Fuel-injector cleaner could damage engine

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Well, Techron is a fuel injector cleaner, but it also claims (and rightly so) to do much more than that. I would expect that manufacturers would design their fuel systems to be able to tolerate a wide variety of cleaners, or else pay some heavy warrany costs. Most cleaners, after all, have a lot of common ingredients between them and it wouldn't be tough to design materials and coatings to tolerate those ingredients, in addition to the normal gasoline, ethanol, methanol, etc. I think this advice is hooey, especially considering the Top Tier Fuel push, posted here recently, in which the automakers are trying to get the gasoline companies to increase the detergent properties of their gasoline (adding cleaners).
 
Since all gasolines have cleaners in them, I don't think that they [FI cleaners] are inherently detrimental.
I think this forum is a better source of an additive's benefits/shortcomings.
Around here, I have read of great improvement with FI cleaners, some with no discernable benefit, but I haven't seen damage reports.
Maybe older vehicles could have problems with brass or rubber/plastic components that would react with strong solvents/alcohols, but nowadays, I think we need cleaners.
Happy motoring!
 
Maybe he's thinking of some very stong aftermarket cleaner?

I know of some fuel injectors that can be damaged by most cleaners, but not gas tanks.

-T
 
I read this too in a column. Its dumb obviously the dealer has issues with fuel cleaners. I know for a fact many and i mean many use fuel cleaners in their day to day operations they're so bad sometimes they would ask you to pay exhorbant prices on things that do as little to nothing compared to the injector cleaners although many are cheap and contain mostly solvents there are some good ones out there too. Whats a fuel injection service? for like 80-100$ hook it up to a glorified fuelpump don't even clean the tank or the lines but just the fuel rails and pump a bottle of stuff in this is ludacris the biggest joke since additives were born were these machines that were created to do the same thing

they missed the tank and the lines going to the fuel rail the worst thing that could happen is a clogged filter which can happen. I've seen what chemicals do to plastic some are sensitive put if gas is ok to be put in the tank then there isn't an additive i've seen that would do anymore harm. Same goes with steel. bezene, toulune, MMT, polyetheramine, the list goes on no harm done and obviously the car talk guy thinks they're ok if he recommends one.

the guy is double talking and is full of it when he says
Dear Lossie: I do not sell or use any fuel injector cleaner nor do I recommend using it. What I recommend is Techron fuel additive for carbon deposit removal

i don't sell or use any fuel cleaner nor do i recommend them

#1 then how are you qualified enough to be given advice on this subject?
#2 If you recomend techron then you admit to lying to us and saying that you do recommend and use injector cleaners or someone is paying you to say that
#3 if you recomend techron but do not use cleaners then your obviously selling techron

I'm sorry but this guy is way out of his league and doesn't belong giving advice on this subject stick to the rest of what you know and don't lie to the public geez this guy should get hung in tree for saying this the snake oil guys did.
 
I understand why the dealer might say not to use a fuel injector cleaner, they want to sell the $100 mechanical treatment.

The newspaper writer has me confused. He obvisouly feels that Techron is somehow different than the "other" cleaners but does not explain why. With no data on why this is the case the entire article is worthless in my judgement.
 
I'm sorry but this guy is way out of his league and doesn't belong giving advice on this subject stick to the rest of what you know and don't lie to the public geez this guy should get hung in tree for saying this the snake oil guys did. [/QB][/QUOTE]

Hmmm, his column is quite widely published and I've never seen anything but good info in it; so what's your qualification to call people names and ridicule their advice?

My $0.02
 
Herky Jim I do not doubt this guy is a intelligent and good at what he does. When it came to this particular subject he double talked and ended up sounding dumb. I do not know him nor am I attacking him personally but as far as what was said he was out of his league and the advice was inadmissable. Like YOU I too enjoy these tech talk guys and the click and clack but it just wasn't good advice thats all.

What makes me qualified? Nothing I guess I don't have a masters in metalargy or tribology but I have a close friend that is a 15 year member of the STLE and we talk about these things on a very regular basis. I've been studing this subject for almost 15 years myself and feel I have a pretty vast knowledge of the subject.
 
hey fellas
I read the "ask the auto doctor" column every sunday in the local newspaper. I found this interesting..opinions?

Fuel-injector cleaner could damage engine

Dear Doctor: I own a 2004 Honda Odyssey with a 3.5 liter V-6 engine. Current mileage is 8,500. I called the dealer and asked about using fuel-injector cleaner. His answer: "Never, it could damage the engine." I also own a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5.2 Liter V-8 engine. Could I safely use injector cleaner in the truck? If so, what brand do you recommend? Lossie

Dear Lossie: I do not sell or use any fuel injector cleaner nor do I recommend using it. What I recommend is Techron fuel additive for carbon deposit removal. Metal gas tanks are internally coated to protect against rusting. Any corrosive chemical would destroy the coating, thus causing major problems. Today, a lot of vehicles use plastic fuel tanks.


what's the difference?? I thought techron was a fuel injector cleaner
 
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