Do I need Injection Cleaning Done on my Ranger?

[Frenchy]

So my local ford dealership has a service for carbon buildup on these GDI engines and they said it’s specifically to help with the carbon buildup, not walnut blasting but it’s an intake cleaning service, they charge $290 for it, I feel like that’s with it, probably my best bet right?

After I have that done i’d plan on doing regular maintenance with the intake valves where I spray some of the CDC or whatever brand is the best to keep them clean.

That particular service the dealership is offering is something that needs to be done every 30 to 40,000 miles. Having the dealership go ahead and do it is a good idea.

Sponsored

 

[fusseli]

It doesn't seem necessary to me. Let us know how giving $300 to a dealership goes for ya

On my Tbird, the ancient Ford 2.3T, the experts decades back were pretty clear about the need to inject Seafoam or similar cleaners AFTER the turbo. You do not want to mess with the oil seals in the turbo with the detergent spray or imbalance the compressor wheel by cleaning it unevenly with a spray.

 

[Dahveed]

Last spring-ish, I used the Berryman Intake Valve and Combustion Chamber cleaner kit on my Ranger: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081TKBG18. Did it help? I don't know, maybe. Placebo effect and all, ya know. It didn't hurt anything either.

From what I've read, the main takeaways on these are they work perfectly fine as general maintenance and/or helping remove minor build-up. However, if the engine is high-mileage, or has been scoped and is known to have heavy build-up and deposits these kits aren't a great idea because you can send a hard chunk of carbon through the engine and turbo turbine. And a "rock" hitting a turbine wheel spinning at mach jesus isn't great for it.

For an engine with heavy build-up, the only solutions are to either leave it alone if it's running fine or have it walnut blasted if you want to know it's clean.

 

[Frenchy]

It doesn't seem necessary to me. Let us know how giving $300 to a dealership goes for ya

On my Tbird, the ancient Ford 2.3T, the experts decades back were pretty clear about the need to inject Seafoam or similar cleaners AFTER the turbo. You do not want to mess with the oil seals in the turbo with the detergent spray or imbalance the compressor wheel by cleaning it unevenly with a spray.

Just because it's Turbocharged doesn't mean you need the service. It comes down to it being Direct Injection vs Port Injection. With Port Injection you have fuel spray to help keep the intake valves clean. A simple can of Berryman's B12 or similar helps with that. With direct injection you need to actually spray a cleaner in the intake to clean the Intake Valves. A pain, but it is what it is.

 

[fusseli]

Just because it's Turbocharged doesn't mean you need the service. It comes down to it being Direct Injection vs Port Injection. With Port Injection you have fuel spray to help keep the intake valves clean. A simple can of Berryman's B12 or similar helps with that. With direct injection you need to actually spray a cleaner in the intake to clean the Intake Valves. A pain, but it is what it is.

$30 DIY sounds like a better venture than a $300 dealer service they upsell all the time. Just make sure and find a spot AFTER the turbo. Someone could post a pic that has done this on the Ranger which would help everyone out.

 

[Frenchy]

$30 DIY sounds like a better venture than a $300 dealer service they upsell all the time

Remember that that $300 pays for the labor of a Technician that knows how to do the job. If you didn't know how to do the job even with buying the stuff, you would have to pay someone else to do it

 

[derekw24]

Remember that that $300 pays for the labor of a Technician that knows how to do the job. If you didn't know how to do the job even with buying the stuff, you would have to pay someone else to do it

That’s exactly why i’m going to take it in to have this done the first time because it’s almost at 100k and i’d feel more comfortable having the dealership do it. I’d bet there’s likely a good amount of the carbon buildup and chunks could fall in there and I wouldn’t want to be doing that my first time.

After I have this done i’ll just buy some CDC or gumout intake cleaner and keep up on it that way.

 

[Dgc333]

On my Tbird, the ancient Ford 2.3T, the experts decades back were pretty clear about the need to inject Seafoam or similar cleaners AFTER the turbo. You do not want to mess with the oil seals in the turbo with the detergent spray or imbalance the compressor wheel by cleaning it unevenly with a spray.

Anytime I have used top end cleaners I have always injected it directly into the intake manifold, just pull off a vacuum line and inject it there. I don't do this because of a concern with the turbo seals. I am trying prevent the cleaner from coating all the intake piping and collecting in the intercooler.

Turbos don't have contact seals like a main seal. They have steel rings like a small piston ring. The design relies on the pressure in the bearing section being lower than in the compressor and turbine sections. There is always some oil passing by the rings at the end of the bearings the oil is slung into the bearing cavity and returns to the sump. These cleaners have no impact.

Other than a film of oil from the clean side of the PCV system, there will not be any build up on the compressor, certainly not any issue with imbalance.

 

[Frenchy]

Anytime I have used top end cleaners I have always injected it directly into the intake manifold, just pull off a vacuum line and inject it there. I don't do this because of a concern with the turbo seals. I am trying prevent the cleaner from coating all the intake piping and collecting in the intercooler.

Turbos don't have contact seals like a main seal. They have steel rings like a small piston ring. The design relies on the pressure in the bearing section being lower than in the compressor and turbine sections. There is always some oil passing by the rings at the end of the bearings the oil is slung into the bearing cavity and returns to the sump. These cleaners have no impact.

Other than a film of oil from the clean side of the PCV system, there will not be any build up on the compressor, certainly not any issue with imbalance.

That is why you inject it into the iNtake Manifold after the Throttle Body. The instructions state to do just that and most of the fancy tools allow for that as well

 

[Conman50]

So I did this with the seafoam spray kit.

Got a check engine light. Didnt notice any difference.

Not doing it again.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/p2196-after-seafoam-valve-clean.26357/

 

[Frenchy]

So I did this with the seafoam spray kit.

Got a check engine light. Didnt notice any difference.

Not doing it again.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/p2196-after-seafoam-valve-clean.26357/

Probably because of the seafoam kit alone. Personally don't recommend seafoam products as I have nothing but bad experience with them. Also it is normal to get a check engine light while performing the service. Depending on how much carbon Buildup is on the intake valves will depend on how much of a difference it will make too.

 

[Rp930]

Service departments thrive on this stuff. $300 to do something you don’t know if you need or not and won’t know if it was done or not. Genius.

 

[Frenchy]

Service departments thrive on this stuff. $300 to do something you don’t know if you need or not and won’t know if it was done or not. Genius.

Except it is something that should be done every 30,000-40,000 miles for Engines with Direct Fuel Injection. Engines that use Port Fuel Injection and even Throttle Body Fuel Injection don't need to thanks to the fuel spray helping the Intake Valves stay clean. Direct Fuel Injection can't do that as it spays fuel directly into the cylinder after the intake valves. Also due to the location of the Injectors, it must have high pressure reaching a few thousand PSI vs Port Injection that can see between 35-70 PSI depending on the application.

 

[Rp930]

Except it is something that should be done every 30,000-40,000 miles for Engines with Direct Fuel Injection. Engines that use Port Fuel Injection and even Throttle Body Fuel Injection don't need to thanks to the fuel spray helping the Intake Valves stay clean. Direct Fuel Injection can't do that as it spays fuel directly into the cylinder after the intake valves. Also due to the location of the Injectors, it must have high pressure reaching a few thousand PSI vs Port Injection that can see between 35-70 PSI depending on the application.

Frenchy. You and I have both been on here a long time. Show me the proof on a Ranger it should be done. I know the domestics love selling this stuff but I need proof. I have seen plenty of direct fuel injection motors apart from high end manufacturers that have little to no valve deposits with no ‘cleaning”. I am well aware of how fuel injection works.

 

[Frenchy]

Frenchy. You and I have both been on here a long time. Show me the proof on a Ranger it should be done. I know the domestics love selling this stuff but I need proof. I have seen plenty of direct fuel injection motors apart from high end manufacturers that have little to no valve deposits with no ‘cleaning”. I am well aware of how fuel injection works.

Got high mileage? Take the intake manifold off yourself and take a look. Compare that to an engine with port Injection and you will see all the proof you need

Sponsored