hotinphx

:confused: My engine idled and ran well under power until after I used a fuel injector cleaner. Now it sometimes starts fine and runs rough (idles poorly, bogs down under power) after it warms up, sometimes it just runs crappy the whole time I drive it. To compound the problem, I poured in a octane booster and now under ful power it pings like crazy. It's a '89, automatic. Please help!

bill mcdonald

Does the check engine light come on at all?
Do you know how to pull trouble codes?
Have you ran a tank of plain gas through it between all these problems?

BTW, welcome to the forum.

Aggravated4life

In 89and up GM used injectors different from the previous years,a multec design.They do not recommend cleaners for these injectors.The cleaners can sometimes short the injectors out.
Hoepfully this isnt what happened.GM has a fuel injector cleaner specifically for these injectors...did you use an auto store brand?
Hope this isnt what happened to your car.

Wildride

I hate to give you bad news, but anyhow here it comes. GM recommends NOT USING INJECTOR CLEANERS. It seems that the electrical windings in the injectors are exposed to the fuel as it passes through the injector body. This is done to cool the wiring for longer life of the coil. Injector cleaners have a nasty habit of disolving the insulation on the windings resulting in injector failure as the windings start to short out. The injector design is such that they are self cleaning.

I suggest that you get an ohm meter and check the resistance across each injector. They should be between 11 to 16 ohms. (IMHO a 13 ohm resistance or lower is equal to impending failure).

I hope that I am wrong, but please let us know what you find.

hotinphx

No the check engine light does not come on.
I don't have the equipment to pull trouble codes.
I'm working on a new tank of gas, but no change as of yet.
I've been told the injectors may now be clogged, the front cats may be clogged or the fuel filter (but the problem is so intermittent) or the the fuel pump maybe acting up. Where do I start?

hotinphx

If it works, don't fix it they say. Now I know that!! Yes it was a auto store brand cleaner. Thanks for your advise.

HTRK-1

bill mcdonald

All you need is a paper clip, or a piece of wire.

anyhow, I think these guys may have nailed your problem.
Start with checking the injectors

knp

Does this include the Chevron Techron additive?

Goody

Some things we learn too late......good luck. I've been in this area before. :smash:

Corvette0096

Does this include the Chevron Techron additive? Someone have the answer?

:confused:

GlennS87

How much gas did you have in the tank? If you put both in with only a small amount of gas, your motor might not be getting enough fuel.

I've used Techron before with no problems. Also tried octane boost, didn't hurt but it was a waste of $$


[Modified by GlennS87, 12:42 PM 2/13/2002]

Gregory VanLare

Glenn you probably didn't have the problem because the Multec injectors didn't come out til 89.

GlennS87

Does anyone know if the Ford SVO's are of the Multec design?