Fuel Injector Cleaning

[Jager]

Has anyone used this type of system or similar to clean fuel injectors on their Boxster (see attached picture)? I use this system on my American built V8 motors and it does an excellent job. In fact I used this can to clean the injectors on my Tahoe this afternoon and it made a vast improvement on idle and throttle response. For those not familiar, basically you remove the fuse to the fuel pump and the motor runs on the can of cleaner. You have to regulate and monitor the pressure so you don’t dump the can of cleaner back into your fuel tank through the return line. I have not performed this type of fuel injector cleaning on my Boxster and would like to know if it’s doable using the test point, has anyone done this?
Thanks

[nieuwhzn]

Oooh, I would be very careful with this stuff. Basically it is just undiluted TechRon, i.e. it eats about anything that is not metal. If you use it make sure that you do an oil change afterwards, just to make sure that nothing is left in the engine.
I've had something similar done with my Saab Viggen last winter after problems that indicated a 'hanging' injector solenoid. It definitely cleared up that problem and an oil change was done for safety. After a couple of months the vacuum lines (to the turbo, etc) all of a sudden all started failing. They looked like they had been eaten away by something. No biggie, I was planning to replace all of them with silicone lines anyway, but I'm pretty certain that it was the 1 hour run with this cleaning stuff that accelerated their demise.

[Jager]

Hmmm… This kit connects to the fuel rail and you run your motor on the cleaner for just a couple minutes, it should not run on it for an hour. I question whether this cleaner breaks-down rubber, the hose on this kit is made of rubber and I have had this kit for 10 plus years and have not replaced it.

[stateofidleness]

Seafoam does this for me and I feel a lot safer using it. Just pour it in, let the engine run, change oil.

[nieuwhzn]

Originally Posted by Jager

Hmmm… This kit connects to the fuel rail and you run your motor on the cleaner for just a couple minutes, it should not run on it for an hour. I question whether this cleaner breaks-down rubber, the hose on this kit is made of rubber and I have had this kit for 10 plus years and have not replaced it.

I doubt that running for a couple of minutes will clean much. Maybe the injector nozzles get a bit better, but TechRon in the tank will probably do the same with a lot less hassle.

[Jager]

I leaned about this system about 13 years ago in a performance magazine article. It basically stated that the only way to thoroughly clean fuel injectors was to use a system like this, no gas tank additives come close. A local performance/race shop (one of two listed in the article) was selling the system and the cleaner, so I bought one. Over the years I have used it on my Corvette, Firebird GTA, Mustangs, and now Tahoe with excellent results. The cleaning system seems to be a secret among pros and race shops and the cleaning product is not found at most automotive stores.

I can assure you that cleaning your injectors for a couple of minutes on this stuff (pushing on the accelerator a few times) will do more cleaning than many tanks of gas with any type of injector cleaner/additive... I’ve been there and done that a few times. Using this cleaning system every 50,000 would be good, but unfortunately I tend to wait until I have performance issues. My experience has been that performance/throttle response will gradually decrease over time, unnoticed, and then the idle will start to fluctuate. Hit the injectors with this cleaning system and I get amazing results. Adding an injector cleaner to the tank and changing to premium gas with Techron has little or no noticeable difference in comparison even after running through three tanks.

My Tahoe started idling rough (it has 140,000 miles on it), a few minutes on this cleaning system (first time doing so since I bought the vehicle new) and it idles very smooth now. Push on the accelerator and there is vast improvement in response and acceleration. Since it’s my wife’s daily driver I asked her for some words to post here. She said, “That thing now has get-up and go!”

[JFP in PA]

If you properly maintain your system, including running dose of Techron atleast once a season, you will probably never need one of these "high dose" systems; they are meant for cars that are poorly cared for and/or run questionable fuels. We have a system to do this, rarely use it.

[Boxster101]

If you clean the injectors by dumping a 12oz bottle of Techron in the tank, is an immediate oil change necessary after running that tank?

[schnellman]

Advance Auto Parts is having a sale on Techron. Buy one 20oz bottle and get the second 20 oz bottle free.

[Jager]

I would like to think I am maintaining my fuel systems, heck I get well over 250,000 miles on my cars. My Boxster has over 228,000 miles on it and other vehicles I have owned have clocked many more. The only gas I put in my vehicles is Mobil or Chevron (with Techron). I will even add an injector cleaner to the tank once in a while but the V8 injected motors seem to need more than just a cleaning additive in the tank at some point after 120,000 miles.

So JFP, have you ever used your cleaning system on a Boxster?

[schnellman]

Since buying my Box three years ago I've had a hesitation at 3,400 RPMs. Not enough to worry about, but it's always been there. Put Techron in the tank this morning and after a few miles the hesitation is gone. Say what you will about coincidences or other causes, but the only thing I did was dump in the Techron and drive away.
P.S. I have no connection with the manufacture or sale of Techron.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Jager

So JFP, have you ever used your cleaning system on a Boxster?

Never had a reason to.............

[Overdrive]

Ok JFP, I'll ask the follow-up question here, just out of sheer curiosity:

If someone brought to you their very poorly maintained Boxster, after striking them with a rolled up newspaper, would you likely use this treatment on it to cleanse the fuel system?

[Gilles]

Not exactly what you are asking, but a better option IMHO

Why don't you remove the injectors and send it for a proper cleaning?

In the past I had used RC Engineering (about 4 times, different cars) and had excellent results, they clean the injectors on a ultrasonic tank with a solvent solution, back flow them and flow balance them.

Perhaps you can find a closer location that offers a similar service

You will end with a very smooth running engine, last time I paid about $22-24 per
injector.

Check them out at RC Fuel Injection
.

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Ok JFP, I'll ask the follow-up question here, just out of sheer curiosity:

If someone brought to you their very poorly maintained Boxster, after striking them with a rolled up newspaper, would you likely use this treatment on it to cleanse the fuel system?

[Jager]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Not exactly what you are asking, but a better option IMHO

Why don't you remove the injectors and send it for a proper cleaning?

In the past I had used RC Engineering (about 4 times, different cars) and had excellent results, they clean the injectors on a ultrasonic tank with a solvent solution, back flow them and flow balance them.

Perhaps you can find a closer location that offers a similar service

You will end with a very smooth running engine, last time I paid about $22-24 per
injector.

Check them out at RC Fuel Injection
.

Gilles,
This is great… I did not know this service was available. I have purchased new injectors for rebuilds but did not know someone would clean and analyze old injectors at such a reasonable price. Thanks!!

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Ok JFP, I'll ask the follow-up question here, just out of sheer curiosity:

If someone brought to you their very poorly maintained Boxster, after striking them with a rolled up newspaper, would you likely use this treatment on it to cleanse the fuel system?

First, I never hit customers, even the ones I don't particularly care for, with rolled up newspapers or anything else; bad for the shop's image.

Use of this type of system would depend upon the issue involved; these cleaning systems are designed as a "last resort" type cleaning, but will not do anything for an injector with a mechanical issues (bent or pitted plunger or pintle, damaged seats, broken return springs, bad seals, etc.), or electrical problems (connectors, wiring, dying solenoid, etc.); it is designed to clean gummed up but otherwise fine injectors. Quite often with an underperforming injector, it is not dirt that is the problem; it is mechanical or electrical fault which requires replacing the unit. Because the materials of construction change with injector vintage, some injectors do not like to be exposed to the concentrated solvents used in these clean outs, plus the system does not clean just the suspected problems injector, so using the system because injector #3 seems dirty results in #3 being happy, but injectors in #1 and #4 now leaking because the solvent attacked the internal seals. This is why I suggest using these systems sparingly and only when nothing else works, you could easily end up with with an unintended result.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Not exactly what you are asking, but a better option IMHO

Why don't you remove the injectors and send it for a proper cleaning?

In the past I had used RC Engineering (about 4 times, different cars) and had excellent results, they clean the injectors on a ultrasonic tank with a solvent solution, back flow them and flow balance them.

Perhaps you can find a closer location that offers a similar service

You will end with a very smooth running engine, last time I paid about $22-24 per
injector.

Check them out at RC Fuel Injection
.

Injector cleaning and refurbishing firms typically do a fine job as long as they are good, and local, otherwise the car is tied up for several days, which is why they don’t work well for shop’s unless they are both very close and offer quick turn around. Otherwise it is usually cheaper to just replace the units with rebuilds or even new.