Flushing fuel injectors

[zxcvbob]

I think the local Ford dealer is trying to pull a fast one on me... but not sure.  I took Mrs. Z's Focus in today for an oil change and tire rotation.  They said it's due for 45000 mile maintenance.  I asked what that was, besides an oil change and tire rotation, and they said the main thing was to flush the fuel injector lines.  I've never heard of such a thing.  I said let me look that up, and I might do it next time.

I just downloaded the 2010 Ford maintenance schedule, and there's nothing in there about fuel lines or injectors.

OTOH, the Focus does not have a fuel filter.  (if it did, like a Crown Vic, those are supposed to be changed at 60k.  I may install an inline filter next summer if I can find a safe place to cut the line and add it.

[charby]

Fuel stations that use the proper detergent packages will usually mean that fuel injector cleanings are not necessary.

Ford also integrated the fuel filter into the fuel pump on the focus for the 2009 model year.

[Calumus]

Fuel stations that use the proper detergent packages will usually mean that fuel injector cleanings are not necessary.

This. If you'd like to do a bit extra just to be sure, grab a small can of Seafoam and mix it in with a full tank of gas.

[Scout26]

Fuel stations that use the proper detergent packages will usually mean that fuel injector cleanings are not necessary.

Ford also integrated the fuel filter into the fuel pump on the focus for the 2009 model year.

Which shouldn't be a problem if you do two things:

1)  Never buy gas when they are refilling the underground tanks.  Who knows what crap gets swirled up.

2)  Never let the tank go below 1/4 (1/2 is better), then whatever crud is in your tank doesn't get sucked into the fuel line.


Of course, YMMV.

[charby]

Which shouldn't be a problem if you do two things:

1)  Never buy gas when they are refilling the underground tanks.  Who knows what crap gets swirled up.

2)  Never let the tank go below 1/4 (1/2 is better), then whatever crud is in your tank doesn't get sucked into the fuel line.


Of course, YMMV.

Where I live the filling stations filter the fuel from the tanks at the pump. I think its law in Iowa.

[MillCreek]

This. If you'd like to do a bit extra just to be sure, grab a small can of Seafoam and mix it in with a full tank of gas.

This is why I try to buy all my gas at Costco: their detergent package.  And I dump in a can of Seafoam when I do oil changes on the cars and motorcycle (7500 miles car and 4000 miles motorcycle).

[Nick1911]

I've run a lot of old, high mileage, clapped out equipment.  Plenty of vehicles with over 200k.  And while I've had lots of problems that I've had to repair, a clogged injector was never one of them.  Maybe this is because of fuel filters or gasoline additives.  In any case, it's something I generally don't worry about.

[White Horseradish]

I've run a lot of old, high mileage, clapped out equipment.  Plenty of vehicles with over 200k.  And while I've had lots of problems that I've had to repair, a clogged injector was never one of them.  Maybe this is because of fuel filters or gasoline additives.  In any case, it's something I generally don't worry about.

I've had issues with clogged injectors on low-pressure injector systems like the GM TBI. I have never had an additive help. What I did do is pull injectors and send them to a special shop. Cost something like $40.

[Firethorn]

I've run a lot of old, high mileage, clapped out equipment.  Plenty of vehicles with over 200k.  And while I've had lots of problems that I've had to repair, a clogged injector was never one of them.  Maybe this is because of fuel filters or gasoline additives.  In any case, it's something I generally don't worry about.

I'm going to ditto this.  I'll actually avoid the places that let you purchase additives to be added by the pump - to me it indicates that they might not be adding the required detergents in order to induce you to buy it. 

With modern stuff, I'd say use the seafoam something like every other year at most, not 'every oil change' or more frequent.

[Waitone]

Seafoam is one of those additives that makes a perceptible change in performance.  Especially good in 2 cycle engines.

[MillCreek]

With modern stuff, I'd say use the seafoam something like every other year at most, not 'every oil change' or more frequent.

For me, every oil change works out to approximately once per year.  Since I changed jobs and now live so close to the office, between the two cars and the motorcycle and the bicycles, I only incur a little less than 20,000 miles total per year on the motorized vehicles.

[Phyphor]

Sounds more like the only thing they want to flush clear is your wallet.

[Boomhauer]

If your fuel system is working properly, you don't *expletive deleted*ck with it. Period.

If it is not in the maintainence schedule in the manual, it's an upsell.

And are you sure your focus does not have a fuel filter at all? It's probably integrated into the fuel pump, which is common on many newer designs. j

[zxcvbob]

If your fuel system is working properly, you don't *expletive deleted*ck with it. Period.
If it is not in the maintainence schedule in the manual, it's an upsell.

That's what I thought.  (and what I did)  They said it was in the maintenance manual, but it's not.

[dogmush]

I have actually dealt with clogged fuel injectors.  The joys of being an outboard motor mechanic on salt water.

You don't have clogged injectors. If you did, you'd KNOW you had something wrong.  On a gas motors the injection pattern isn't as critical. If the car's not running bad,  you don't need to mess with them.

[p12]

We sell the BG. products. I've seen it work in smoothing out idle performance and increasing fuel mileage. It's not the fuel flow path that is effected by carbon deposits. It the outer part of the tip. The canon builds up on the tip and will impair the injectors ability to properly atomize the fuel. The flush also cleans the carbon for the valves, seats and pistons. Unless your using top tier fuels like from Exxon, Shell or Mobile the injector performance will be degraded by 30k-40k miles.

The car manufacturers hate it. They also hate changing oil before 7500 miles. This increases the maintenance costs and flies in the face of the image they are trying to portray. Reduced maintenance cost. We had to replace a half dozen camshafts and lifters when GM first came out with the oil life monitor. Under the right conditions the light wouldn't come on for 11k-13k miles.

[zahc]

Let's not forget the supposedly "maintenance-free for 5 years" Dex-cool coolant.

My Mazda minivan spark plugs are supposed to be good for 100k. It started missing at about 85k and when I replaced the plugs I found th the old ones had eroded to like 0.70".

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I need to do my plugs. Thanks for reminder


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[Brad Johnson]

I got brave and did the plugs in my truck last year. It has the infamous 04-08 Ford 5.4L "plug tips sieze and break off in the head" engine. I used the impact-wrench method and managed to get them all out in one piece.

Brad

[Parker Dean]

As noted, it's an upsell. Probably a required one with a quota at that. When I was doing mechanical failure inspections, prior to the bottom dropping out about 2012, it was my observation that the Lithia Group of dealers in my area was the worst at requiring this sort of thing. Multiple products had to be sold per vehicle no matter what it was in for in the first place. More than once I was present to listen to an advisor call a customer to tell them the service they had come for was completed and then have to go through several minutes of upsell of each required product line. The advisors hated it and it didn't take long for the advisors working there prior to Lithia taking over ran off and then it was a constant turnover after that. Sometimes wouldn't be the same group there one week to the next!

[lupinus]

Luckily ford dealer doesn't push it. They offer it at the "appropriate" mileage, give the pitch, and I don't hear it again after I politely tell them no.

If it's not in the service manual and isn't to correct an actual problem I don't do it as I see no reason.