injector cleaners

[blackduck]

Hi,
has anyone any experience using fuel addative injector cleaners and are they considered worthwhile?

Thanks in advance

Stephen

 

[Andy Deighton]

Stephen

I've had experience of additives for diesel cars, where the jets are much more prone to a bit of clogging. They can make a huge difference for engines having done 40-50,000 miles or more.

With petrol being less likely to bung things up I'd suggest that you would need to have put a lot of miles on your bike before any significant benefit would be realised.

On the other hand I don't think they are likely to do any harm, other than to the wallet of course.

Andy Deighton

 

[Mick Fagan]

A friend was running 5 diesel vehicles on his farm. One of the vehicles was a Mercedes car,the rest were tractors and that type of thing.

The Mercedes had the biggest fuel filter fitted, on of all the vehicles. The Mercedes was the only vehicle that didn't require the injectors to be dismantled and sonic bath cleaned about every year.

One of the tractors was using the same injector system as the Mercedes but it still needed far more maintenance than the Mercedes.

It appeared that the conclusion was to keep the fuel clean and the injectors keep on working. As Andy says petrol is generally extremely clean and if you use a high grade fuel as required by the current 259 series then your probable problems will be rather low. However Ido concede that third world fuel situations are another matter.

Mick.

 

[Captain Beaky]

Injector Cleaning

Stephen

Yes, I've been there as well. A problem with the injectors and a shelf load of injector cleaning products that promise the earth.

I work in Jaguar Cars R&D on Electronic Systems.
I had a chat with Joe in work - he is the chief injector bloke. I had a problem with my old 2.8i Granada.

His wisdom is summed up here:-

Basically, if you are having problems with your injectors, then it may well have got too bad to do anything about it, and replacement is the sure-fire fix for duff injectors.

But it may be possible to recover the injectors by Ultrasonic cleaning. This can be done buy many specialists.

Regarding products that clean up your current injectors, they comissioned a test of all the products available, including their own, and the best turned out to be good old Redex.

Used a little and often is best.

He swears by it, and I have to be honest, I have never had any recurring problems with injectors or carbs since then.

I put in about 1/2 the recommended dose every 3rd tank or so.

But he also warned, that injectors (all injectors) are generally very reliable, and need little or no maintenance other than regularly changing the fuel filter, so if you think you have problems that may be injectors, it might not be.

A few little tips from him:-

Always use good quality fuel - steer clear of supermarket fuel.
(I use Shell Optimax, and there really is a difference - smoother, easier starting, less pre-ignition)

Use Redex a little and often.

If you are removing injectors, don't lever against the injector body, as although the outside damage on the injector looks nothing, it may well jam up the insides. Gently ease the injector out, using oil to ease the o-ring if it's dry.

If installing injectors NEVER NEVER use silicon grease (although some "Experts" and haynes manuals say this is the stuff to use.
Silicon grease does not dissolve in petrol, and can land you with more trouble than it's worth.) Use standard engine oil on injector O-Rings.

Change the fuel filter regularly.

Are you experiencing any particular problems? or was your question a general one?

Cheers,

Mike.

 

[blackduck]

Thanks Mike,
I ran the tank low the other week well into the red light. On the Monday I filled up with a tank of Optimax.
She started playing up under hard acceleration. Overtaking in third and fourth became interesting as there was a destinct loss of power as though your hand had slipped on the throttle. I rode this tank out over the next two days and then filled up in the evening else where, at my usual service station. The following day she was as good as gold. I think I might have had one stutter out of her since but that was before I resorted to the REDEX injector cleaner. I have been using the cleaning recommended quantities but this next tank full will be the last and I will go back to your suggestion. A collegue suggested bad fuel or crap from the bottom of the tank.

I would be interested in your thoughts.

As an aside I rang my local dealer for help and due to the coming of all the summer riders they had a two week waiting list, so it is a good thing that things have worked themselves out. Reckon I might cancel the appointment now.

Steve

 

[Captain Beaky]

Injector troubles

Yup,

Crap in the bottom of the tank could well be the cause, but it must be pretty bad, as the fuel filters used on Injection systems are very good at filtering the crud.

Could be water in the tank.

Check the sealing gasket on the filler flap.

Keep dosing the redex, a little and often.

How many miles has your bike done?
Is it due for a new fuel filter soon?

Mike.

 

[blackduck]

Yea could be right because whenever I wash the bike I get water sitting between the cap and the inlet which goes guess where when you open the cap. I have been meaning to ask about this.
I am going to cut down the redex to maintenance levels
I changed the filter at 36K what a heart stopping operation that was and its only done 40-41K now.

Thanks for the help sounds like a new gasket may be in order.

The little hole on the ledge in the filler hole does anyone know where it goes?

 

[Pykie]

The little hole by the filler neck is a drain hole, and on my 1100 goes back down to exit by the RH footpeg.

These are quite good at blocking up, and there are lots of posts out there on the subject, and on using Wynns Dry fuel to get water out of the tank.

I unblocked mine by using one of those little conical thingys that come with a foot pump (for pumping up kids swimming pools or something like that) inserted into the end of the pipe by the foot peg and giving the footpump a squeeze.

Hope this helps.

Olly

 

[Bryn]

The little hole by the filler neck is a drain hole, and on my 1100 goes back down to exit by the RH footpeg.

These are quite good at blocking up, and there are lots of posts out there on the subject, and on using Wynns Dry fuel to get water out of the tank.

I unblocked mine by using one of those little conical thingys that come with a foot pump (for pumping up kids swimming pools or something like that) inserted into the end of the pipe by the foot peg and giving the footpump a squeeze.

Hope this helps.

Olly

Olly, have you spotted the date on the other posts?

 

[MikeP]

Olly, have you spotted the date on the other posts?

He's in Sidmouth. Things are a bit slower there. He probably typed his response the same day as the preceding post and it's only just been transposed from the parchment original.