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Is using too much fuel injector cleaner a serious issue.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Kutanks, Sep 18, 2012.

  1. Kutanks

    Kutanks Member

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    I purchased a bottle of fuel injector cleaner at ace hardware, the directions said use 1 bottle for 20 gallons of gas. On accident I poured it all into my tank (10g). Is this going to cause serious mechanical problems with my engine? Just to be safe I decided to fill up with 93 octane instead of 87 as usual. I'm hoping this isn't going to ruin my engine.
     
  2. Kutanks

    Kutanks Member

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    Really need an answer because I have to drive 50 m round trip to work tomorrow

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  3. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Almost certainly it will not destroy the engine. The higher octane makes no difference.

    If you typically buy E10 gas with up to 10% ethanol the car is already getting all the injector cleaner it needs, so in future you can save money and bother.
     
  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    "You can use fuel-injector cleaning chemicals to clear injectors of deposits from fuel and its additives. The products are made with concentrated detergents to break up minerals that form and clog the tiny nozzles on fuel injectors. That reduces the flow of fuel to the engine cylinder, causing hard starts, sputtering and knocks. Auto makers have improved injector design, but gasoline quality has declined. Although most major petrol companies add detergents to avoid deposits in fuel systems, injectors can still get clogged."

    this is what it says on ehow.com

    Clearly previous poster doesn't know that ethanol is opposite of injector cleaner and is more about congressional bribes from corn lobby rather than anything benefit for an engine.

    Your car will be fine but to be safe dilute with more fuel asap!
     
  5. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    "Minerals". Nuts. But everybody needs a hobby, so if you're the sort who likes putting oil in the air filter :_> go for it.
     
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  6. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Ethanol is 'Gas Treatment' not Fuel Injector Cleaner. No one using E10 should need 'Gas Treatment' again.

     
  7. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Yea ehow certainly isn't the most informed resource and 'minerals' is a bit inappropriate... Main point is Ethanol creates a build up of varnish. That's opposite of cleaning away varnish.
     
  8. Kutanks

    Kutanks Member

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    Follow up I was pretty worried but I've been getting better mpg recently with that gum out shit. Getting 47 up from 44mpg. Also got an oil change....at valvoline, first time not using the dealer..

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  9. maestro8

    maestro8 Nouveau Member

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    This does nothing to counter-act any additive you've put in your fuel. The higher octane gas is only useful in high-compression (high-performance) engines.

    A proper cleaning of one's injectors involves taking them out of the engine.

    Buying 93 octane gas for your Prius is a waste of money, as is buying "injector cleaner". There are very, very few conditions in which a bottle of anything will fix your car.
     
  10. a priori

    a priori Canonus Curiosus

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    Of course, the Prius ICE with Atkinson cycle, has a very high compression ratio . . .

    Even so, the Prius ICE is designed for lower octane gas, and higher octane is not only a waste of money, but is likely to give you lower MPGs. The purpose of the higher octane is to delay combustion so there isn't dieseling (combustion due to pressure) causing knocking in your engine. If your engine is knocking, it means the air/gas mixture is combusting earlier than planned, resulting in incomplete combustion and an abundance of noxious gasses and unused petroleum. Use of higher octane petroleum is likely to produce exhaust gases that are less than ideal. It may indicate incomplete combustion and the engine could compensate by adding less fuel or more air -- a situation which is not going to give you the highest possible efficiency (meaning: lower MPGs).