Fuel Injector Cleaners

Recently I have noticed that my GAGT has a slight hesitation in acceleration and a bad idle. I did a compression test and all of the cylinders have approx
150pds of pressure, except one has 120pds. The mechanic told me not to worry about this and that it normal...only to worry if it get below 100pds. I would like to clean the fuel injectors with a over the counter system but don't know of any good ones...not the bottled ones but the ones you hook up tio the fuel rail line. Maybe I should just get it done at Pep Boys or something? There are not any codes in the PCM, which they also double checked.

Any suggestions?

[JetMtx]

I'm interested in this as well. If anyone has a good quasi cheap canister hook-up system please post it here. All I've come across are the professional systems that cost in the thousands of dollars.

Has anyone ever cleaned their fuel injectors themselves by removing them? Is the upper manifold hard to remove?

[tenspeed]

Since you have done a compression test, I assume your plugs are good.

Last summer I changed the gas tank and fuel filter on my '96 Olds Achieva. Soon after I had a rough idle and assumed a clogged injector because of the recent work. Spent a lot of time removing the injectors, cleaning the fuel rail, changing the filter again. Finally I changed the air filter and plugs and everything smoothed out.

My advice to anyone with a bad idle or hesitation is to do the easy stuff first. It can't hurt and it's a lot better than wasting time on the wrong solution.

I've always heard that the compression should be within 10 PSI of each other.

[JetMtx]

Well, I've got no hesitation. My idle is nice and smooth. I've only got 15,000mi. on my GAGT. But, regardless, I am interested in keeping those injectors clean and operating. I currently use in the tank products, but would like to run a canister periodically to keep things really clean in there. Preventative Maintenance.
Anywho, anybody have any suggestions where to buy a cheap canister system setup?

[gagt88]

i have also read that some of the tank cleaners dont really do anything too... so im guess the only way to really find out is eaither trail and error or asking people who have tried them. personly ive tried valveoline that didnt really do anything. im currently running lucas fuel system treatment

[slowbird]

Run a couple tanks of 94 octane...that'll clean out the majority of the fuel system.

[HiFiCarGuy]

Originally Posted by slowbird

Run a couple tanks of 94 octane...that'll clean out the majority of the fuel system.

Will that really work? I've been trying stuff like crazy (not that) and if that'll do the trick, It'll be worth a few extra dollars. BTW, where did this year old thread come from?

[99GAGTX]

I know it's not as thorough a cleaning as tearing the fuel system down and cleaning it properly. But I noticed recently, today actually, that Sunoco 94 does a decent job with rough idling. With the crazy weather we've been having in the metro Detroit area lately (lots of rain, then sleet, temps varying from low 30's to mid 50 degrees from one day to the next), I noticed a lot of rough idling, hard starts/stalling. I finally broke down this morning and filled up with Sunoco 94, and it's been running better so far. But it cost me $1.04 per litre. Which very roughly converts to about $4.00 per gallon.

Yeah... when it comes to gas prices, Canadians take it up the ***.

[rwillman]

When I was getting a horrible misfire due to plugged injectors I ran a can of BG 44k through my GA and it cleared up immediately. I know this isn't one that you hook up to the rail system but I found it actually worked as compared to another rail system I tried and it was a lot cheaper. I got mine at the dealer for around 30 bucks.

By the way after a few times of having my injectors plugged up I learned that it was caused by me running the ethanol blend in a car that had most likely had straight unleaded all its life and the alcohol knocked some rust and stuff loose into the fuel line. I've ran straight unleaded since and haven't had a problem.

[slowbird]

I thought all gas (at least in Canada) contains Ethanol.

[digitalballz]

where can you get 94 octane??? Not around here.

[traingeek087]

this has been a large hot topic with me also, i put some in one night because of rough idle (STP inector cleaner 2.94 at wal-mart) and it cleaned it up. when i filled up with now bad gas it was doing it so i used some "sea foam" - useless product. so i went back and tried the STP stuff again and it worked. I really do believe the stuff works since it has got them to fire nicely twice now. great product. for 2.94 try it out.

[slowbird]

Originally Posted by digitalballz

where can you get 94 octane??? Not around here.

Sunoco Gas stations.
Good stuff.


Ummm...I heard nothing but good stuff from Seafoam.

But if you have to run high octane gas, or Injector cleaner in every tank for the car to run properly, I'd just bite the bullit and find the permanent solution.

[digitalballz]

sunoco only has 93 octane

[slowbird]

Maybe in the states.

But here we have Ultra 94 at Sunoco gas stations

[SikMindz]

Try SeaFoam. I'm back up to 17-20 MPG city driving after having the car for 5 years (up from 13-16 MPG last year)

[iceman]

Sunoco 94 is available depending on what state you are in.. Seafoam is aight, the only good way IMO to get your injectors cleaned is to hook that canister up to the fuel rail and run the car off it.. believe you can get them at napa

[DirtyTexas070]

noob question... whats this canister i keep reading about?

[lvemy3100]

you can hook up either "Sea Foam" or "Lucas fuel injector cleaner" though a vaccum line and that works just as well as the canister thing most times this is according to most of the mechanics i know as well as my own personal experience.
check this about a cheap fix for the compression as well Engine Restorer/Sea Foam
and just want to clear this up about the thread i linked to.... it is not called lucas engine restorer it is just called RESTORE.