Injector Cleaning


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Old 01-30-03, 04:26 PM
J
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Injector Cleaning

I have access to a 3M kit for cleaning injectors. I have a 1999 Chev. Silverado w/ 5.3 Automatic. I'm trying to use the kit to clean my injectors. I have been told to remove the fuel pump relay, hook the cleaner connection to the pressure test port, and start her up. Then allow the engine to run until it dies. Well the engine won't run at all. As soon as the engine starts it dies. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,

John
 
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Old 01-30-03, 04:43 PM
Joe_F
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The can may not have enough charge to run the truck. The can could be defective or the kit/can/setup is not made to work with a newer Vortec truck engine at a higher pressure.

With that being said, zero benefit to cleaning those fuel injectors. If you use good quality fuel and change the filter often, that's all that really in essence has to be done.
 
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Old 01-30-03, 04:57 PM
J
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Thanks. Understood on the gas. just bough the truck in August and I am trying to start fresh so to speak.

John
 
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Old 01-31-03, 06:08 AM
Joe_F
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Sure, understood. Just no benefit to really doing it. The correct way if you are hell-bent on cleaning them is ultrasonically, which means removing them from the truck...
 
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Old 01-31-03, 09:33 AM
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Thinking about it. I do remember a thread where that was debated some time ago about the put in your gas and go cleaners and I had come to the conclusion from that, they were a waste of money. Just thought that this way would have given some benefit. I usually run "quality" gas from Chevron every third tank. An old mechanic friend suggested that some time back.

Thanks for your help and input,

John
 
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Old 01-31-03, 09:44 AM
Joe_F
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I've cleaned them, tested them and analyzed them both ways. The ultrasonic way is the best--typically those machines also have a balance tester which will show if they are all inline to each other on the flow.

HOWEVER, the equipment needed to calibrate and flow an injector as the OEM does it when they make a new part number costs several thousand dollars!
 
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Old 02-01-03, 08:49 PM
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In order to do these type of injector cleanings, you also have to disable the fuel pressure regulator, otherwise as soon as you open the valve on the can all the pressure from the can pushes all the cleaner into the fuel tank. Most of these chemicals were not designed to go into the tank as they are highly corrosive to the pump. Easy way to tell, was the can empty after you tried to start it? If so fill the tank to dilute it as much as possible, you might be buying yourself a fuel pump.
The vortec style fuel system does not have an accessable regulator, Kent-Moore makes a special adaptor to go in place of the fuel lines at the intake so tank contamination is eliminated. I can't remember off the top of my head what style of fuel delivery the 4.8,5.3,5.7 family uses now, but I don't think it has changed.

By the way, the only GM approved method of injector cleaning is a 5% GM top engine cleaner mixture.
 
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Old 02-02-03, 03:57 PM
Joe_F
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I agree with Fishpounder.

Fish:That top engine cleaner can really smoke things out (cough, cough, cough). LOL
 
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Old 02-02-03, 09:26 PM
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Joe,
Yeah used straight it smokes pretty good.

We used to use it to clean the carbon off the rings on the northstar engines. Get it hot, pull the plugs, 1/4 can in each hole, let sit for 2 hours, crank over to puke out nasty brown/black mixture,slap plugs in, fire it up,and as Cadillac says "drive aggressively for 10 miles in second gear". The thing would look like a top fuel dragster doing a burnout for nearly a mile.
Well they changed the chemical and method and it doesn't smoke nearly as bad as it used to. Man, they take away all our fun.....

It sure was fun to see the faces of people in other cars as you drive by in a $50k Caddy that looks like it's on fire....

'Course, maybe it wasn't the safest thing- you couldn't see a thing behind ya til the wind blew the smoke away, it was soooo thick.
 
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Old 02-03-03, 01:35 AM
Joe_F
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I'm a firm believer that if you keep your engine clean and change your filters and fluids regularly, you won't have a need for any of that .
 
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Old 02-10-03, 06:00 PM
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Joe,

This a ring cleaning bulletin from GM to cure an oil consumption problem.
We see it on some cars that have less than 15000 miles on them, so it is not a maintainance problem.
My theory is a combination of skirtless pistons and a 300 horse engine in a car that is driven by 60+ yearold people that putt around in it like a golf cart. These racecars never get DRIVEN.

Mind you, I'm talking about the Northstar engine here.
 
  #12  
Old 02-11-03, 03:30 AM
Joe_F
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Lol. Perhaps that's the cause.

I've never had to use any of those additives or cleaners in my engines (and I've owned numerous GM engines in the 15 years I have been driving) .
 
 

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