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desertjoe 
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Location: New mexico
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 Topic: fuel injector cleaner,,,
Posted: 19 Apr 2023 at 10:03pm |
I have a 2003 Toyota Sequoia that I purchased new with only 96,541 gentle miles on the clock. I had it stored for 7 years when the wife could no longer drive it. I recently got it out and replaced the tires, had the engine serviced and figured I should replace the spark plugs and maybe the fuel injectors as according to the dealer, spark plugs and injectors are suppossed to be replaced every 100,000 miles. Spark plugs not a big problem but the fuel injectors are $250 EACH at toyota dealer!! Chit, that is $2,180 for 8 injectors!! Does anyone know if there are cleaners that clean injectors after removal from engine,,,,,?? Dealer wants $350 to "Flush" injectors,,,,
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JohnColo
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Posted: 19 Apr 2023 at 11:46pm |
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At $350 to flush the injectors, I think the engine isn't the only thing getting flushed! Maybe just try the injector cleaner you add to the gas tank first.
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shameless dude
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 3:06am |
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most of the injector cleaners on the shelf is just snake juice. get some Dextron tranny fluid and pour a quart in your gas tank. make sure it's dextron. works in both gas and diesel engines.
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WF owner
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 6:51am |
 JohnColo wrote:
At $350 to flush the injectors, I think the engine isn't the only thing getting flushed! Maybe just try the injector cleaner you add to the gas tank first.
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I agree with Shameless that a lot of this stuff is junk, but I have had awesome luck with Seafoam cleaning up dirty carburetors. For the little bit it costs, I would certainly try it.
I don't know anything about your area, but A lot of the mechanics that work at our local dealers, kind of scare me. The only thing I have found most are good at is charging and making excuses why there is still a problem after they finish working on it. It seems like it is always "that didn't work, so it must be this".
I would try Seafoam and if it doesn't work, I would look for a local mechanic with a good reputation.
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darrel in ND
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 7:01am |
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I have good luck with sea foam
Darrel
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Dave H
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 7:40am |
what is wrong with it now DJ? I would stick the key in it and let her rip. Never heard of replacing injectors for the hey of it. The local toyo stealer is always trying to rip me off.  Notice i said "trying".
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desertjoe
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 8:07am |
Well, I have heard of Seafoam and am going to read up some more on it alltho I ain't got too much hope it would replace mechanical cleaning,,,,??? I KNOW I ain't gonna give the dealer $350 for a procedure that they DO NOT know AFTER they do the "flushing" because my take is that if you don't have a "LOOK" after the flushing,,,it's anybody's guess how good a job they actually did. The Service manager flat told me they DO NOT remove the injectors from engine unless they are scheduled to be replaced! I seem to remember when fuel injectors first hit the industry, there were some small "Mechanical cleaners" that CLEANED them one at a time altho were later replaced by the process to "flush" them while still in engine,,,,??
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desertjoe
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 8:20am |
Hey Dave H,, the engine runs fine but after the 7 year storage, and a recent multi thousand mile trip,, the fuel economy has obviously suffered from what it was prior to,,,,?
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Dakota Dave
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 8:25am |
when flushing injectors they are presurized seafoam in the injection manifold. just double does the gas with seafoam and run it hard through a tank of fuel. I've done it on a truck that sat for 15 years made a world of differance. i've also installed new injectors in a car and had nothing but problem went back to the original ran a tank of seafoam ran like new.
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 8:31am |
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might want to drain the entire tank to get rid of all the water and junk on the bottom even though you've put a few miles on it, 10% water is still only 90% gas and .poof..krappy economy....
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
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fixer1958
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 8:39am |
I'd just stick with seafoam. Never heard of replacing the injectors as a maintenance item.
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desertjoe
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 9:08am |
Hey Fixer,,,NO,,I ain't gonna "replace" them,,I just want to KNOW they are clean for optimum performance. I'll prolly go ahead and change the spark plugs as I have already bought them and try a double dose of Seafoam and re-check MPG again,,,?
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fixer1958
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 10:25am |
More is not always better. Stretch it out or a period of time.
Put in what the can says a couple of times.
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Dennis J OPKs
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 11:11am |
Hey Joe, besides Seafoam there is another shelf product called Techron made by Chevron and is touted as an injector cleaner. Can't testify to its effectiveness. That mileage shouldn't require injector work if there's no apparent problem.
If you are a you-tuber, check out Car Wizard. He loves Toyotas and did a recent video on a 02 Sequoia with almost 400,000 miles on it. He's located just outside of Wichita & gets vehicles in there from all over the country. Those V 8's will suck some gas.
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darrel in ND
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 11:28am |
Dakota Dave wrote:
when flushing injectors they are presurized seafoam in the injection manifold. just double does the gas with seafoam and run it hard through a tank of fuel. I've done it on a truck that sat for 15 years made a world of differance. i've also installed new injectors in a car and had nothing but problem went back to the original ran a tank of seafoam ran like new.
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Ray54
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 11:43am |
Dang it Joe you keep diving into projects and I sit over here with Shameless worrying how to climb on a tractor. Good for you.
Any way I got Mazda truck about the same vintage. Back 10 years it was missing on one an it had 120,xxx on it. So I pulled a plug WHOA the electrode was burned off that sucker. How it ran was a wonder. Now my FIL had bought it used, and made my son a deal on it when Grandpa had to stop driving for heath reasons. Son had it service at Quicky Lub kind of place, that may not of even changed the oil. It came to me with a bad transmission.
Did the plugs and wires and it was better for a day or so. Needed a tire that was a 100 miles away. Got 50 or 60 miles and the miss was back, what the hay kept going as I needed the big tire. Made it fine. Took it to the professional bad injector. Replace that one and, see was happens was his advice. He even gave a discount from estimate,  as he says it is the easiest to get of all 6. So far at 180,000 the other injectors still work.
It just passed the Caly smog test. And made me think a computer fuel injection must be a real big improvement over a carb and non computer distributor.
Stop worrying about problems you don't have yet. But Seafoam or other could clean it up. Did wonders for a Wisconsin V4 that sat a long time.
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desertjoe
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 1:52pm |
Ten four Fixer and Dennis, I'ma go with the Seafoan as per instructions, plus the new plugs as the Toyota Service manager was very adament on new plugs at 100,000 miles. Thank all of ya'll for the info,,,,,, 
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WF owner
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 1:59pm |
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Let us know how you make out !
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dp7000
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 2:21pm |
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BG makes a product called 44k. Years ago my wife worked at a Toyota dealership. The mechanics there called it “tune up in a can”. I’ve used it ever since with good results.
I think they only sale to dealers but I’ve found it on EBay. Good luck.
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fixer1958
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Posted: 20 Apr 2023 at 4:08pm |
The BG I use is an induction cleaner. Cleans out the intake, intake valves and top cylinder. Dump a can of injector cleaner in the tank. Works great for GDI engines. Valves get really cruded up moving the injector to the cylinder instead of ahead of the intake valve. Does good for the conventional FI engines too.
Use it on Ford 3 valves to knock the chit off the plugs so as to not break the SOB off getting it out.
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Coke-in-MN
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Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 10:31pm |
had local mechanic check a couple things on my truck 6.0 GM , he said 2 injectors seemed to have a problem - he cleaned them and the fuel rails cost me $20 and then he said EGR valve was bad and said he had one out back R & R was another $10 a $5 for the used EGR Not all mechanics are rip off , but hard to find one who isn't
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Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel.
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Thad in AR.
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Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 6:46am |
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Sea foam is very good stuff as is mmo Marvel Mystery Oil.
Either one will do the trick. I use a splash of MMO in my motorcycle every third tank full and put a splash in my GMC (550000 miles) every so often.
I’d worry most about sticking valves and MMO is the answer
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desertjoe
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Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 8:15am |
Well, I finally got back to bailing the Sequoia out for some service req'd as per Toyota and glad I did,!! I do believe I got my money's worth on these spark plugs,,,, The gaps as pulled were .080 and were susspossed to be .032,,!! Got one 16 oz can of Seafoam in tank with 18 gallons of fuel, so we'll see how it works out. Many Thanks for all the help, Guys.  Fixing to take another road trip soon,,but ain't told ole Thad ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yet
Edited by desertjoe - 28 Apr 2023 at 8:19am
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tadams(OH)
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Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 9:11am |
Must be getting hitched this trip
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Thad in AR.
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Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 10:39am |
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Don’t forget the marvel mystery oil
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PaulB
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Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 2:03pm |
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I noticed those plugs you pulled out were "DENSO". I'll bet you'd never get that long of service beyond burning the electrode back from Crapions.
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
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desertjoe
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Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 4:22pm |
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Thad in AR.
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Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 8:41pm |
desertjoe wrote:
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I can’t wait to chirp the caissons on ole Red.
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desertjoe
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Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 11:23pm |
WQell,,it has been SOOoo dang COLD here the last 2-3 days with Overcast all day and cold wind blowing was 42° this morning with about 30 MPH winds,,,too friggin cold for this Southern boy,,,,to be working outside, Up until it turned cold I had got the garage doors cleared and ready to move Ole Red out but was so cold ,,decided to wait for better weather,,,I;m thinking ole Jay been leaving those Canadian gates wide open on purpose,,,,,,
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