BG Fuel/Air Induction Cleaning Professional

[JXW]

What is the before and after result using the BG fuel/air cleaning process offered at certified shops? The cost is $124.

Was planning on having this completed and then changing oil/filter afterward. We use M1 or PU 5w-20 and follow OLM on vehicle, 2006 Honda Pilot ex-l 3.5l V6.

 

[Johnny]

It is a good service and a good product if the vehicle needs it. How many miles are on your Pilot and how is it driven?

 

[ahoier]

Personally, I never had it done, but the 3M "Do It Yourself" Fuel System Cleaning Kit looks very promising....and well, you really can't go wrong with a quality brand such as 3M...

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en...1glDZBYXKC0R5bl

And the purchase page - http://www.shop3m.com/60455031587.html?WT.ac=POW_3MAAD_GS - only costs $52 + shipping I'm sure....

Seems easy enough to do for even a novice

And a neat video of it's use/procedure on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX5J5kZLTw4&feature=player_embedded


AFAIK, all of these "Fuel Cleaner Kits" work the same......something that goes in the tank, something that goes through the intake, and then this kit has the throttle plate cleaner.


Granted, I'm not "bashing" the BG service, but it seems extremely similar to the 3M, and even the cheaper GumOut 2 Step procedure that Walmart does for 18$ (normally 20$ but now on rollback) or 45$ (currently they have the GumOut cleaning + Oil change, for 45$).

It's more than likely the only difference between the service(s) noted above are the chemicals that they use

Even the "applicator tool" they use for the intake cleaning looks similar to what WM uses for their GumOut service.

 

[bepperb]

How many miles on the Pilot? Probably unnecessary at this point.

 

[JXW]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
How many miles on the Pilot? Probably unnecessary at this point.


130K miles. The service manager at a Honda dealer maintains that is "ver smart" to have this service completed after 30K miles based on the operating characteristics of the EGR valve in the Honda motor.

 

[PhillyJoe]

The only possible downside to this procedure is you might foul your spark plugs. There will be a lot of gunk behind your throttle plate with 130,000 miles and the solvents will send that gunk into the combustion chamber.

I have 56,000 mi on my Grand Prix and when I flip open the throttle plate it looks like a coal mine back there. I have a supercharger behind the TB and I'm not sure how the rotors would be affected by the solvents.

GM sells a top end cleaner that works in a similar manner.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
The only possible downside to this procedure is you might foul your spark plugs. There will be a lot of gunk behind your throttle plate with 130,000 miles and the solvents will send that gunk into the combustion chamber.



I used the 3M kit linked earlier in this thread, for the first time at around 65K. I was concerned about this as well, so I pulled off the throttle body and cleaned it first, then ran the intake cleaner through. It just seemed like a safer bet.

I pulled the intake manifold a few K's later to change the plugs (has to come off to get to the back 3) and the intake valves were absolutely spotless, so I'm inclined to believe it works. Since then, I decided to do it every 30K.

 

[TLMjared]

I think its a great service really, from what I understood about it, it is not an alcohol based cleaner like the gumout one (like the one at walmart) I had it done on my 2008 subaru (had about 40something thousand miles at the time and I did notice a difference in felt performance (and I am usually pretty cautious about those things).
Its a good maintenance service really, I do like the warranty they have if you start using their product early in the vehicles life and beyond, that is always cool.

 

[Vikas]

I have always thought that the fear about the dissolved gunk ending in the combustion chamber is groundless. Combustion chamber will burn the liquid sludge. The amount of gunk that is already in the combustion chamber would be least higher by an order of magnitude.

Now if you spray the entire can on the throttle plate while the engine is not running, that is a whole different story!

- Vikas

 

[mechtech2]

Before you dive in for this service, try a tank [or maybe two] of a good injector/valve cleaner.
It won't clean manifolding or throttle bodies, however.
It is the TB that is important - manifolding is rather unimportant.
You can manually clean your TB with solvent and a lint free rag. Poke around with a cloth on a screwdriver -whatever.
Also, spray MAF cleaner is quick and easy to do, and should be done once a year.

 

[morris]

iam in wichita ks, the city where BG products is made. here BG is thought to be very good products. the MOA oil additive has zinc in it. how ever iam not sure i like the idea of cleaning a large amount of crude at one time. i like cleaning a small amount as you go along. i have using mmo for decades, no trouble. course iam not a oil expert, i just play one on tv, lol.

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: JOD

I used the 3M kit linked earlier in this thread, for the first time at around 65K. I was concerned about this as well, so I pulled off the throttle body and cleaned it first, then ran the intake cleaner through. It just seemed like a safer bet.

I pulled the intake manifold a few K's later to change the plugs (has to come off to get to the back 3) and the intake valves were absolutely spotless, so I'm inclined to believe it works. Since then, I decided to do it every 30K.


How much difference did it make in the driving? Was it substantial? Was the change much more than what you could have got by strong fuel system cleaner and throttle body cleaner only? Also do you have any experience with the Seafoam through intake and if so, how would you compare the results of Seafoam vs 3M?

I purchased the 3M kit last year and I am still saving it for "the rainy day".

- Vikas

 

[Vikas]

Does 2006 Pilot has throttle by wire? If so, make sure that the shop knows what it is doing. I have report of a late model Maxima needing expensive repairs after BG induction cleaning. Fortunately, BG did pay for new throttle body and new computer. The details are on the Maxima specific forum (5th generation maxima forum).

- Vikas

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: Vikas


How much difference did it make in the driving? Was it substantial? Was the change much more than what you could have got by strong fuel system cleaner and throttle body cleaner only? Also do you have any experience with the Seafoam through intake and if so, how would you compare the results of Seafoam vs 3M?

I purchased the 3M kit last year and I am still saving it for "the rainy day".

- Vikas


I'll preface this by saying that I don't have the well-calibrated butt dyno of others. The car was definitely smoother at idle and accelerating at take-off. It seems that there was about .5-1mpg improvement as well, but given all of the variables, I couldn't swear to it. Of course, I pulled the TB off and cleaned it, then ran the intake cleaner right afterward, so I can't say it was one thing over the other.

I used Seafoam pretty often in my Volvo, since it seems to be a popular Volvo thing to do... I decided to go with the 3M mainly because 1) I wanted to run it in front of the TB and not a vacuum line (I could have done this w/Seafoam, but the 3M is set up to run this way), and 2) I generally trust the 3M stuff. I didn't worry about it with my Volvo, but with a newer car I just figured the cleaner in it would be less likely to cause any issues with any of the stuff downstream (like O2 sensors). Maybe I'm swayed by their reputation, but 3M generally seems to make pretty high-quality solvents, cleaners, adhesives, etc.

It's hard to quantify this stuff, and my intake valves may have looked great anyway, but for $50.00 every 30K, I think I'll keep doing it.

 

[Vikas]

I agree with your reasoning completely. It took me years before getting the courage to Seafoam my lawnmower! And I hate my lawn mower

What surprises me is that 3M DIY kit is not as popular as I thought it would be. 3M does NOT make junk products. Whatever they make, it is always in the top 3 of their respective category.

I am saving my kit when I really "need" it. I was able to buy it for $25 after rebate, so I don't want to "waste it unnecessarily" like I do with my other run of the mill fuel system cleaners such as Techron or Regane.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
I have always thought that the fear about the dissolved gunk ending in the combustion chamber is groundless. Combustion chamber will burn the liquid sludge. The amount of gunk that is already in the combustion chamber would be least higher by an order of magnitude.

Now if you spray the entire can on the throttle plate while the engine is not running, that is a whole different story!

- Vikas


That was actually exactly how I did the first cleaning on my Corolla - though not the full bottle. I used CRC intake cleaner, and plastic toothbrushes to pry open the pressure closed butterfly valve. I then gave it a generous dousing of spray, with the car sitting parked.

Car cranked awhile before it fired up. No smoke. Replaced air filter then ran a tank of Regane after a fresh dino oil change, maybe a month after I bought this car.

PP & MMO on the subsequent short OCI (after a gummed up 10 year old pcv was replaced) cleaned the engine up nicely and it runs much smoother than when I bought it. From all the treatments I believe.

I'm 7 months (and about 8,500 miles) into ownership.

Spyder

 

[GMBoy]

I do these services on all my vehicles using the Borg-Warner ProCleen system. Another benefit from the service is carbon cleaned off the pistons. Some engines are prone to this carbon build-up.

 

[wetmuskrat]

All that needs is an idle relearn. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Does 2006 Pilot has throttle by wire? If so, make sure that the shop knows what it is doing. I have report of a late model Maxima needing expensive repairs after BG induction cleaning. Fortunately, BG did pay for new throttle body and new computer. The details are on the Maxima specific forum (5th generation maxima forum).

- Vikas

 

[Hollow]

I use Shell/Conoco 66/Mobil fuels and throw in a bottle of Techron or Gumout every 6 months or so. Never had an injector problem on any vehicle in 14 years and 180,000 miles of driving.

 

[Lumberg]

Originally Posted By: JXW
The service manager at a Honda dealer maintains that is "very smart" to have this service completed


Alarm bells going off. How do you know when the service manager at the stealership is lying?

His lips are moving.