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Fuel injector cleaning?

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by OzTony, Oct 4, 2013.

  1. OzTony

    OzTony Junior Member

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    My one year Prius C went in for its 30,000km (20,ooomi) service today - fixed price A$130 (first six services are a fixed A$130 [=US$125] here in Australia). The dealer later phoned me to suggest fuel injector cleaning at an extra A$150 as, he claimed, fuel injectors tend to clog up in urban driving. I passed on his kind offer as my Prius mainly does long runs (130km/80mi) including long freeway stretches. But should I get this done in the future and if so when?
     
  2. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    Wouldn't the engine be off during urban driving?...
     
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  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Desirable in an injector cleaning service is one that quantitatively tests their operation before service, and again after service (if service is indicated by the before-tests).

    Two recent examples of test outcomes are my 2001, which didn't really need the service, and another poster's 2002, which really did. But just for perspective, these are both cars with seven to ten times the mileage on yours! Either you've got really gunky gasoline in Oz, or your dealer is very, umm, diligent.

    If you were to find a service priced similarly to the one I used here, it would be under 90 AUD for the set of 4.

    -Chap
     
  4. OzTony

    OzTony Junior Member

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    'Diligent' - I like it. Thanks for the feedback - I'll think about it at 60,000.
     
  5. Stevie

    Stevie Junior Member

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    hey, don't do it, I used to work In a Toyota service department in Melbourne, it is not really necessary, and just a way for the dealer to make money, obviously by doing a $130 service there is not much in it for them, this is also the same with power steering flush, air con service and throttle body clean, like you said at 60,000klm or even 80'000klm buy a bottle of injector cleaner from super cheap and poor that into your tank, ok it's not as good as the stuff they use and put directly into the fuel system at the engine, but it's $110 cheaper
     
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  6. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Stevie hit it. Just a wallet flush for the dealer. Injectors are not like injectors when they first came out 40 years ago. Now there very high quality and so is the gasoline.

    Only time its really necessary to add a gas conditioner is if the car sits for a long time.
     
  7. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    Good for you.
    There are at least one inexpensive injector cleaner at WallyWorld that has non-alcohol injector cleaner that will do a good job keeping injectors clean - there's more non gas stuff in gas than you might think - so I recommend once month feeding the gas with injector cleaner. Cost figure from a dollar to two, well spent.
    PS thats probably all they would do either.
     
  8. Isn't Techron supposed to be a fuel cleaner?
    When I had my junk 4x4, I was told by the car repair place that my engine had carbon buildup, and ultimately I had to do *two* fuel system cleanings 10,000 miles apart. Why? Because the first time, my check engine light started flashing and the car nearly died...and the second time, well, they said it built up again. This was also back when I was just using E10 like everyone else. And, unfortunately, I did what they told me to do (use Techron every other fill-up) in between the 10,000 mile intervals, and I still had to take my junk car back for fuel cleaning. Yup, so I guess use fuel cleaning stuff more frequently than that.
     
  9. TrafficMPG

    TrafficMPG Junior Member

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    Don't do it. I still have regrets about agreeing to do it on my Highlander Hybrid. Dealer said it was good for the car......since it had 30,000 miles on it. I said ok. Long story short, it aged the engine something fierce. I should have known not to. My scangauge was reading the same numbers as when new before the service. After the service, operating temp went up about 6 degrees F and engine timing went down by about 5 at idle. Engines of today combined the gas quality just don't need this service done as often. I'd say consider it at 60,000 miles....maybe.
     
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