do injector cleaners work?

[spongebob]

I know this has been beaten to death, but I see some movement in the horse..
has anyone seen any documentation other than from the manufacturers of said cleaners?

I'm on 428,000 miles on mine, I've used cleaners in the past now and then..

also, there's supposed to be a way GM suggests the injectors get serviced on the vehicle as its running.
has anyone had any success with it and is there a video?

[spongebob]

OK then....

[DmaxMaverick]

Yeah, like asking what's the best oil brand to use...

They work, if you ask the people selling a service that does the service. It might work, if it's a last resort before yanking all of them. I use "injector cleaner" of sorts on occasion. Fuel additives, 2T oil, ATF, olive oil (really). No seed oils (apparently, not just bad for people). My injectors work, and continue to work (until now that I spoiled them by saying that). I have one lazy injector that sounds off at idle, but clears up quickly. It's done that since my last set of warranty injectors were installed in 2007. It goes quiet for a while after any of the above treatments. I just happens to be on #7, where my pyro thermocouple resides, so I keep an eye on it. No problems, so far.

Well, one problem. My filter head just started a leak, right at the heater connector. Not bad, yet, but it's sucking air a surely as it's leaking out when I pump it up. Oh, well. Can't complain about that after 25+ years of turnkey. A seal kit will cure that. Just replaced all the acc. belt idlers, too. Thought I had a failing alternator. Once I got the belt off, it was pretty obvious. New idlers, tensioner and a belt, good to go for a while, on that anyway.

Treat your injectors to something. That many miles, they deserve at least that. What that is, or if it works... I dunno. Couldn't hoit.

[a5150nut]

I add a can of Seafoam prior to a long trip. I have an 06 with 154K on her. Seems to help but then again a long trip helps after mostly city driving. Do the same with my wife's Jeep. Not sure it does a lot but cheap mental insurance.

[Yukon6.2]

Whatever you have done is working at 400000 + miles

My only Dmax has issues and smokes, i dose it with ATF once in a while, but i think the issues are deeper as the hoses are always under pressure and needs constant top ups on coolant.

It continues to be ignored by me as it is low on the totem pole.

[spongebob]

Wondering why someone hasnt done a test on these treatments..Seafoam ain't cheap..

[DmaxMaverick]

Wondering why someone hasnt done a test on these treatments..Seafoam ain't cheap..

What cost is too much if it works? I think these types of products are fine if they are effective at doing what they're labeled to do. Seafoam is great for resurrecting gummy carbs and such, but not so great as a fuel stabilizer, although it's on the label. It may be better than untreated gas, but real storage stability needs Sta-Bil. California gas, especially the summer formula, is as bad as it gets in the country. 30 days in a gas can (even the CARB cans, when they work as designed, which is rarely), and it won't run older chain saws. My newer Husqvarna saws have "automatic" carbs, which compensate for environmental and fuel quality issues, but I still don't use old gas in them. Fuel treated with Sta-Bil will last a year or more in a sealed can with no issues. A good 2T oil is also important, but worthless in bad gas.

Tests have been done, and I've read about them over the years (Popular Mechanics, Motor Trend, Car & Driver, etc.). Everything has been tested. The results? Nobody cares. Fram fails nearly every objective test, yet it's still the #1 seller. K&N fails nearly every test, but it's a top seller. Oil lubrication and longevity tests are the same. Every manufacturer can make the claim theirs is best, and they prove it with their tests. Who do we believe? No one, I say. They are all equally untruthful (or truthful, depending on how you frame it). It's more about the marketing than actual product quality. Fram gets good marks when the next page in the mag is a Fram ad. The best test results are yours for you, and mine for me. My 85 6.2 Blazer went over 600K on mostly Amsoil (some others mixed in over the years, mostly synthetic). It was running when I parked it, although it had many other issues that didn't escape time. It did not live an easy life, and it never considered it wasn't a 1-ton. What I did during that time and miles means nothing to you. Your 400K+ miles is your testament to practice. Adding something, even new, may not hurt, but you're already past your point of return (on your investment). I'd be more concerned with the time that's passed than the miles. I have the same concern with my 2001, at many fewer miles than yours.

[DIESEL/VETTE]

Very well said.