DIY Fuel Injector bench cleaning?

Hmmmmm.
I've seen lotsa throttle body cleaning threads but not much in the way of fuel injector cleaning, other than dealer rip-off services or the snake-oil threads.
If you're getting close to having to change your oil, then Techron would be the exception to the rule where potions and lotions are concerned, but not by much.

Have you cleaned your throttle body and MAFS lately?
I'd make sure those were clean (be careful cleaning the MAFS!) and keep the injectors in the engine for now.

Good Luck!

 

Did you remove the throttle body to clean it?

I do not have any experience with the G2 - or even with Priuses BUT......my experience with them is that there's really no good way to clean them while they're bolted to the intake.
It's like cleaning a pistol without field stripping it.

Also, you'll want to be careful what you use for the "spray and pray" method of cleaning the intake.
There are a lot of dire warnings on the interwebs about getting carb cleaner near the MAFS, which I think are largely overblown otherwise the landscape would be littered with broken cars - but you do want to be careful how much cleaner you squirt into the intake, and what kind you use.

GOOD LUCK!

If you decide to bench clean the injectors, let us know how it shakes out.

 

Ditto, and spraying TB cleaner into the air stream won't really clean the injectors, as far as I know. Why not try Seafoam or similar in the gas tank?

 

If an injector REALLY needs to be cleaned, you will know it......and so will the computer.
Techron is the recommended product for routine maintenance cleaning.
SeaFoam not so much.

 

As you mention it, we do have a bit of "for science's sake" research about injectors taking place on PriusChat. The idea is to have them cleaned by a specialist with dedicated equipment, who sends them back cleaned and restored (new screens, O rings, etc.) and with before/after testing results showing (a) how good or bad they were, and (b) how successful the restoration was.

In order to skip waiting for his turnaround time, the idea is I can ship the last set he restored, you ship your set to him, and the report gets published here.

So far there have been three sets done. One was mine (I was just curious, "for science's sake"), and the report showed mine were quite good even before cleaning, even at 204,000 miles.

The second was from PriusChat member astrolink, who had been having driveability problems. In his case, the report did show that they were quite bad. He put in a replacement set and his problem was solved. I wound up with his original set (restored to as-new test scores, with the testing report), and that was how the injector exchange tradition got started.

The third set was from PC member C Clay, who had driveability problems too, but the test report on his old injectors showed they were just fine, so injectors clearly weren't the problem for him. He ended up with the restored set from astrolink, but since injectors weren't his problem, that didn't solve his problem (which was quite likely to have been a leaky filler neck instead). I ended up with his already-very-good ones, restored, with the test report.

So far, everyone participating has been a Gen 1 owner, but Gen 1 and 2 share an engine (with minor differences), and a quick check over at Village Toyota Parts shows the same injector part number 23209-21020 for all years 2001-2009 (Gen 3 owners are out of luck, or will have to start a separate injector exchange).

Anyone who'd like to be the next participant can get the most recent set of restored injectors from me for the cost of restoration and postage, send the old ones to Rich for restoration, I pay Rich, receive the restored ones, and post the report on PriusChat. (Has to be coordinated before sending anything to Rich, so he's ready for them.)

Our first three rounds do suggest that the injectors hold up very well, with two sets out of three so far showing sterling test results even before servicing, and only one tested set actually needing attention.

-Chap

 

I know this is an old post but I am wondering if there is still a possibility of exchanging a set of injectors as mentioned. If yes, what are the particulars?
Thanks

 

I think I saw this too late for Robert, but yes, I still have the restored OEM injectors from the last time around (the ones with this test report). My cost was $83 IIRC. They've been on the shelf 4½ years now, so I'd have to check and make sure all four still click before passing them on. (Rich sends them back protected with a non-corroding lube, but it might have turned sticky in that amount of time on the shelf; it's really intended to protect them until they are back in the car working.)

 

So, no one knows how much voltage the Fuel injectors take? I’m trying to clean them and I don’t want to burn one out. Would 12volts be fine or is it too much? It’s for a Prius 3gen

 

I don't get it? I put my engine under enough water to red triangle it and require me to tear the entire engine down. Believe it or not the car has 220k on it and I still chose to ring life back in it. She never once left me stranded (even driving 173k in 3.5 years), not even for a single minute. I bought to car for $400 here in Jersey, with no HV in it at all. She let some inexperienced kid work on it and couldn't figure out the pack, so he left and she was gonna scrap it. Bought a Greentech battery, threw it in after watching some YouTube Videos (I was a YouTube Certified Mechanic at this point lolol) and it fired right up! Thanks YouTube! Since then the car has gotten a lot of updates!

Moog Racing Lower Control Arms (Passenger Side sucks if your ever DIY it, hit me up, it gave me stitches...)
Moog Wheel Hubs and Bearings all the way around the car (Did you know Gen 2 Prius has a TSL of 117MPH?)
New Shocks Upgraded for 16in Wheels and Slightly more weight per shock.
Completely Rebuilt Engine, With new Pistons, Rings, Rebuilt the head by hand and repainted it. It got remachined, and even port matched on the intake hahahaha.

Got some brembo OE Replacement. These things are smooth as hell and drastically improve HV Rechargeability.
Got a Tesla Style 10.1 Headunit with a Kicker L7S 12" Hooked up to a HiFonics Zeus amp, powered by a 9 band equalizer in the glove box.
I have done a commercial modification of the interior to coincide with the fact that I run a commercial mobile mechanic service. Even with a blown head gasket and 1000lbs in tools, driving like an donkey down 287 I was catching 33 MPG avg.

There is literally nothing I haven't done to this Prius just am on my way to work. So I have to cut this short. LMK if you need anything. Number is on my website.

ASK Mobile Mechanics
Google it

 

12vdc will operate the injector on the bench. It may not be the best idea to keep the voltage applied for long periods of time. Besides being dirty, injectors can also get worn out. I probably wouldn't go through the trouble of bench cleaning them, and have had good results with cleaners that contain PEA like Gumout Regane.

 

In the car, they see 12 volts, but the pulses are just milliseconds wide. You can't match that on a bench without building a control circuit for it; your quickest hand-on-a-switch is an eternity in comparison.

Rich Jensen, who runs the injector restoration shop where the PriusChat "for science's sake" injectors got sent, provided the simple suggestion of using 9 volts for bench testing purposes. It is enough to open a working injector, but won't heat it up as much.

 

Chapman, Im from Bloomington my man!

That photo is at the Menards in Bloomington, IN