60,000 (60K / 120K / 180K etc) Service Maintenance:

Injector cleaning or service part of the 60K?

 

Unless there is a problem this isn't a normal part of a 60K service. Most quality fuels keep your injectors clean and if you look at just about EVERY service list for any Fuel Injection car (meaning any brand or mfg, import, GM, whatever) this will not be on the list of things to do. The reason is it is overkill. I mean why stop there? Take out the IAC and clean it too and change the O rings in the throttle body and then......well you get the point. There is a point at which you are beyond a typical 60K service.

Usually someone that says this 'always needs to be done' is looking to make some money off of people. Will it hurt anything? Of course not (well, maybe your wallet!). But it is not part of a basic 60K or tuneup at all. This is just one of those 'extra mile' things that can be done but saying it is part of a 60k is ridiculous. That is akin to saying you need to change your engine oil every 500 miles.

The list of THOSE extra-mile things is long and the average person has to stop somewhere when doing a tuneup. This isn't an engine rebuild or teardown. It is a tuneup. Now IF there is something indicating an injector problem then discuss with the professional you are having do your 60K. Most of the time a good cleaning is all that is needed and not a complete flow or calibration. AGAIN - it does not hurt anything to go the extra mile but is is NOT part of a typical or manufacturer recommended 60,000 service (or higher).

So save your money if you have no associated injector issues. Use an injector cleaner (I recommend the Redline Oil brand or the BG brand - i.e. BG44) regularly will help keep them clean. Maybe next time you are pulling the top intake and have extra money (and time to send them out to be cleaned) you can consider it and then rebuild the TB, replace the IAC, and so forth (depending on how much you want to spend replacing things that are not yet failed and might last another long while). So yes it is something that can be beneficial, especialy to high mileage engines and those that might have been exposed to crappy fuels. However, it is considered above and beyond typical service (60Ks) and is usually indicated only when there is an associated problem or you are doing a much higher level of engine servicing.

Also there are multiple ways (levels) of cleaning. Dumping the cleaner in your fuel tank is the most basic level. This obviously has it's limitations. If you use quality fuel like Chevron it usually isn't needed but certainly does no harm. You can also have the injectors flushed while in the car with a pressurized injector cleaner system. A good one runs a few hundred dollars so for most people this is something they have done for them. This method works surprisingly well to clean them out good. It is a good choice if you want a good cleaning without removal and/or rebuilding. The next step/levels involve removing the injectors. They can be cleaned and put back in or completly flow tested and cleaned. The latter means waiting while you send them out to the place to do it (it is not something most people can DIY and the testing equipment is pricey). At this point you are not just cleaning but rebuilding the injectors. Figure about 15-25 bucks per injector this method. Some enthusiasts use a spare set of injectors to have on hand ready to go while the other set is getting cvleaned and flow tested and calibrated. This is of course way beyond the average person but many times stock injectors can be found used fairly inexpensive. Due to that it makes sense for some people.

If you do end up wanting to have your injectors cleaned, flow tested, calibrated and all brought up to snuff then I would suggest being cautious of you do not choose a company that does it professionally. Be careful of "some guy on the internet" doing it on the side. It also does not matter if he is charging 50% less than a professional commercial operation. Why? Well the problem is that many times what happens is 6 months later or a year or whatever the person disappears. With it goes all the peoples parts. If you are familar with car forums at all you already know there are lots of threads where this has happened. And MANY times they had stellar reputations and trusted by many. Whether it be ECU repair, aftermarket upgrading your part, etc. - it happens too often. So unless you know the person or someone you personally know (and I mean know as in personally met, not just on the internet!) vouches for them I would be cautious to say the least. There are many injector service companys out there and one probably close to you. Why go through all the extra possible risk to save $20-50 and also probably wait an extra 7-10 days to get them back. Or be one of the unlucky ones and never get them back when the guy folds up and disappears.

In short, yes it is a good thing to do but not part of a 60K by any means. Use quality fuel. Use a in tank cleaner once in a while it you like as it can help. As you get up into the 180,000-240,000 ranges then a good cleaning, or calibration is something to consider. Of course if the rest of the engine is worn out then is this step really warranted? Probably not and you are instead in the realm of a rebuild. Cleaning your injectors at this stage (and if problems) is a waste if the rest of your engine is tired and needing the next level of service (ie - VSS, rings, bearings). Save it for when you do that.

Anyway, that's about it on injector cleaning and/or service.