Fuel Injector Service!

[reikiwes]

So i had my first oil change today since the purchase last week, and had a great/strange experience. To preface this, I should say the car drives amazingly well, but it always felt a little "sluggish", and has even felt like it lost some power every now and then when driving at city speeds (20-30 mph). A slight hesitation I'd call it. I just thought this was related to the dreaded "ES300 tranny jerk of 'aught three" I read so much about. So..

I stopped at the local Valvoline shop and had an oil change, cause I don't know the last time it was changed since I bought it. I also asked for a transmission drain and fill. Not a flush... yet. I read in a post here to get a drain and fill first, then drive a while, then go for a full flush. Can't remember which post, or exactly the thinking behind it, but... it's also not the point of this post.

So, they "called me back" and told me that all the fluids looked good and fresh, but that the injectors were dirty and not spraying correctly. He said the throttle body was very dirty as well. They offered a fuel injector cleaning service for $79 that would take care of that right now... Want it? I said yes.

Not 10 minutes later, I see what appears to be THE ENTIRE BUILDING ENGULFED IN SMOKE. Six bays of this garage were COMPLETELY COVERED in smoke, to the point you could not see 3 feet in front of you.

Well, I then realize IT IS COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE OF MY BRAND NEW (to me) LEXUS ES300 MELLINIUM SILVER $389 A MONTH F$%#KING CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, I realize that is dramatic, but... when I say smoke, I mean SO MUCH GD SMOKE I NEARLY RAN OUT OF THE BUILDING IN FEAR OF MY VERY LIFE.

So, the technician come to me and says "don't be scared... the more smoke the better.. means it's coming out".. So I sat for nearly 20 minutes as smoke BILLOWED OUT of the tail pipe of this car. They would rev the engine and it would throw acrid smoke like 10 stage fog machines.

I now realize my mileage indicator, when reset, has gone from about 17 MPG to about 20 instantly, and the hesitation is gone. Completely. Smoother than when I bought it , and didn't think that was possible.

Now, moments before I wheeled in for the oil change, I had filled up with high-octane gas, and put a bottle of Chevron Techron in the tank, due to the rec's on this site. I FORGOT to tell the technician before the fuel injector service, and mentioned it during the "event". He said it wouldn't be a problem. I saw they also added something to the tank for cleaning. I hope I haven't overloaded my fuel system here. lol

All told, oil change, tranny drain and fill, air filter (which was filthy), and fuel injector service came to $169. Not too bad, I feel.

My next step is plugs (which he said were cleaned by this "service") and then the 90k service, which I just priced out at about $1100 plus tax. Thinking of trying the plugs myself, with some help.

So.. has anyone experienced that much smoking during an injector cleaning and would it be normal for an '03 with 80k miles to smoke that much? I DEFINITELY feel a difference after the service, but that could be from the filthy air filter, no?

Also, I asked about changing the PCV valve, as I've read so much about it. He said I didn't have one. "Not on that model.". That true?

Thanks for listening!

[homemechanic]

Don't worry about the smoke. My 99 ES300 smoked up like a railroad engine. I put in about 1/3 can of Seafoam into the fuel tank, 1/3 into the oil and 1/3 into the intake. If you want to know more about Seafoam, do a search here. Afterward, the car smoked up for like 20 min before the smoke start to dissipate. I started driving my car and the car still smoked like the railroad engine. That was on a windy day, the smoke was blowing pretty hard. The smoke finally gone after about 20 minutes of driving. I can feel the car is much better.

You can also clean the throttle and IACV. My car was running like new after cleaning the IACV. A lot of carbon was building up in there. Someone had posted a nice write up on IACV with pictures.

There is a PCV valve for your car. A clean air filter helps too.

If you really want your car to perform at the top of the notch, try Amsoil. Flush the engine with an Amsoil flush and then use Amsoil oil and filter. Oil and filter is good for 25K miles. For lazy people like me, this actually saves me the time of changing oil 5x a year. Car runs a bit smoother and feel a bit more horses under th hood.

$1100 for 90K service is kind of expansive. Try not going to the dealer.

The plugs are not that difficult to change, just a little tricky for the back ones. With the right tools, the plugs can be changed in 30 min.

[reikiwes]

$1100 for 90K service is kind of expansive. Try not going to the dealer.

The $1,100 is not from the dealer... from independent mechanic.

Supposedly includes Timing, Belt, Water pump, tensioners(?), and something else I forget.

You think $1,100 is too high for this? Should I look elsewhere?

[homemechanic]

$1100 for 90K service is kind of expansive. Try not going to the dealer.

The $1,100 is not from the dealer... from independent mechanic.

Supposedly includes Timing, Belt, Water pump, tensioners(?), and something else I forget.

You think $1,100 is too high for this? Should I look elsewhere?

I don't know. I live in the damm California. The labor here runs about $100 - 110 an hour at the dealer.

Ok. . If the shop is changing timing belt, water pump, tensioners, pulleys and complete tune up (plugs, clean IAVC, clean throttle, fuel filter and all fluids), then it's probably alright. I don't really know if you need new tensioners so soon. Typically, tensioners and pulleys are done at 180K miles.

[TomWoodLexus]

make sure to get original parts (toyota brand) for the belt, pump, ans plugs to avoid the chance.