Fuel flushing
Asked by Greg Bartlett
When recently I had my car serviced I was told the fuel injection may need to be cleaned. When I realised it would cost $100 or more for it to be professionally flushed, I decided to try a fuel additive. Three months after using a renowned fuel-system cleaner, the injectors had to be disassembled and cleaned. Are fuel additives the modern form of snake oil or do they work?
Answered by CarsGuide
3 Oct 2002Fuel-system cleaners work up to a point, but don't expect them to perform miracles. They are most effective in removing water from fuel, which is the cause of most problems with fuel-injection systems, and they will also help to clean up the carbon deposits that build up on the injector nozzle tips. What they won't do is remove rust or carbon particles already in the fuel system. The original recommendation to flush the system sounds like it might have been right on the money.
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