Fuel Injector Cleaner Question

[DistanceGuy1]

I have a '05 with the Duratec engine. It has app 47 K on it. I keep it maintained to the letter and everything works well.

On to the question....I have read many posts where it was suggested to put in injector cleaner as a maintenance item. I have never added any to the car. I do not see where it is called for either.

Does anyone feel this is something that really should be done on a regular basis? If so, why?

Thank you!

[bruker]

With the quality of gasoline today it's probably not needed but if it makes you feel better go ahead and put some in. It won't hurt. BTW, I have 73,000 on my `04 Duratec and I've never used a fuel additive.

[shorod]

If you consistently use a Top Tier gasoline, then you probably won't get much benefit from periodic fuel injector cleaner. However, at just a could of dollars every oil change, it seems like cheap preventive maintenance. When I was working at my parent's automotive repair shop, we had multiple customers return a week later and ask us what we did to their car besides an oil change because the car ran so much better. All we did was put a bottle of injector cleaner into the fuel tank, checked the filters and fluids, made sure the tires were properly inflated and checked all the bulbs. And before you suggest the real issue was that we replaced a plugged air filter in addition to adding the injector cleaner, that usually wasn't the case.

-Rod

[UsedtobeSmart]

Think about all the stuff gasoline goes through to get to you; the miles it travels, the temperature fluctuations it goes through every day and night, the tanks it's pumped into and out of. Think about all the buildup that has to happen in the tanks as the gasoline begins to break down both from age and moisture contact. Ever see what happens when gasoline is left in a sealed tank for too long? It turns into varnish.

Now, even if you add detergents and disperants and whatnot, you still have stuff that you don't want getting into your tank. The fuel filter gets most of it, but not all of it. Even still, gasoline leaves carbon in the combustion chamber. One of the things FIC does is clean the carbon out. If carbon buildup becomes a problem you'll lose power as the knock sensor kicks in. Considering the cost of a new engine versus the cost of a bottle of FIC every couple of months, I'll drop the couple of bucks now.

Rod's story rings very true to me -- I've noticed it in mine and friends have noticed it in their cars when using good fuel injector cleaner. If I'm burning Lucas Fuel System/Injector Cleaner, I often notice that my mileage goes up during and for a while afterwards, but nothing like their bottle claims. Oh, if only...

That having been said, swing by Wally World sometime and pick up a bottle of their stuff for just over a buck. It's worked for me and for lots of other people here if their posts are to be believed.

[PTG1212]

I run fuel injector cleaner through the gas tank a couple times a year.

[Willyum]

I was going to buy a bottle of it at Wal-Mart a while back. The clerk told me that he never had any trouble with his car until he added a some to his tank.

[Gunshot]

If you want something good to add try Seafoam

[Huney1]

"If you want something good to add try Seafoam"
http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUp.htm
It isn't cheap, think abut seven bucks, but it is the best and you will notice a difference.

UsetobeSmart nailed it about the crud in our gas and who knows what they add to it and one nasty gas fill up is all it takes to reak havoc with our engines. Depending on how much you drive, dump a can in every three or four months 'cause it's a heck of a lot cheaper than having injectors cleaned. I got it at Advance Auto but feel certain other parts houses carry it to.