The best fuel injector cleaner would be..

[matsuda]

If you want to take the time, follow a fuel tanker. I suspect you'll see it stop at Shell, Costco and Mom & Pop, not necessarily in that order.

Are you implying that Chevron gasoline does not contain their Techron additive? Is this whole "Top-Tier" thing really just a bunch of BS?

Did I just get lucky with my last car (ran perfectly at 140,000 miles without ever using any extra additive for injector cleaning, etc.)?

An interesting read:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/05q3/your_car_is_a_temple_so_put_in_the_good_stuff.-column

 

[creedns]

we dont really need injector cleaner. being a di motor, theres enough pressure at the injector outlet that nothing can really build up on there. but seafoam cant hurt i suppose, just not all that necessary imho

 

[blue-sun]

I remember the Subaru guys back when I had a 02 WRX used this place to get their injectors cleaned:

http://www.rceng.com/Fuel-Injector-Cleaning-P43C0.aspx

You'll be without a running car for a few days. Maybe pick up a spare set from someone who's upgraded, send them out to be cleaned and swap them out.

 

[FrequentFlyer]

It's not the injectors that's the issue. It's carbon buildup on the tops of the intake valves. Just Google "FSI carbon buildup" or "direct injection carbon buildup" and look at all the pictures out there of VW's, Audi's and Porsche's with this issue.

 

[MikeHTally]

Are you implying that Chevron gasoline does not contain their Techron additive? Is this whole "Top-Tier" thing really just a bunch of BS?

Did I just get lucky with my last car (ran perfectly at 140,000 miles without ever using any extra additive for injector cleaning, etc.)?

An interesting read:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/05q3/your_car_is_a_temple_so_put_in_the_good_stuff.-column

You're quoting a five-year-old magazine article? What I'm saying is the tanker that stops off at Shell/Chevron/Texaco, etc., may have just left Costco/Sam's/Mom & Pop's. I recently put gas in my car at Shell. The tanker that was there delivering gas had no markings -- no "Shell" label anywhere on it. Is that gas $.20/gal better than Costco's? I suspect not.

 

[Z-Indy]

Around here (central Indiana) it seems like most places have 91 octane for their premium fuel. Shell and BP have 93. Many of the others have 10% ethanol. I don't believe (although not 100% sure) that Shell and BP do. I go to Shell and BP if I can, because I want the 93.

 

[shpankey]

In my area, Shell is one of the few who sell gas without ethanol. I think some ConoccoPhillips do too, but the Shell stores definitely do. Well, their mid-grade and high-grade's do anyhow. Their low-grade 87 does use ethanol. But it clearly says that on the pumps. So that is another reason Shell excels imo.

 

[FrequentFlyer]

I have yet to tell a difference in the way my car runs on "different" gasolines from different companies. I've used Sunoco, Lukoil, Hess, BP, you name it, but 99% of the time, I fill up at the AAFES gas station on base (military). It's usually the cheapest around by a few cents, but the main reason I fill up on base is that it is self service and that's more important to me than saving a buck or two per tank, even in the winter time. I see the same tanker truck company who delivers on base deliver gas to Sunoco. Doing a google search on AAFES gas, it seems they usually use different local suppliers, whether it be Shell, BP, etc... so it's not "no name" gas.

 

[mortimersnerd]

I do see a difference between various station, mostly in terms of mileage. I get about 2 mpg better when I go to the Shell near my house as compared to Costco or the truck stop down the road from me (I live in the middle of nowhere). Use fuelly (or a pencil) to track your mileage over 10-15 tanks and see what gets you the best mileage. The better mileage from the Shell station more than offsets the slight increase in cost for the gas, and I have faith that this is higher quality gas than anywhere else I have easy access to.

 

[meGrimlock]

all the major brands get the same gasoline that comes out of the regional refinery. the difference is the additive packages once it arrives at your local gas station. mom and pop shops buy gasoline from the name-brand vendors but you are rolling the dice as to which specific brand you are getting.

i've not tried this but there is a seafoam spray (NOT deep creep) with a hooked straw that you insert between your throttle body and intake tube. you spray it while the car is running: http://www.seafoamsales.com/how-to-use-sea-foam-spray.html

 

[FrequentFlyer]

all the major brands get the same gasoline that comes out of the regional refinery. the difference is the additive packages once it arrives at your local gas station. mom and pop shops buy gasoline from the name-brand vendors but you are rolling the dice as to which specific brand you are getting.

i've not tried this but there is a seafoam spray (NOT deep creep) with a hooked straw that you insert between your throttle body and intake tube. you spray it while the car is running: http://www.seafoamsales.com/how-to-use-sea-foam-spray.html

Hmmm... interesting. I've never seen them sell that at the stores. I've only seen Seafoam liquid in a can and the Deep Creep, which seems to be more of an oil/lubricant, although they say you can use it as an intake cleaner.

 

[gorockrx]

I have used Seafoam and Lucas products for almost 2 million driven miles....both are good IMHO.

 

[eg6motion]

anyone actually done any investigating as to if Direct Injection needs cleaning? Injection cleaners are designed for traditional injectors, so I am curious if it's even needed at the massive 2000psi of Direct Injection.

 

[Russm]

Haveing been a SnapOn Tech rep for a number of years I found that useing the Motorvac carbon cleaning machine yearly keeps the ports valves and piston clean of 90%+ of the normal carbon build up.

 

[shpankey]

anyone actually done any investigating as to if Direct Injection needs cleaning? Injection cleaners are designed for traditional injectors, so I am curious if it's even needed at the massive 2000psi of Direct Injection.

You're right. There is no need to run injection cleaners in our car.

 

[oaklandopen]

Over X amount of time things are gonna get clogged. That being said one car could get nothing but filthy gas and the filters keep the injectors clear, while another car gets nothing but good gas and for whatever reason a filter fails to catch something and it gets lodged in an injector which creates a crappy spray pattern and eventually that cylinder misfires

Either way, piece of mind and routine maintenence run almost hand in hand