Your car relies on fuel injectors to relay the diesel to the engine. With all the dust in the air and the small particulate in diesel, these injectors take on debris. The gunkier they get, the more your engine struggles. If left unchecked, this impacts the fuel efficiency of your vehicle, but in the worst-case scenario, your engine could get damaged from overworking itself. You risk many performance issues, from stalls to accelerating without a diesel injector cleaner.
Instead of taking that chance, you can apply a diesel injector cleaner to address the buildup. An essential part of preventative maintenance, the quality of the cleaner dramatically impacts its value. So, to save you some legwork, we’ve tracked down the best diesel injector cleaners available today.
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Top Brands
Lucas Industries
Opening its doors in 1989, this California-based company focuses on manufacturing motor and aerospace supplies. It has a proud history of providing supplies to the military during World War I and continued on that trajectory to success. Lucas Industries remains a leading manufacturer of automotive supplies. Among its top selections is the Lucas LUC10013 Fuel Treatment.
Sea Foam
Starting operations in the 1930s, Sea Foam products have come a long way from a petrol salesman’s original vision. After years of work, the proprietor, Fred Fandrei, found the ideal solution. He first sold it in beer bottles to fishermen, earning the formula its namesake. Since then, Sea Foam has come a long way, though it retains its focus on manufacturing supplies to optimize engine performance. One of its popular formulas for diesel engines is the Sea Foam Motor Treatment.
Chevron
It’s almost impossible not to recognize the Chevron name. With a hand in all types of energy, from geothermal to oil and gas, its product lines span from lubricants and additives to base oils. One of its top selections for diesel engines is the Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus.
Best Diesel Injector Cleaner Pricing
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- $10-$30: Most diesel injector cleaners fall into this price range, including enough solution to clean a whole tank. In this price range, you can choose from multiple smaller bottles or one large bottle.
- $30 or more: If your mechanic wants to do repairs using ultrasonic cleaning or rail-induced approaches, you may pay $30. You can get the same result by using a cleaner regularly.
Different Types of Diesel Injector Cleaning
Chemical Agents
It is the most popular type of diesel injector cleaning. It uses several chemicals to remove the water and flush out the debris. These cleaners use polymers, which can vary in strength depending on their formula. Removing carbon deposits in diesel is essential, but many recipes also add additional additives.
A quality cleaner will contain a conditioner that regulates the sulfur content to stabilize the fuel. These cleaners work well when used in conjunction with a regular maintenance program. These cleaners are also the most cost-effective and accessible.
Ultrasonic Cleaners
The ultrasonic cleaner is a more sophisticated approach than diesel injector cleaners. Soundwaves are used to remove debris. It takes about an hour. This involves eliminating injectors from the engine and running them through an ultrasound system.
This method is excellent, but it needs the benefits of chemical treatment. It doesn’t lubricate and requires more time and work. It is only worth it to spend the time and money repairing diesel injectors in large quantities if you’re working with many of them.
Rail-Induced cleaners
This type of cleaning is only done in mechanic shops due to the amount of work involved. It works but is only used after chemical cleaners have been tried. A high-pressure washer is used to remove the debris physically.
Depending on the flow rate, it can be a problem for the filter baskets, but it does remove the gunk. This solution should only be used when all other options have failed. It is usually quite expensive and can easily be avoided using a regular cleaning agent.