Click & Clack: Induction service a waste of money?

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Dear Tom and Ray:

The local Honda dealer charges $120 for a fuel-induction service every 30,000 miles. I can buy a can of BG 44K injector cleaner as a gas additive for $20. If the gas additive is sufficient, how often should it be done? Or am I wasting my money on both options? — John

TOM: For $120, the dealer probably is hooking your engine up to a machine that forces a solvent through the fuel system and cleans the injectors. The cans of BG 44K and Chevron Techron do similar things, although the machine probably does a better job.

RAY: But I would guess that the dealer also is cleaning the electronic throttle area — the fuel additives won’t do that. That has to be sprayed separately.

TOM: You can find out by asking the dealer exactly what’s included in his fuel induction service.

RAY: You may not need any of these things. Unless you’re having problems with misfires or rough idling, it’s unlikely that anything’s dirty enough to worry about. Gasolines have enough detergents in them these days that dirty fuel systems rarely are a problem.

TOM: So unless the engine is idling roughly, or the computer has stored a code indicating misfires, I think you can save the $120. And the $20, John.

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