Clean Your Fuel Injectors at Home

Anyone use the pro services where you send them away? Thinking of going that route over spending on new or remans. About $150-200 for the service versus $35/ injector for remains or 45/injector for new.

This guys video is intriguing and simple enough, but I really only want to take all this stuff off once to deal with this. Getting them serviced and flowed by someone who knows what they’re doing would probably be a wise investment (short of buying new or remans).

Going back a lot of years, I had a bad injector in my 89. The Ford replacement set was over $300, but the exact same injectors from Ford Racing were $100. I asked the parts guy what the difference was between the two and he said the warranty.

I just can't see why spending $17 per injector for cleaning is worth it instead of replacing for ~$25.

JD08 said:

Going back a lot of years, I had a bad injector in my 89. The Ford replacement set was over $300, but the exact same injectors from Ford Racing were $100. I asked the parts guy what the difference was between the two and he said the warranty.

I just can't see why spending $17 per injector for cleaning is worth it instead of replacing for ~$25.

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I was just on an injector cleaning website and they made this point. When you send your injector to them, you are getting your own injector back. Buying remans means you’re getting unknown injector of unknown mileage, reman or not. Good point to be made, even if it is to sell their service.

Remans on Rock Auto are $25/ injector with $10 core charge. Most sites/stores are around $35/injector for remanufactured ones minimum. New Accel, AFIS or Ford racing are $45/injector. And this is for stock, 19 lb injectors.

I could spend for new injectors, I’m deciding if I want to spend for new injectors. The case for professional cleaning and flowing for nearly half the cost is an interesting one, keeping my largely original car original still.

As an aside, anyone have experience with the AFIS injectors? I’m leaning to those if I buy new.

Ebay has reman'ed flow tested, sonic cleaned stockers for 80 for 8.

I just did mine in a varsol tank/wire brush. Cleaned up very well on the spray holes!

Hope yall appreciate that picture b/c i spent like 2 minutes getting it to focus with my phone. Lol.

I worked a summer at a diesel specialty shop where they cleaned, rebuilt tested calibrated injectors and pumps. It is a viable option if you can stand the turn around time. For quicker service, they had exchange service on the more common items. Customers were satisfied with either method. (The only return I remember was a shipping mix up I packed up the labels that had been placed with the wrong invoices. Oops!)
I expect gasoline injectors will be a similar experience from a good shop. The electronic parts of injectors are well made and simple.

I have self cleaned quite a few and replaced quite a few I have had good luck self cleaning and replacing the screens that the video said could not be replaced, they can be replaced by running a screw in them and prying them out. The main thing I want to make a point on is to check the OHM's on yours are any replacements I have been bit with replacements that were way out of spec. I have had 100% success with these injectors and injector parts as far a ebay are amazon I want go there anymore I will pay up for quality from Motor Man... https://www.motormanfuelinjection.com/fuel_injector_components.html I have fabricated a few tools to make injector repair easier they are just flat plate I drilled to accommodate the replacement of the injector parts... As far as the o-rings they get NEW ones if I touch it I own it I charge you to replace all the o-rings, life is good...

Mr injector has good parts also. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJyhavmmvHw

Amsoil PI is the strongest fuel injector cleaner on the market.

CrazyRedFox said:

Amsoil PI is the strongest fuel injector cleaner on the market.

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I Have never used Amsoil, BG44 is the king in my world K44 is 100% Techron ( the most proven aggressive treatment fuel injection cleaner out there) next would be Chevron Techron constraint I believe to be 33% Techron... If Armsoil is the king in your world stick with it...

Techron is 1-5% “trade secret“ and a little bit of Naptha (that is a little stronger than mineral spirits). So it is really pretty mild sauce that is mostly petroleum distillates. (Like kerosene or lighter fluid.)


If you want to put something in the tank that is worth the money, you can get something that contains 60-70% much stronger cleaners and thinners, (or you want to cause cancer in Californian Rats), get B-12 Chemtool.


You can read and learn or continue to pay for marketing In blissful ignorance and blind devotion to various name brands. I prefer to know what is in my supplements and medicine concoctions, so why not the car’s additives, too?

Edit, NG 44K is largely Nsptha and Stoddard solvents (turpentine), so it is partway in between for strength. I do not feel guilty having sold plenty. But Techron and PEA are weak snake oil.

I will stick with a proven product BG K44 : )...

HoboNC said:

I will stick with a proven product BG K44 : )...

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Proven by uninformed, religious zealot like devotion to a false idol? It is certainly not proven by scientific method or logic. But if the truth of the ingredients will not convince people, maybe faith in the placebo effect will help clean stuff. It’s usually Lucas knock off additives, MMO and Seafoam that get such undeserved devotion.
GM at least made an injector cleaner that stripped your nose hairs that I would not have used in less than ten gallons of fuel. I do not know if California allows it’s manufacture any more. It had more than Xylene in it and only came in a metal can. And that’s the best I have seen used.

Cleaning injectors while off the car is what this thread is supposed to be for, but this was a de-rail that needed adressed.

7991LXnSHO said:

Proven by uninformed, religious zealot like devotion to a false idol? It is certainly not proven by scientific method or logic. But if the truth of the ingredients will not convince people, maybe faith in the placebo effect will help clean stuff. It’s usually Lucas knock off additives, MMO and Seafoam that get such undeserved devotion.
GM at least made an injector cleaner that stripped your nose hairs that I would not have used in less than ten gallons of fuel. I do not know if California allows it’s manufacture any more. It had more than Xylene in it and only came in a metal can. And that’s the best I have seen used.

Cleaning injectors while off the car is what this thread is supposed to be for, but this was a de-rail that needed adressed.

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I have only been dealing with EFI since its appearance in the mid 70's... Fact, I have used sea foam ON A RUNNING SYSTEM , with the system broke down purple stuff, BRAKE FLUID I have seen brake fluid dissolve fuel deterioration issues other stuff would not touch. YMMV, BG K44 is king in the professional automotive world... Of course its not for kids play safe... : ) For those that run a cleaner of any kind in their tank apply it run the tank out do not use it in a system that's a toy and sets for months on end it will eat the fuel lines up that is if the cleaner is any good... Good snake oil is not cheap...

I have had to read the MSDS for the entire chemical isle for different reasons at more than one place I worked, and it amazes me that a name brand is more important than what is actually in the bottle to too many people. Even if it has been too long since Chemistry class, Wiki and Google make it easy to see what you are putting in yourself or your vehicle.

Mineral spirits is another name for paint thinner. So you are getting something better than mostly Kerosene/lighter fluid in 44K.

B12 Chemtool is much stronger. Please the MSDS or current ingredients off the can. Just the xylene beats paint thinner as an industrial strength solvent. And it’s often on sale for less!

I expect this kind of reaction to science from my antique Chevy groups, but not EFI folks. The fans of old Chevy’s argue about oil (Zinc & Moly content vs. brand loyalty) and if the one and only brand of 13” tire that is close to the original size is what should be used.

At least you are not arguing the letter cams are the only thing to use. Try B-12 Chemtool next time 44k is not enough. It looks like the GM cleaner was switched to a low VOC formula, so that’s not going to be as aggressive as it used to be.

HoboNC said:

I have only been dealing with EFI since its appearance in the mid 70's... Fact, I have used sea foam ON A RUNNING SYSTEM , with the system broke down purple stuff, BRAKE FLUID I have seen brake fluid dissolve fuel deterioration issues other stuff would not touch. YMMV, BG K44 is king in the professional automotive world... Of course its not for kids play safe... : ) For those that run a cleaner of any kind in their tank apply it run the tank out do not use it in a system that's a toy and sets for months on end it will eat the fuel lines up that is if the cleaner is any good... Good snake oil is not cheap...

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