Hi all:
When I bought my new Maxima back in 1995, I asked my master Nissan mechanic at the dealership where I bought it about periodic use of fuel system or fuel injector cleaners. He said to never use them because they make spark plugs run way too hot for my VQ30DE aluminum engine. Did cleaners back them have ingredients that would lend any truth to this statement? Recently I wrote to the distributor for BG44k and they said that some cleaners are alcohol based and can affect engine temperature but the BG44K will not overheat the aluminum block.
So, my questions are:
1. is it true that some cleaners do contain alcohol and if so, do they in fact cause engines to run hot - validating what my mechanic told me 22 years ago? I have scoured the internet on this topic to no avail.
2. is it true that BG44K will not cause dangerous heating? What other cleaners would not cause excessive heating?
3. I have never run any sort of cleaner through my engine. It has 67k miles on it so obviously has not been driven a lot. I have not noticed any issues such as hesitation, stalling, etc. but would it be a good idea based on the fact that the car sits at times without being run to use a fuel system cleaner? The BG44K distributor says that top tier gas (which I always use) has a short shelf life and that I've probably run a lot of oxidized and/or separated gas through my car.
4. based on your answers to (3), should I just run a can of fuel system cleaner or seek out one of these induction services? If cleaner, any preference for what I've heard are the two top regarded cleaners, BG44K or Chevron Techron? From what I've read, Chevron developed the PEA based cleaner so I'm inclined to give that a try.
Again, no current issues with the car (other than noted horsepower loss after moving to Colorado many years ago from an elevation near sea level where I bought the car new). I have always heeded this mechanic's advice because the last thing I want to do is harm the engine. (Of course the owner's manual says cleaners are not recommended but I've seen this in every manual for every car I've owned.) In fact, the car is finally due to for its first spark plug change and I don't want them to get so hot with any sort of cleaner that they would be difficult to remove! My current Nissan mechanic here in Colorado says no problem with using a cleaner so I really don't know who is right.
When I bought my new Maxima back in 1995, I asked my master Nissan mechanic at the dealership where I bought it about periodic use of fuel system or fuel injector cleaners. He said to never use them because they make spark plugs run way too hot for my VQ30DE aluminum engine. Did cleaners back them have ingredients that would lend any truth to this statement? Recently I wrote to the distributor for BG44k and they said that some cleaners are alcohol based and can affect engine temperature but the BG44K will not overheat the aluminum block.
So, my questions are:
1. is it true that some cleaners do contain alcohol and if so, do they in fact cause engines to run hot - validating what my mechanic told me 22 years ago? I have scoured the internet on this topic to no avail.
2. is it true that BG44K will not cause dangerous heating? What other cleaners would not cause excessive heating?
3. I have never run any sort of cleaner through my engine. It has 67k miles on it so obviously has not been driven a lot. I have not noticed any issues such as hesitation, stalling, etc. but would it be a good idea based on the fact that the car sits at times without being run to use a fuel system cleaner? The BG44K distributor says that top tier gas (which I always use) has a short shelf life and that I've probably run a lot of oxidized and/or separated gas through my car.
4. based on your answers to (3), should I just run a can of fuel system cleaner or seek out one of these induction services? If cleaner, any preference for what I've heard are the two top regarded cleaners, BG44K or Chevron Techron? From what I've read, Chevron developed the PEA based cleaner so I'm inclined to give that a try.
Again, no current issues with the car (other than noted horsepower loss after moving to Colorado many years ago from an elevation near sea level where I bought the car new). I have always heeded this mechanic's advice because the last thing I want to do is harm the engine. (Of course the owner's manual says cleaners are not recommended but I've seen this in every manual for every car I've owned.) In fact, the car is finally due to for its first spark plug change and I don't want them to get so hot with any sort of cleaner that they would be difficult to remove! My current Nissan mechanic here in Colorado says no problem with using a cleaner so I really don't know who is right.