Questions and Answers
Injector Cleaning
Q. Vince, How does the Toyota dealer clean fuel injectors? I think they use a pressurized solvent and hook it up to the injector fuel rail to clean the fuel varnish deposits off the injectors. Does this really work better than putting an additive in the gas tank such as STP Complete Fuel System Cleaner? Can a car owner with good mechanic skills do this at home? If so, could you explain how it is done?
Thanks for your reply!
MikeA. You have it right Mike. That's exactly what they do. Some dealers use a machine which bypasses the fuel system and uses a mixture of gas and solvent. Some use a kit from a company called BG which has a pressurized can of solvent and a regulator to control the pressure. In either case the fuel system is bypassed by connecting the outlet of the fuel filter to the return line.This loops the gas out and back into the gas tank. The outlet on the fuel rail is plugged so the cleaner stays in the rail until it is completely gone.
This does clean much better because the cleaner is more concentrated than a few ounces of cleaner diluted in a few gallons of gas. The only drawback is because the cleaner is more concentrated, it limits the number of times you can do it. The usual limit is three times and then the injectors have to be replaced.
You can do this at home yourself. You can buy a kit at any large auto parts store like NAPA or Pep Boys. Just be sure you read and follow the label directions exactly. Fuel pressures are high and can cause a fire or personal injury.
