Opinion: Best Fuel Injector/Intake Cleaner [ Archive] - GasSavers.org - Helping You Save at the Pump


PDA

View Full Version : Opinion: Best Fuel Injector/Intake Cleaner


rh77
11-20-2005, 02:03 PM
Hi all-

After installing the PCV catch can, I noticed how much oil is sent back into the intake, which I can imagine had gunked things up over 110,000 miles.

What is the opinion out there on the best fuel-injector and intake cleaner? Aside from taking the intake off and cleaning it professionally, what additive is on your list as "my personal favorite"?

I've used B-12 ChemTool by Berryman with some success. It seems to contain the least amount of components that would harm the fuel-system (rubber, in-tank fuel filter bag, etc.)

Thanks!

-RH77

SVOboy
11-20-2005, 02:55 PM
Acetone'll clean that crap out. Other than that I don't have any good diy stuff for ya.

rh77
11-20-2005, 08:03 PM
Should I do it right and take the throttle-body apart and squirt a bunch of acetone in the intake manifold and clean the throttle body, or just run it through the gas tank?

-RH77

SVOboy
11-20-2005, 08:24 PM
Running it through the gas tank will do the trick.

DaX
11-21-2005, 06:34 AM
Should I do it right and take the throttle-body apart and squirt a bunch of acetone in the intake manifold and clean the throttle body, or just run it through the gas tank?

-RH77

Be weary using high concentrations of acetone in your engine - especially not diluted in gasoline. If you want to see why, stick a rubber hose in some acetone and watch what happens.

I LOVE Seafoam. When I use this stuff, I put 1/3 can in the oil (a few days before an oil change), 1/3 can in the gas tank, and while the car is running, suck 1/3 can up through the brake booster vacuum line.

There are some good throttle body / intake manifold cleaners out there, but I don't know their names.

davens
11-21-2005, 06:49 AM
The problem with this method is that it won't clean much, if any, of the intake manifold because its coming in at the fuel injectors.

I've also had good results using Seafoam.

n0rt0npr0
11-21-2005, 09:27 PM
DaX hits this one right on.

I too do the "exact" same thing with SeaFoam. I firmly believe it has the biggest "bang per buck." Yes. It works very well.

Now, if you are talking the best of the best? You know, tha cream of tha crop? And if you got that paper to spend?

Then look no futher than BG Company (http://www.bgprod.com/products/fuelair.html)
This, folks, is the very best. Only thing better is popping that intake apart and cleaning it with pipe cleaners and GM TOP ENGINE Cleaner

Oh and one more thing for the brave souls reading this: Water. Yeah there is oil and varnish inside all of our intakes BUT that stuff around the EGR (tho water won't help that area) and the lower intake and valve charging area (intake and exhaust sides) is carbon. And 20 ounces of water poured through the brake booster vacuum hose will pulverize the hell outta that carbon. Pour heavy enough to get your engine close to dieing out(cuz you do this while its running), then throttle the crap out of it to get it to stop sputtering then do it again. Repeat until you are left with no more.
For those with the ONE injector TBI its easiest and actually more efficient meaning you will get 99.5% of the carbon out of the system.

~Will
P.S.~I heard SeaFoam contains water? If someone buys some in the next month, let me know if it says?

rh77
11-21-2005, 10:04 PM
This SeaFoam sounds like it works and is trusted. Where can I buy some? The usual parts shops don't seem to have it.

Now to respond to water into the engine: water does not compress like fuel, and can really cause some undue stress on the internals. I'd be concerned to try it.

-RH77

davens
11-21-2005, 10:10 PM
Straight from the Seafoam website:

ABC Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts

Auto Value

Bumper to Bumper

CARQUEST Auto Parts

Midway Auto Supply

NAPA Auto Parts

O'Reilly Auto Parts

Parts Plus

Pronto Auto Parts

rh77
11-21-2005, 10:13 PM
Straight from the Seafoam website:

ABC Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts

Auto Value

Bumper to Bumper

CARQUEST Auto Parts

Midway Auto Supply

NAPA Auto Parts

O'Reilly Auto Parts

Parts Plus

Pronto Auto Parts


Wow, Thanks!

n0rt0npr0
11-22-2005, 12:08 AM
RH77,
I can understand concerns about water. I too was concerned until I talked with my friend and master mechanic...he does it to all the 100% city driven patrol cars. He swore by it, then taught me by doing it with me how he does it...

My engine was always hot to where the cooling fan was on when I did it. I only used 20oz of water. I poured like I would pour cooking oil into my measuring cup when I mix batter for cake. Car will stumble, I'd give it gas to overcome, and continue pouring...
repeat until all water is used. Then, take a drive! My friend said its important to drive atleast five HARD highway miles afterward. By hard, I mean quick accelerating...

and since I love to hear ppl talking about conceivably controversial things: Read THis about Saturn owners doing it... (http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25237)

DaX
11-22-2005, 06:36 AM
Haha, some guy on that Saturn site says how this is like a blown headgasket cleaning out the cylinders - man when I pulled my head after blowing the gasket, everything in there was SUPER clean...I guess it's worth a shot then!

diamondlarry
11-22-2005, 01:19 PM
For people with O2 sensors, you may want to be careful. I've heard that excessive water has been known to make O2 sensors go bad. Anybody else hear this or am I losing it? ;-)

SVOboy
11-22-2005, 09:13 PM
<a href=http://honda-acura.net/forums/showthread.php?t=86584 target=_blank>http://honda-acura.net/forums/showthread.php?t=86584</a>
<a href=http://honda-acura.net/forums/showthread.php?t=177208 target=_blank>http://honda-acura.net/forums/showthread.php?t=177208</a>

Enjoy folks.

rh77
11-22-2005, 09:54 PM
I'm home this week (no travel for work) so I'm off to the parts store to try the Seafoam tomorrow. I think I'll go straight for the brake booster line into the intake with a funnel. I tried some water through the booster line tonight and went out to the highway for some redline runs, and it seems to run smooth with less valve clatter. I'll report the Seafoam hopefully tomorrow. I don't think I'll pour anything but oil into the crankcase, though.

RH77

n0rt0npr0
11-23-2005, 03:22 AM
Hey, just make sure you do the seafoam DOWNWIND. The amount of smoke that you will encounter will scare you. ...and the neighbors might give ya some attention you wern't asking for too...well, mine do. :P

DaX
11-23-2005, 10:15 AM
Yes, take heed to the smoke warning.

I want to say that Seafoam says it's 100% safe for the crankcase, I think it's mostly or all petrolium based.

I think I'm going to try the 20 oz. of water sometime soon...just pouring it onto the throttle plate slowly.

rh77
11-23-2005, 02:51 PM
Well, luckily the weather's nice today so, I was able to do this outside. The Seafoam worked as expected with lots of smoke, but I guess that means it's clearing the carbon out. I dumped some into the brake booster line a little at a time and it stalled. From the label, it said to let it sit 5 minutes, so I let it sit and came back, started it up (took a few cranks) -- I then went out onto the highway and opened it up -- more white smoke; plenty of redline run-ups and now it purrs at idle and the valve clatter is gone. I assume that it'll continue to work away at the carbon over the next week or so. The exhaust tip was really black, so there's another sign of carbon gone.

The car did throw a Check Engine Code of P0500 "Vehicle Speed Sensor". The engine idled cyclically from 1000-3000 with the brake booster line off, so I guess that's the reason. I'll reset the code and see what happens.

It was kinda embarrassing driving around the neighborhood looking like I was burning oil, but I guess that's the price for a clean machine. I'll tell the neighbor then everyone will know what's going on ;-)

RH77