Injector Cleaners - Safe for mechanical injectors?

[ekslee]

Problems w/1969 280SL.  Starts fine, runs (somewhat roughly), will rev in idle, but no power.  

Local import parts house normally sells "LUBPRO MOLY - JECTRON." Says it works well for electronic injectors, but had no idea if it was safe for mechanical injectors.  I assume that is what I have.  

Product is made in Germany, and the primary ingredient seems to be Naptha, with some Benzene.  

Any problems using this JECTRON?  

Eric

[Ziggy]

Those kind of products have never worked for me. It would be better to test and clean them in a diesel nozzle tester. Then you also know whether they need to be replaced.
Your problem could have multiple causes btw.

[J. Huber]

I have heard many say that injectors cleaners are not so good for our cars. However, I have also heard that BG 44K is the best choice if you decide to. Never used a cleaner personally.

I also agree with Zig that the loss of power could be something else...Are you still using points? I'd check dwell & timing and go over the fuel linkage...

[ekslee]

Thanks, guys.  
I'm pretty mechanical, but don't have specific experience w/Mercedes.  Am planning to replace all the ignition parts.  Car wasn't run much for many years, and coil wire was bad, so I thought I may as well eliminate ignition possibilities.  

Is there some place I can go to read about how the injection system works (different components), so I can understand the posts, better.  

Eric

[J. Huber]

Hey Eric, I would begin by perusing the Tech Manual and also have a search for "fuel linkage tour" and locate the great thread that Joe Alexander has orchestrated (JA17). Good luck!

[mdsalemi]

FWIW, I once had a BMW320i; this car had basically a hybrid FI system between the all electronic and the all mechanical--the K-Jetronic.  My '79 was the last to use leaded fuel.  They were notorious for building up junk on the cylinder head (for which they blasted off the junk with walnut shells w/o taking off the cylinder head!) and also having the injectors gunk/gum up.  The factory was recommending Techron, primarily to keep things clean as opposed to fix something already broken. So, I was introduced to this stuff a long time ago.

I use Techron in my Pagoda every year.  Techron is made by Chevron.
http://www.chevron.com/products/ourfuels/prodserv/additives/tcp.aspx

[egggplant]

I'd like to confirm Michael's experience with Techron.  I own an Alfa Romeo spider and I had problems with a very rough idle.  An Alfa mechanic said this was a common problem with Alfa engines and recommended Techron and suggested the walnut shell blast if Techron didn't do the job.

I was initially very skeptical but after using a couple of bottles of Techron the rough idle went away.  After that I used Chevron gas (which contains Techron) as often as I could and the problem never returned.

[scoot]

The rough idle, walnut shells, and techron are all issues that I had in the past w/ my VW 16valve Jetta -- the explanation from VW was that because of the short trips I took, it was carbon buildup on the valves.  It never had anything to do with the fuel injectors.  Techron was somewhat useful for the valves I think but it was never an issue for the injectors.  Oh, the walnut shells were the next step to getting the carbon off the valves if Techron wasn't enough.  Again, nothing to do with cleaning the injectors.   I have no opinion regarding the need and benefit of injector cleaners in Pagodas but am interested in the opinions of others.

On a semi-related note, our car (which had been run occasionally by the previous owner for the previous 10 years before we got it a few months ago) benefited GREATLY from having the dwell set.  It was WAY off.

[scoot]

One more note about Techron - the recommendation I got was to put a whole lot into the car for a tank our two, try to drive at high RPMS, and then CHANGE THE OIL.  The implication was that Techron was going to do something to the oil that was undesirable.  I don't know what/why/how, I just remember the recommendation was to change the oil after a super-treatment of Techron.

[Benz Dr.]

We use a machine that's similar to a jewelery cleaner. More or less an ultra sonic bath.

[jsaylor]

Dan,

what do you use in the ultrasonic cleaner?

Thanks!

[Q45Denver]

BG 44k is reportedly the same as Techron except many times more concentrated however, I heard they recently changed the formula. Are the mechanical injectors all metal or are there o-rings and such that might be damaged? If so maybe they can be replaced with viton.

[waqas]

I used BG44K in a tank last year and didn't notice any difference afterwards, but perhaps the system was clean to begin with. At $19 a bottle from the MB dealership, it's not a bad idea to do as Michael suggests: use it once a year to keep things clean.

[Rolf]

With today's gasolines you really don't need fuel injector cleaners if you faithfully change the fuel filter. Gasolines are made with detergents in them. Most, if not all, fuel injector cleaners contain jet fuel ( JP4, JP5). In the past, gasoline contained lead which left deposits, which is no longer the case. I have had various cars with fuel injection since 1976 and have never used fuel injection cleaner on any of them. They ran just fine.

[Benz Dr.]

quote:Originally posted by jsaylor

Dan,

what do you use in the ultrasonic cleaner?

Thanks!

It's a mixture of water and some sort of cleaner. Some people use spray nine. The sonic cleaner goes through two cylcles for about 1/2 hour. The dirt inside is so fine you never see anything come out.