View Poll Results: Should I use a fuel injector cleaner for my Maxima?
Yes
114
77.55%
No
33
22.45%
Voters: 147. You may not vote on this poll
Fuel injector cleaner?
08-22-2007, 10:00 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: FL
Posts: 704
Fuel injector cleaner?
I was reading my manual when I got my 1999 Nissan Maxima GLE, it says not to use fuel injector solvents. My Dad swears by this stuff called Lucus Fuel Injector cleaner, which he says isn't a solvant. Should I use a fuel injector cleaner or not?
08-22-2007, 11:10 AM
#4
Every single fuel injector cleaner on the market is a solvent by definition. It'd be kind of hard to clean deposits without breaking them down and dissolving them. The only question is how harsh the solvent is. In general, the more effective solvents are harsher on the softer parts of your fuel system (seals, hoses, etc.). They are also fairly harsh on your engine oil, although that generally isn't a problem unless you use them a lot between oil changes.
It is possible, however, for an effective cleaner to be okay on soft parts. The catch is that it'll be expensive.
If there is a best-overall fuel system cleaner, it's LubeControl's FP60.
BG 44K is fairly popular and is more powerful than almost anything commercially available, but will be more harmful to soft parts.
If you're not using either of those, use Amsoil PI, Red Line SI-1/SI-2 (same product in different quantities), or Chevron Techron.
It is possible, however, for an effective cleaner to be okay on soft parts. The catch is that it'll be expensive.
If there is a best-overall fuel system cleaner, it's LubeControl's FP60.
BG 44K is fairly popular and is more powerful than almost anything commercially available, but will be more harmful to soft parts.
If you're not using either of those, use Amsoil PI, Red Line SI-1/SI-2 (same product in different quantities), or Chevron Techron.
08-22-2007, 11:15 AM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: FL
Posts: 704
Originally Posted by d00df00d
Every single fuel injector cleaner on the market is a solvent by definition. It'd be kind of hard to clean deposits without breaking them down and dissolving them. The only question is how harsh the solvent is. In general, the more effective solvents are harsher on the softer parts of your fuel system (seals, hoses, etc.). They are also fairly harsh on your engine oil, although that generally isn't a problem unless you use them a lot between oil changes.
It is possible, however, for an effective cleaner to be okay on soft parts. The catch is that it'll be expensive.
If there is a best-overall fuel system cleaner, it's LubeControl's FC60.
BG 44K is fairly popular and is more powerful than almost anything commercially available, but will be more harmful to soft parts.
If you're not using either of those, use Amsoil PI, Red Line SI-1/SI-2 (same product in different quantities), or Chevron Techron.
It is possible, however, for an effective cleaner to be okay on soft parts. The catch is that it'll be expensive.
If there is a best-overall fuel system cleaner, it's LubeControl's FC60.
BG 44K is fairly popular and is more powerful than almost anything commercially available, but will be more harmful to soft parts.
If you're not using either of those, use Amsoil PI, Red Line SI-1/SI-2 (same product in different quantities), or Chevron Techron.
My Dad uses Chevron Techron AND Lucas on my car. He uses Lucas before an oil change and he uses Techron all the other times that he uses it. I found that Lucas makes my car run rougher when it is in the car. I'm wondering if that is something I should concerned about and my Dad says that is how Lucas works.
08-22-2007, 08:07 PM
#9
M2$. I use BG product. It will definitely clean the s--t out. I use Valvoline synthetic oil, recommended by a BG rep. http://www.bgprod.com/home.html
My Mileage: intown 21-23, highway 26-28. 1996 GLE with 130K.
My Mileage: intown 21-23, highway 26-28. 1996 GLE with 130K.
08-22-2007, 10:12 PM
#11
Originally Posted by andrei3333
dog ****, this stuff is fake and does not work, and if it did then u got bigger problems to deal with, use a good quality (shell / sunoco ) 91 and u'll be fine for a long time to come
08-22-2007, 11:09 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,391
did u ever smell this stuff when you opened the bottle ? im referring to all the fuel injector cleaners that ive tried.
once i smelled pure acetone or at least i think so. and i have never seen any positive results from using them. not even once
once i smelled pure acetone or at least i think so. and i have never seen any positive results from using them. not even once
08-23-2007, 07:13 AM
#14
Originally Posted by andrei3333
did u ever smell this stuff when you opened the bottle ? im referring to all the fuel injector cleaners that ive tried.
once i smelled pure acetone or at least i think so. and i have never seen any positive results from using them. not even once
once i smelled pure acetone or at least i think so. and i have never seen any positive results from using them. not even once
08-23-2007, 10:30 AM
#15
when i first bought my old 1991 240sx back in 1999, id had like 110k and didnt accelerate smoothly. also the idle was a little jumpy. this was when i first tried fuel system cleaner. i used techron fuel system cleaner it made a huge difference. power delivery was smooth and it idled alot better. probably got better milage too.
however that car was old and the previous owner probably didnt take care of it well. also gas back then wasnt as regulated as it is now for emissions. (all gas not has to have a required amount of detergent set by the state for deposit preventions)
when i got my max in 2001, accel and idle were fine. i used a bottle on techron anyway just because i had great results last time, it made no noticeable difference. i still use it once a year because half of the tiem i fill up at discount gas places that dont add extra detergent to gasoline.
it should be known that gasoline is homogenous and chevron, exxon, and all the other gas companies use the same storage stations to hold their gas(its all mixed together when it gets to storage). chevron sell gas that was refined at an exxon/mobile refinery and vice versa. all modern automitve gas is refined and has enough detergent to meet emissions and deposit standards so using cleaner every 3 months probably a bit much esp since it can be harmful to "soft parts" like others have said. esp in california where gas is even more regulated, its not so important to use cleaner that often.
however that car was old and the previous owner probably didnt take care of it well. also gas back then wasnt as regulated as it is now for emissions. (all gas not has to have a required amount of detergent set by the state for deposit preventions)
when i got my max in 2001, accel and idle were fine. i used a bottle on techron anyway just because i had great results last time, it made no noticeable difference. i still use it once a year because half of the tiem i fill up at discount gas places that dont add extra detergent to gasoline.
it should be known that gasoline is homogenous and chevron, exxon, and all the other gas companies use the same storage stations to hold their gas(its all mixed together when it gets to storage). chevron sell gas that was refined at an exxon/mobile refinery and vice versa. all modern automitve gas is refined and has enough detergent to meet emissions and deposit standards so using cleaner every 3 months probably a bit much esp since it can be harmful to "soft parts" like others have said. esp in california where gas is even more regulated, its not so important to use cleaner that often.
08-23-2007, 10:49 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,391
Originally Posted by mtrai760
Okay, so I will ask again, what are you basing your information on? YOU don't like the way it smells, and YOU have not noticed a difference, therefore it is all crap. Way to prove your point, very scientific. I will agree that not all fuel injector cleaners are good, however to apply a blanket statement like you have is just ignorant. A good fuel injector cleaner can provide benefits that have been PROVEN, ie injectors actually tested before AND after, not just seat of the pants 'well I didn't notice anything'. Dyson labs, one of the world leaders in machine fluid analysis, recommends using fuel injector cleaners. Are you saying you know more than they do? If so, I would like to see your test data.
Look, i dont own a research lab and i have no clue what injectors this Dyson lab recommends. All i know is that from approximately the 10 different fuel injector cleaner manufacturers that i have tried on different cars that either i have owned or my parents have owned i was not able to tell the difference from before and after i put it in.
My theory is as simple as i have stated it to be, if ur injectors keep getting clogged every so often and u see that u need to use these cleaners to purge them (and u think they actually work) then u have bigger problems to worry about, and buying 5 dollar bottles off the counter is simply masking the problem
08-23-2007, 01:05 PM
#17
Originally Posted by Max Noob
when i first bought my old 1991 240sx back in 1999, id had like 110k and didnt accelerate smoothly. also the idle was a little jumpy. this was when i first tried fuel system cleaner. i used techron fuel system cleaner it made a huge difference. power delivery was smooth and it idled alot better. probably got better milage too.
however that car was old and the previous owner probably didnt take care of it well. also gas back then wasnt as regulated as it is now for emissions. (all gas not has to have a required amount of detergent set by the state for deposit preventions)
when i got my max in 2001, accel and idle were fine. i used a bottle on techron anyway just because i had great results last time, it made no noticeable difference. i still use it once a year because half of the tiem i fill up at discount gas places that dont add extra detergent to gasoline.
however that car was old and the previous owner probably didnt take care of it well. also gas back then wasnt as regulated as it is now for emissions. (all gas not has to have a required amount of detergent set by the state for deposit preventions)
when i got my max in 2001, accel and idle were fine. i used a bottle on techron anyway just because i had great results last time, it made no noticeable difference. i still use it once a year because half of the tiem i fill up at discount gas places that dont add extra detergent to gasoline.
Originally Posted by Max Noob
it should be known that gasoline is homogenous and chevron, exxon, and all the other gas companies use the same storage stations to hold their gas(its all mixed together when it gets to storage). chevron sell gas that was refined at an exxon/mobile refinery and vice versa. all modern automitve gas is refined and has enough detergent to meet emissions and deposit standards so using cleaner every 3 months probably a bit much esp since it can be harmful to "soft parts" like others have said. esp in california where gas is even more regulated, its not so important to use cleaner that often.
08-23-2007, 01:46 PM
#19
Originally Posted by andrei3333
Look, i dont own a research lab and i have no clue what injectors this Dyson lab recommends. All i know is that from approximately the 10 different fuel injector cleaner manufacturers that i have tried on different cars that either i have owned or my parents have owned i was not able to tell the difference from before and after i put it in.
I also suspect you were "testing" some fairly generic commercial stuff. FP60, BG 44K, Techron, PI, and SI-1 are miles ahead.
Originally Posted by andrei3333
My theory is as simple as i have stated it to be, if ur injectors keep getting clogged every so often and u see that u need to use these cleaners to purge them (and u think they actually work) then u have bigger problems to worry about, and buying 5 dollar bottles off the counter is simply masking the problem
08-23-2007, 08:47 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,391
well some of the stuff i remember using is STP (various types), Slick 50, Wynn's, Motomaster (local brand) and they did nothing
maybe the pricier stuff works, i dont know-slick 50 was the most expensive stuff i tried and it was like $15 for a bottle, but i rather save my money for the quality shell V-power 91 gas instead. I kinda trust a those gas stations more than a bottle of unknown liquid.
maybe the pricier stuff works, i dont know-slick 50 was the most expensive stuff i tried and it was like $15 for a bottle, but i rather save my money for the quality shell V-power 91 gas instead. I kinda trust a those gas stations more than a bottle of unknown liquid.
08-25-2007, 05:55 AM
#26
08-26-2007, 09:39 PM
#32
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: FL
Posts: 704
Originally Posted by 97_Max
well I had bought a bottle of STP Wednesday. I used it and now the car doesn't take off, it jerks when the RPMS try to get higher. oh the engine light just came on also.
08-30-2007, 11:36 AM
#35
Originally Posted by d00df00d
If there is a best-overall fuel system cleaner, it's LubeControl's FP60.
BG 44K is fairly popular and is more powerful than almost anything commercially available, but will be more harmful to soft parts.
If you're not using either of those, use Amsoil PI, Red Line SI-1/SI-2 (same product in different quantities), or Chevron Techron.
BG 44K is fairly popular and is more powerful than almost anything commercially available, but will be more harmful to soft parts.
If you're not using either of those, use Amsoil PI, Red Line SI-1/SI-2 (same product in different quantities), or Chevron Techron.
08-30-2007, 02:39 PM
#38
I use acetone... since i had the car it had 140k it now has 264,000 miles and still running strong. The other day i was changing the plugs and they were so clean. From my personal experience acetone helps save gas and clean everything out. A lot of people tell me i am going to mess up my plastic parts... that is so much horse shi* because socked them in acetone for about 5 months and it looks normal to me.
08-31-2007, 03:30 PM
#40
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 70
I'm no mechanic but recently my check engine light came on and it turned out to be a problem with the knock sensor and purge valve. The mechanic said that the purge valve was really dirty. I had both things replaced and the car is zippy again. Anyway, my guess is that all those times I had the dealer do throttle body and fuel injection cleanings, the crud has to go somewhere so it probably just gums up at some other place down the line. I've been using Shell 87 since gas went past $2.