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      11-26-2014, 06:59 AM   #1
Sireal
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Fuel Injection Cleaning for 2014 X3 xDrive35i

My dealer service center is recommending Fuel Injector cleaning at 30,000 miles. Is this service worth doing or just a rip-off at $179?
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      11-26-2014, 09:10 AM   #2
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Unless your engine is misfiring or running rough, you do not need it. You can buy a bottle of Techron fuel injector cleaner from your local automotive store and do it yourself.
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      11-26-2014, 10:43 PM   #3
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you did 30k miles in one year ? :O
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      11-27-2014, 01:23 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sireal View Post
My dealer service center is recommending Fuel Injector cleaning at 30,000 miles. Is this service worth doing or just a rip-off at $179?
Clear rip off IMO.

I understand the minimally federally mandated detergent package in all gasoline will be sufficient to keep everything including the injectors and valve surfaces clean. I never did anything to specifically clean my injectors in any car and never perceived a problem.

I am sure services like cleaning the injectors for $179 is a very high profit item for the dealership and they train and encourage their service writers to push these services. A number of years ago we had a Lexus RX300 with a full extended Lexus warranty to 100K miles. At about 65K miles we had the car at Lexus for a warranty repair and the service writer attempted to sell a $1,200 timing belt and water pump replacement to my wife even though Toyota did not require a replacement for another 20K miles or so. Fortunately she smelled a rat and called me. IMO your dealer's injector cleaning is a similar scam.

I am in NY also so curious who the dealership is.
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      11-27-2014, 09:54 PM   #5
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Thanks for the input. BTW- HV BMW near poughkeepsie
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      12-01-2014, 02:21 AM   #6
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Fill up with Techron every once in a while and you're good to go. Avoid driving for short trip from the morning start. And turn off them damn auto on/off while the engine's cold.

179 buys you a lot of chevron gas
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      12-01-2014, 03:18 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Envyscorpio View Post
Fill up with Techron every once in a while and you're good to go. Avoid driving for short trip from the morning start. And turn off them damn auto on/off while the engine's cold.

179 buys you a lot of chevron gas
outside cold season, isn't the car designed to self regulate, sometimes i notice it doesn't go into start stop mode.
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      12-01-2014, 06:55 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by X4guy View Post
outside cold season, isn't the car designed to self regulate, sometimes i notice it doesn't go into start stop mode.
Hum... maybe. I usually don't get cold mornings in SoCal

But always a good idea to get enough heat into the oil to get rid of water content.
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      12-01-2014, 08:38 AM   #9
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Depends on what the cleaning entails. Traditional cleaning by way of just running detergents through is surely a waste. Same with you purchasing aftermarket detergents. You might get more satisfaction dropping cash on a crowded floor at your nearest mall. However with the introduction of direct injection motors you don't have the benefit of gas and detergents running across the top of your valves and in turn keeping them clean. Carbon build up is a reality with these new DI motors.

Google BMW Direct Injection Carbon Builup for more details.

If the injection service entails visually inspecting your valves and confirm carbon build up and then addressing with some type of blasting medium ie walnut shells, then this is a decent deal. However, you often won't get to the bad carbon build up point until later in life, like 60k miles or later.
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      12-01-2014, 08:50 AM   #10
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wouldn't this be covered under their 4 years/50k free maintenance?

none of the BMWs i have owned in the past required any out of pocket expenses for maintenance. I either extend the maintenance or I trade it in right before it expires. I follow all of their recommended service visits and they cover whatever comes up.
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      12-01-2014, 05:59 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by drodnyc
wouldn't this be covered under their 4 years/50k free maintenance?

none of the BMWs i have owned in the past required any out of pocket expenses for maintenance. I either extend the maintenance or I trade it in right before it expires. I follow all of their recommended service visits and they cover whatever comes up.
This.
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      12-02-2014, 07:45 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n55x3 View Post
Google BMW Direct Injection Carbon Builup for more details.

If the injection service entails visually inspecting your valves and confirm carbon build up and then addressing with some type of blasting medium ie walnut shells, then this is a decent deal. However, you often won't get to the bad carbon build up point until later in life, like 60k miles or later.
For $179, they are not talking about walnut blasting, that would run into the thousands.
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      12-02-2014, 03:21 PM   #13
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For $179, they are not talking about walnut blasting, that would run into the thousands.
At a BMW dealer, that might just be the price for a bottle of Techron.
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      03-09-2019, 12:10 PM   #14
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Bumping because we have a bad injector. I'll report back with what we do.
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      03-11-2019, 11:49 AM   #15
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Actually BMW issued a statement or bulletin a few years ago concerning cleaning of fuel system - it started with the N54 engine, when they had a bunch of failed HPFP.
To make it kosher, they took the Chevron fuel system cleaner and and bottled it in a similar bottle as the Chevron, only it was grey/silver in color and re-labeled BMW fuel system cleaner, and in small letters on the back it was marked Chevron made for BMW. I assume it's the same product. Also, there was a recommended mileage interval, can't recall from the top of my head. Shell V-power has the stuff incorporated in the gasoline they sell.
I used the Techron & also the BMW product. Both had same result. On normally aspirated engines, one can feel the change, but it takes almost a tank to visualize (you see the fuel consumption improvement). The change is slow, so you can't tell, but change for better it is. One way is to record the engine sound before, then when the tank is almost empty another sound recording. You will notice.
On the turbo engines, it will clean the fuel system, but i will do squat to clean the valves. The fuel is not sprayed behind the valves, so carbon buildup is guaranteed, less on N55 compared to N54.
Walnut blasting on N54 if done professional by a shop is in the 400 bux range, money well spent. If you know what you're doing, one can do it at home, but you need to buy some tools and the media. Again careful, because you can plug up solid the engine if not 100% sure where TDC is - you have to turn the engine for every cylinder you service, and it has to be closed.
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      03-12-2019, 10:19 AM   #16
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Bumping because we have a bad injector. I'll report back with what we do.
Good news everyone, it was NOT the injector. Simply a bad spark plug!
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      03-12-2019, 10:52 AM   #17
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Good news everyone, it was NOT the injector. Simply a bad spark plug!
Great news.
But keep in mind that the sparkplugs have to be changed at around 60k miles on the newer na engines and around 30-40k miles on the boosted ones. Worn plugs will damage the coils which is more expen$ive. BMW might tell you otherwise - maybe a longer interval, but not 100% sure.
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