Direct Injection Problems

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
But you guys talk like everyone has these issues when they don't.

This is far from universal, GM has had the 3.6 DI motor out since May of 06, and they do not have any issues with valves carboning up excessively. Neither do many other engines with DI.

The most ridiculous assumption is the one that somehow concludes that the extra injector is the sole reason the 350 does not have carbon issues. Data please, or something other than just a guess or a Toyota commercial...


I don't mean to talk like everyone has the issue, I simply know that many/some/whatever have the issue. I personally have a car with a DI engine that has suffered no meaningful decrease of performance or efficiency over its lifetime.

For those of us who aren't engineers who don't have access to testing data performed in Toyota's labs, the best anyone can do is say what Jimzz just said. The IS-250 has the carbon problem and the IS-350 doesn't. I'm sure there are more differences between the two engines than the number and position of fuel injectors, but it's close enough that it is reasonable to think that the injector throwing fuel in before the valves is having an effect.

As far as GM goes.... maybe they figured it all out and using a port fuel injector is a Band-Aid that can cure the issue in certain engines. I honestly have no idea, because I don't know what's different about their system compared to others.

 

[Jimzz]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
But you guys talk like everyone has these issues when they don't.

This is far from universal, GM has had the 3.6 DI motor out since May of 06, and they do not have any issues with valves carboning up excessively. Neither do many other engines with DI.

The most ridiculous assumption is the one that somehow concludes that the extra injector is the sole reason the 350 does not have carbon issues. Data please, or something other than just a guess or a Toyota commercial...


I have never said all D/I motors have carbon problems and the GM 3.6 is actually the motor I use as an example that does not have major issues.

But it is well known that many of the 250's do have problems and uses the same design motor and F/I system as the 350 minus the port injectors. They are both based on the xGR-FSE design.

 

[DBMaster]

My GF bought a 2011 IS250 off-lease a few months ago. Her daughter was the original lessee so we know the car's history. It has about 45,000 miles on it and has not had noticeable issues thus far. I wonder if it will have them. I'll keep her on the alert for performance and/or efficiency issues.

 

[Jimzz]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
My GF bought a 2011 IS250 off-lease a few months ago. Her daughter was the original lessee so we know the car's history. It has about 45,000 miles on it and has not had noticeable issues thus far. I wonder if it will have them. I'll keep her on the alert for performance and/or efficiency issues.


Its best to be proactive on the DI carbon issues. i.e. a ounce of prevention type thing. Once it starts to become really noticeable many time you have to at least take the intake off to clean if not the heads.

Spray out the throttle body with carb cleaner every 10k and then spray it through a vacuum line while the car is running as well. Cheap and easy to do.

 

[ryster]

I have almost 61,000 miles on my early build 2011 Sonata 2.4L GDI. The engine likes to use oil. No leaks or anything, it just uses oil. Approximately a quart every 1,000 miles. Oil gets changed every 5,000 miles at the dealer (safest bet while the car is still under the 10yr/100K mile powertrain warranty.) There have been numerous reports of engine replacements on higher mileage 2.4L GDI Sonatas from the early 2011 model year. The most common culprit is catastrophic oil loss. I am in the habit now of checking the oil at least once a week and keeping it topped off.

I have noticed what seems like excessive fuel dilution in the oil. The oil on the dipstick develops a strong fuel odor a few weeks after a fresh oil change.

The engine has no power loss, and has had no change in fuel economy. It gets a quality fuel system treatment before every other oil change (Lucas, Techron, etc.) It has passed annual state required emissions inspections with no problems each year since I bought it new 4 years ago. If it was burning oil excessively it would fail.

This car is my first foray into Direct Injection gasoline engines. It has been okay. I am not convinced it is fool proof, but it is becoming so common now it is difficult to avoid. The more it is used, the better it will become.

 

[itguy08]

No issues with mine other than a knock sensor under warranty on the SHO. And that could have happened to any engine - it was Ford not using loom on early builds and the wires chaffing.

I do nothing special. Cheapest swill gas I can buy, changes buy the OLM @ the dealer and she still runs like a top and puts a smile on my face!

Fuel economy, tracked over 81k is pretty consistent. Lots of highway, I can see 26MPG. Average about 21-23 around town depending on traffic, etc. No decreases as she has aged.

 

[Dave Sherman]

The Traverse is my first DI vehicle. When I had the intake manifold off to change the spark plugs, I eyeballed the intake valves, but other than a thin layer of gunk they looked OK. I was more surprised by the accumulation of oil in the air intake. There's a little trap to catch stuff from the breather tube, and when I took it out I found about a tablespoon of oil in it. Cleaned it out, and I'll keep an eye on it.

Has anyone heard of this stuff for cleaning DI intake valves?
http://crcindustries.com/auto/intake-valve-cleaner.php

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
No decreases as she has aged.


That right there is impressive, but you need MUCH higher miles before I would expect any degradation. Ford designed that engine well...

 

[Jimzz]

Originally Posted By: Dave Sherman
The Traverse is my first DI vehicle. When I had the intake manifold off to change the spark plugs, I eyeballed the intake valves, but other than a thin layer of gunk they looked OK. I was more surprised by the accumulation of oil in the air intake. There's a little trap to catch stuff from the breather tube, and when I took it out I found about a tablespoon of oil in it. Cleaned it out, and I'll keep an eye on it.

Has anyone heard of this stuff for cleaning DI intake valves?
http://crcindustries.com/auto/intake-valve-cleaner.php



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