Fuel injectors, clean or replace? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

travfreed · 12-08-2019, 01:19 PM

Morning all, one more thing. Is a fuel injection cleaning service as good as replacing the injectors themselves or a waste of money? How difficult is it to replace injectors on a 2010 RS? I'm not having any issues here but mileage is creeping up to a point where I need to plan for maintenance.

Thanks again all.
Have a great day.

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Greenhornet2 · 12-08-2019, 02:06 PM

I wouldn't replace injectors if you don't have a problem. Cleaning them is effective but the only real effective way to do it is using a device with a concentrated cleaner that the engine will run off of until the container is empty. Typically you don't have to do this unless you are noticing an issue, poor fuel mileage ect. Using top tier fuels already have detergents in them and they keep things pretty clean.

cookiecdcmk · 12-09-2019, 08:36 AM

Using cans of Chevron Techron in a couple of tanks of fuel may help. It is a cheaper fix than injectors. Chevron fuel already is supposed to have Techron in it, but the cans can provide a boost. A prior post using another method is the best way, but try to use Techron. I remember when port fuel injection was first used on Camaros many years ago, the injectors easily became clogged. Dealers started to use Techron with good results. As time passed, the injector design was improved to help prevent the problem, and other cleaning fluids were created.

lbls1 · 12-10-2019, 08:36 AM

The fuel injector service is excellent for maintaining the induction system. I highly recommend it. Far better than the more costly injector replacement. I would only replace injectors if I were modifying the engine and would need increased gas flow, or in the event of a defective injector.

canadian ss · 12-10-2019, 11:03 AM

The only time we clean the injectors (with a tool) is to fix a possible plugged injector casuing a misfire from using cheap gas or as a paid service interval designed to make us money.
GM engineers specifically state to not clean your injectors with any additives as they are designed to last the life of the vehicle and over use of injector flushes will harm the injectors.
In my personal cars, ive NEVER flushed the injectors.

Use brand name fuel and pay for high test if possible.

CamaroBarb · 12-10-2019, 11:41 AM

Most people don't know that injectors foul when the engine is shut off. While its running fuel is washing through them keeping them clean. The problem starts when the engine is shut off, oil in the intake and cylinders vaporizes and solidifies on the everything including the injectors. This happening over and over eventually fouls the injectors with hard carbon deposits that plug up the injector. Using a high quality synthetic engine oil is the 1st step in keeping your injectors clean. Unfortunately GDI changes all this, using regular grade fuel in a GDI engine is just asking trouble because of low speed pre ignition and the lack of detergents. ALL fuel should have to be treated with high detergents if they want to go to GDI in everything. I can't use regular fuel in my 14 RS 3.6 Camaro. If I do it constantly experiences LSPI and drives poorly.

cookiecdcmk · 12-10-2019, 12:41 PM

I do not want to start an argument, just to give another opinion on injector cleaning. If an additive such as Techron Chevron uses in all its fuel was harmful, there would be countless failures of injectors like you said could be damaged. There are many other fuel brands that also use additives, and most top tier fuels have them. Some people may not be able to find top tier fuel in their area, so an additive periodically will help keep the injectors clean. I do agree that regular injector flushing like most dealers and retailers sell at a high profit, are not necessary or needed. GM does recommend an additive for fuel and it obviously is their brand called Fuel System Treatment Plus. I have used Techron for many years on all my vehicles, and I think it is product that helps keep the fuel system in good order.

mikeman · 12-10-2019, 01:33 PM

If you have the RS, that means you have the V6 which comes with direct injection. On those, I think you have to replace the fuel rail too when you get new injectors. One time use only kind of thing I believe.

CamaroBarb · 12-10-2019, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookiecdcmk

I do not want to start an argument, just to give another opinion on injector cleaning. If an additive such as Techron Chevron uses in all its fuel was harmful, there would be countless failures of injectors like you said could be damaged. There are many other fuel brands that also use additives, and most top tier fuels have them. Some people may not be able to find top tier fuel in their area, so an additive periodically will help keep the injectors clean. I do agree that regular injector flushing like most dealers and retailers sell at a high profit, are not necessary or needed. GM does recommend an additive for fuel and it obviously is their brand called Fuel System Treatment Plus. I have used Techron for many years on all my vehicles, and I think it is product that helps keep the fuel system in good order.

Techron is safe but not for constant high level usage like tossing a entire bottle in every tank full. The reason is it attacks plastics and rubber parts as well as carbon. That's why they don't want you to over use it. Small amounts in every tank full are fine. If you look closely on the small bottle its says use every 1k miles. I've had good results using Regane small bottle every 1 k. Has the same PEA as techron.

cookiecdcmk · 12-11-2019, 08:44 AM

Agreed CamaroBarb. Like anything, excess is not good. I use a bottle in a fill up about every 6000 miles or so.

12-08-2019, 01:19 PM	#1
travfreed Drives: 2010 Camaro RS Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: US San Diego Posts: 16	Fuel injectors, clean or replace? Morning all, one more thing. Is a fuel injection cleaning service as good as replacing the injectors themselves or a waste of money? How difficult is it to replace injectors on a 2010 RS? I'm not having any issues here but mileage is creeping up to a point where I need to plan for maintenance. Thanks again all. Have a great day. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

12-08-2019, 02:06 PM	#2
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	I wouldn't replace injectors if you don't have a problem. Cleaning them is effective but the only real effective way to do it is using a device with a concentrated cleaner that the engine will run off of until the container is empty. Typically you don't have to do this unless you are noticing an issue, poor fuel mileage ect. Using top tier fuels already have detergents in them and they keep things pretty clean. __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

12-10-2019, 08:36 AM	#4
lbls1 Drives: 2002 Camaro SS SOM; 2015 Malibu LTZ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 4,022	The fuel injector service is excellent for maintaining the induction system. I highly recommend it. Far better than the more costly injector replacement. I would only replace injectors if I were modifying the engine and would need increased gas flow, or in the event of a defective injector. __________________ '02 CAMARO SS SOM; 5.7L LS1/FLS6B '08 TBSS AWD Black Granite Metallic '15 Malibu LTZ 2LZ Turbo *'14 CAMARO ZL1 Blue Ray Metallic*

12-10-2019, 12:41 PM	#7
cookiecdcmk Drives: 2017 Camaro Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: FL Posts: 18 View My Garage	I do not want to start an argument, just to give another opinion on injector cleaning. If an additive such as Techron Chevron uses in all its fuel was harmful, there would be countless failures of injectors like you said could be damaged. There are many other fuel brands that also use additives, and most top tier fuels have them. Some people may not be able to find top tier fuel in their area, so an additive periodically will help keep the injectors clean. I do agree that regular injector flushing like most dealers and retailers sell at a high profit, are not necessary or needed. GM does recommend an additive for fuel and it obviously is their brand called Fuel System Treatment Plus. I have used Techron for many years on all my vehicles, and I think it is product that helps keep the fuel system in good order. Last edited by cookiecdcmk; 12-10-2019 at 12:55 PM.

12-09-2019, 08:36 AM	#3
cookiecdcmk Drives: 2017 Camaro Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: FL Posts: 18 View My Garage	Using cans of Chevron Techron in a couple of tanks of fuel may help. It is a cheaper fix than injectors. Chevron fuel already is supposed to have Techron in it, but the cans can provide a boost. A prior post using another method is the best way, but try to use Techron. I remember when port fuel injection was first used on Camaros many years ago, the injectors easily became clogged. Dealers started to use Techron with good results. As time passed, the injector design was improved to help prevent the problem, and other cleaning fluids were created.

12-10-2019, 11:03 AM	#5
canadian ss Psycho on day pass Drives: 2010 yellow 1ss m6 -GM tech Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: grimsby, ont. Posts: 487 View My Garage	The only time we clean the injectors (with a tool) is to fix a possible plugged injector casuing a misfire from using cheap gas or as a paid service interval designed to make us money. GM engineers specifically state to not clean your injectors with any additives as they are designed to last the life of the vehicle and over use of injector flushes will harm the injectors. In my personal cars, ive NEVER flushed the injectors. Use brand name fuel and pay for high test if possible.

12-10-2019, 11:41 AM	#6
CamaroBarb Banned Drives: cheby Camaro Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: usa Posts: 575	Most people don't know that injectors foul when the engine is shut off. While its running fuel is washing through them keeping them clean. The problem starts when the engine is shut off, oil in the intake and cylinders vaporizes and solidifies on the everything including the injectors. This happening over and over eventually fouls the injectors with hard carbon deposits that plug up the injector. Using a high quality synthetic engine oil is the 1st step in keeping your injectors clean. Unfortunately GDI changes all this, using regular grade fuel in a GDI engine is just asking trouble because of low speed pre ignition and the lack of detergents. ALL fuel should have to be treated with high detergents if they want to go to GDI in everything. I can't use regular fuel in my 14 RS 3.6 Camaro. If I do it constantly experiences LSPI and drives poorly.

12-10-2019, 01:33 PM	#8
mikeman Banned Drives: 2015 Camaro Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: My Garage Posts: 1,125	If you have the RS, that means you have the V6 which comes with direct injection. On those, I think you have to replace the fuel rail too when you get new injectors. One time use only kind of thing I believe.

12-11-2019, 08:44 AM	#10
cookiecdcmk Drives: 2017 Camaro Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: FL Posts: 18 View My Garage	Agreed CamaroBarb. Like anything, excess is not good. I use a bottle in a fill up about every 6000 miles or so.