Injector Cleaning?

[02Jetta]

Any gearheads out there explain to me exactly how a fuel injector cleaning is done. I would like to take my diesel Jetta in for one and was wondering if all garages including dealership do and use the same thing? Should I just take it to VW or could I take it elsewhere?

[barrie1]

They usually run a chemical thru the injector system which flushs the gunk out of the tips and then after that you can add a can of injector cleaner to your fuel on occasion as well. Its pretty well done the same at all garages so you may want to shop around on the price of having this service done as any savings is better in your pocket then theirs. 

[articsteve]

I think in your case because it is a diesel you better go to a VW dealer or VW shop.  I hear that those VW diesel injectors cost a small fortune.  You never know if they need a specific cleaner or need a set pressure.

[maritime_storm]

You, of course, being a good Diesel powered vehicle owner are using a low sulfur fuel conditioner at every fill up, as a result most likely don't need to have them cleaned as fuel conditoner is designed to keep the injection system spotless & lubricated. If the above statement doesn't describe you, then might I suggest that you start using a good{Howes Lubricator, Gunk Low Sulfur Diesel Fuesl Conditoner, etc} fuel conditoner ASAP, before you need to start pricing an injection pump & injectors.

[02Jetta]

I don't use the conditioner every tank but I do use it more in the winter. I would really like to see how good those cleaners work. Thanks for the advice

[yugrus]

... low sulfur fuel conditioner...

I'm just curious here (hardcore diesel fan), does it CONTAIN some sulfur or does it LOWER the sulfur level?
If the stuff HAS sulfur, what is it there for? There's an abundance of S in local fuel, so it is not for lubrication.
If it LOWERS the fuel's sulfur level, how does it do that? And where does the sulfur go or ends up?

[HeliDriver]

... low sulfur fuel conditioner...

I'm just curious here (hardcore diesel fan), does it CONTAIN some sulfur or does it LOWER the sulfur level?
If the stuff HAS sulfur, what is it there for? There's an abundance of S in local fuel, so it is not for lubrication.
If it LOWERS the fuel's sulfur level, how does it do that? And where does the sulfur go or ends up?

Interesting question. I found this quote on a site for diesel fuel conditioner (http://www.wecleanfuel.com/technol.html):

"With the introduction of lower sulphur fuel, engine manufacturers have reported accelerated damage to and leakage in fuel injection pumps and other components of the fuel system due to reduced fuel lubricity.  Technol 403 increases fuel lubricity by up to 12 1/2% (BOCLE Test) protecting these expensive components from the effects of the low sulphur fuels"

[yugrus]

^^ This does not really apply to North American fuels. The sulfur content here is gross. I used to use LiquiMoly diesel lubrication additives in my native country and while traveling in Europe. These are quite popular there.

[articsteve]

I used the Howes stuff religiously on my farm machinery and 6.2 Diesel.  It is impossible to make an anaylisis of how effective it was, but the word was that it kept the injection pumps lubricated more than the clear fuel conditioners.   The downside is the stuff really stinks so if you keep it in the car it will be annoying.

If you use a conditioner you gotta use it every fill to be 100% effective.

[maritime_storm]

Sorry about the delay replying. Canada has used Low Sulfur Diesel since 2002. What a conditoner like Howes does is add a lubricant to your fuel system & an injector cleaner. There are a number a good brands out there, most work on the same concept. I use Howes so I'll use it as an example, 1L bottle treats about 1900L of diesel fuel, or in my case approx. 30Ml per 1/2 tank of fuel. What the sulfur did was act as a lubricant for the pump & injectors, most companies{but not all} have replaced the sulfur with a clean burning lubricant.

[yugrus]

Sorry about the delay replying. Canada has used Low Sulfur Diesel since 2002.

Oh, I wasn't aware about that. I read in Land Line (Truckers magasine) that refiners won't be required to make the lower sulfur diesel until 2006...

[articsteve]

Thats what I thought as well, at least in Ontario.

[maritime_storm]

What it's going from is 0.05% to 0.0015% on January 1, 2006, but most oil companies met this target in the past year. It was around 5% ten years ago. The bringing online with Europe in the next 5 years or so.