since the fuel is sprayed into the combution chamber. So it will need to be a mechanical method of cleaning or a cleaner introduced into the airflow of the intake.