motoyen
01-06-2005, 12:44 AM
I saw this post on the SIG and thought it was quite interesting. Anyone use any FI cleaner in their engines?
We have discussed this in the past, I guess a re-hashing of the subject is inevitable now and then. There are several types of cleaners on the market. They fall into 2 basic categories. Having been around since the days when BMW's had SERIOUS carbon problems and cleaned and removed carbon (with chemicals & walnut shells) for free, I feel I have a bit more experience than most.
1st. is the "pour in the tank" method. Almost all of these suck. If I had no ethics and needed a McMansion I'd come up with one and sell it. Just as long as it did something I could get away with it. I will say in my experience there are some that do work to a certain extent. Techron; good preventative maintenance, needs gallons of this stuff to clean.
Lubro Molly Ventil Sauber; Better, does clean pintle and seat.
BG 44K; works well but has many side effects. Not the least of which were 2 M-10 318 catalytic converter fires.
STP & Pennzoil; see Lubro Molly
Amsoil P.I.; Superior to all others. Not only cleans the system, also removes surface carbon on tops of pistons. (one of only 2 "snake oils" allowed at my shop)
2nd. are the professional types, where a pump or pressurized cylinder dispenses cleaning agent into the running car. As a rule these are better by
being able to deliver a more concentrated clean at the source of the
affected area.
BG, Bilstien and others offer cleaners and machines to accomplish this. I find the best are the machines that have their own pump, feed/return line, filter and regulator. Whilst more expensive do an infinitively better job. You can circulate cleaner/fuel slurry over the rail and the tops of the injectors prior to starting for 5 minutes to remove debris/dirt in the upper part of the system prior to starting. Then run the car from cold to hot (longer to shorter injector pulses) for a period of about .5 hour to get it really clean!
Having said that, I find not only the type of machine you use but ultimately the chemical one uses has a direct effect on outcome. I find that the Snap-On cleaning machine/chemical to be the best. I hate the price of the stuff but I have yet to find any better cleaner chemical on the market. The V-8 540 & 740's really benefit from this cleaning procedure. The Bilstien machine/cleaner also does a good job.
We have discussed this in the past, I guess a re-hashing of the subject is inevitable now and then. There are several types of cleaners on the market. They fall into 2 basic categories. Having been around since the days when BMW's had SERIOUS carbon problems and cleaned and removed carbon (with chemicals & walnut shells) for free, I feel I have a bit more experience than most.
1st. is the "pour in the tank" method. Almost all of these suck. If I had no ethics and needed a McMansion I'd come up with one and sell it. Just as long as it did something I could get away with it. I will say in my experience there are some that do work to a certain extent. Techron; good preventative maintenance, needs gallons of this stuff to clean.
Lubro Molly Ventil Sauber; Better, does clean pintle and seat.
BG 44K; works well but has many side effects. Not the least of which were 2 M-10 318 catalytic converter fires.
STP & Pennzoil; see Lubro Molly
Amsoil P.I.; Superior to all others. Not only cleans the system, also removes surface carbon on tops of pistons. (one of only 2 "snake oils" allowed at my shop)
2nd. are the professional types, where a pump or pressurized cylinder dispenses cleaning agent into the running car. As a rule these are better by
being able to deliver a more concentrated clean at the source of the
affected area.
BG, Bilstien and others offer cleaners and machines to accomplish this. I find the best are the machines that have their own pump, feed/return line, filter and regulator. Whilst more expensive do an infinitively better job. You can circulate cleaner/fuel slurry over the rail and the tops of the injectors prior to starting for 5 minutes to remove debris/dirt in the upper part of the system prior to starting. Then run the car from cold to hot (longer to shorter injector pulses) for a period of about .5 hour to get it really clean!
Having said that, I find not only the type of machine you use but ultimately the chemical one uses has a direct effect on outcome. I find that the Snap-On cleaning machine/chemical to be the best. I hate the price of the stuff but I have yet to find any better cleaner chemical on the market. The V-8 540 & 740's really benefit from this cleaning procedure. The Bilstien machine/cleaner also does a good job.