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How To: DIY - Injector cleaning

1M views 1.6K replies 436 participants last post by  cfell  
#1 ·
This is a great way to clean your injectors and improve your balance rates.
First go to your gm dealer and buy the GM upper engine fuel injector cleaner p/n 88861802, about 15 bucks. This CAN NOT be run through the fuel tank. To run this cleaner you have to use the quick disconnects at the rear of the engine.

1. Remove the quick disconnects at the rear of the engine, you will need a set of quick disconnect line tools. the return line is 3/8 and the suction line is 1/2.

2. Once lines are disconnected, install rubber fuel hose to the lines with hose clamps. You will need 3/8 hose and 1/2, about 5 ft of each.

3. use 1/2 gallon of clean diesel fuel and mix 13 oz. of the injector cleaner in a container (I used an old rotella 1 gal. bottle)

4. put both the return and suction lines into the container and place container out of the way of engine. (sat mine on a step ladder next to truck). you can set it on the floor but will need about 8-10 ft of hose.

5. start the engine, check for leaks. run all of the the diesel fuel in the container out, will take time. (mine sat at idle for 1.5 hours). if the truck dies, no big deal, just prime it once you reconnect the fuel lines.

6. once fuel is gone, reconnect the fuel lines, should hear a snap. and done. make sure to check for leaks when finished.

hope this helps some people. my balance rates are much better now, and the engine runs much smoother. maybe try this first if you think you have an injector going bad.
 
#5 ·
cannot do a video, dont have a video camera or fancy phone. it is a fairly simple process, even if you dont have that much mechanical experience. as far as balance rates, my #8 injector was averaging 3.6 to 5.0 and after the cleaning is a solid 1.9-2.0 and the rest of my injectors are within +/- 1.0. much better than they were. GM recommends this cleaning every 50,000 miles.
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
No problem bud thanks for the good info and i'll be doin this like to keep it clean and make it last.
Good info from good people makes this site the best.
 
#1,586 ·
Im just cautious why it would matter if there was a increase in fuel mileage? Even if the mileage went down a hair because the injector is now spraying correctly and not plugged up. Regardless of what it does to the fuel mileage, it’s maintenance that should be done to the fuel injectors. The cost of replacing fuel injectors is huge compared to the savings that a .5 mpg increase would ad up to be.
 
#9 ·
Should make a sticky?
 
#10 ·
work on all Dmaxes? its worth a shot, my injectors in my LB7 were done prob 30k ago, but I don't have a FASS or Airdog, so a good cleaning won't hurt anything! Thanks for the DIY!

a little maintence now saves a lot of money in the long run! especially when it comes to injectors. anyone know how much it is to have an injector system clean/flush from the dealer?
 
#13 ·
Good write up but for those of us with lift pumps will have to remove the fuse to the lift pump. If the fuse isn't removed it could make for an exxon valued size diesel spill in our driveways.
 
#14 ·
yes, you will have to disable the lift pump if equipped with one.
 
#15 ·
haha im the idiot there i forgot about it an lost bout a half gallon but i did put it in a milk jug jus cuz it leaked a lil out. now to the results this helped out my injectors alot. i had 2 that were dead nuts on the line for bein bad and it dropped them back to the +1 to +2 range an the rest were really close to zero. i will get the actual rates when i figure out how to do a screen shot thing
 
#19 ·
so basically you mix diesel fuel and this stuff together disconnect your fuel lines from the truck, hook up 2 new fuel lines that are running from a bucket containing said contents to the engine turn it on and let it idle til it dies?
 
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#21 ·
and it made that much of a difference
 
#29 ·
To get a screen shot, simply press the PRINT SCREEN key towards the top right of your keyboard...Should be located a couple keys to the right of F12...

Once you have done this, you can now paste it into paint and save it as a picture...then post on here...simple as that
 
#23 ·
you use the whole bottle right?
 
#24 ·
why not put it in the fuel tank??
 
#38 ·
Did it make a difference?
 
owns 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LT
#28 ·
so i tried running 88861802 part number with the gm dealer (up in canada) and they dont have anything that crosses over and matches. and he was unable to find a product they carry. anyone have any other canadian gm part numbers for this product or something else i can use to do the same thing?
 
#30 ·
found canadian part number. 88861804. $13
 
#31 ·
I thought I would give this a try, but when I went to buy a bottle, (They have known me forever and know I currently only drive Duramaxs) they asked me what I was going to run it through. I told them my Dmax. And they said absolutely not. They told me they wouldn’t even want to sell me the bottle! Do they know what there talking about? Anyone else try this yet with any negative results?
 
#32 ·
i dont think they know what they are talking about. My brother in law is the one who recommended doing this and he is a Duramax mechanic at the GM dealer. He even printed me the instructions on how to do it from his computer at work.
 
#36 ·
Sounds reasonable enough to me. Trust you guys way more then the dealerships. :drink I’ll try it.