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Fuel Systems Service at Dealership

5K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  A Guy 
#1 ·
My dealership wants to do a fuel system service on my 2010 Challenger SE. I bought it a year and a half ago with 18,000 miles. It now has 47,000, with no fuel problems or any problems whatsoever. I take good care of my car, use the recommended gasoline, oil change every 5,000 miles.

I understand why it is important to get it serviced, but they want $320. That seems a little high to me. Is this a normal price? Or are they trying to wax me?

Maybe someone here can help me or explain this to me, as I am not too mechanically inclined.
 
#3 ·
That's what I was thinking! There's no way my fuel system got that dirty so fast! I try to take really good care of my car and keep it running clean! And $320?! It didn't feel right. Maybe if all of the **** was getting replaced, but just for them to clean it up? I don't think so.

I'll look at some of those cleaners and do that! Thank you for your response!
 
#7 ·
Most of that stuff is snake oil. From what I read, and what FCA and most manufactures actually put in writing, no additives and they recommend that you should continuously use Top Tier Gasoline. I am trying to stick to that with my newer stuff, at least fairly regularly.
 
#8 ·
They tried to do the same to me at my 50k oil change, I get 15 free oil changes since I got bought my car new in 2017 which is the only reason I still go to dodge for this service. I said no thank you to the $300 fuel system cleaning as well. I have an oil catch can so im pretty sure everything is still good to go and I recently replaced my Pcv valve which took 5 minutes.

I'll just do that, since so many people stand by the product. I went in yesterday for an oil change and a rear differential service (which cost me $145) and I feel like I got ripped off on that, too.

But I don't have the means to do any of this myself and didn't want to worry about it any more. I'm starting to think that they just have maintenance timers that go off when you hit a certain number of miles, and then they try and convince you that you NEED something done so they can make money.

I may just start posting on here for advice every time they say I need something done. I like dealerships because they deal with your specific model of car so often, but hate them because they lie or exaggerate for money.
Rear diff is super easy to do, go to autozone and buy 1 bottle for $15 and it'll take u 10 minutes to do. Youtube has plenty of videos on it.
 
#10 ·
Fuel system "service" is just something dealers come up with to help boost the bottom line. My SOP is if the factory doesn't call for it I don't do it.

There are exceptions. One is I am a fan of -- with a new car -- early oil changes provided this is not forbidden in the owners manual.

And I have been known to change the oil more often at fewer miles than the factory calls for.

Two is I will change the coolant every 4 years or so.

Three is I will have the brake fluid flushed/bled every couple of years.

Fourth is other vital fluids -- transmission/diff -- I probably will have changed earlier than called for by the factory. Ditto engine air filter and fuel filter and even the cabin air filter.

The fuel system is kept clean by the fuel it supplies to the engine. The fuel is a detergent to some extent.

Now I have found over the years an engine can benefit from some highway miles. Nothing fancy just get on the highway/freeway and drive at the posted limit for (my experience) about 40 miles or so. In my experience an engine will perk up from this.

Maybe. I have done this this cars with miles on them and the engine reacts favorably. But with my for instance low miles <30K miles Hellcat even a 60 mile drive didn't seem to make any difference. The engine of course is new (relatively new) and the engine fueling is pretty darn good -- being supercharged it better be.

Similarly I switched from Shell V-Power to Chevron Supreme with Techron and one car's engine -- again with "big miles" perked up after not even a tank of Supreme was gone. But another car with fewer miles and a turbo charged engine didn't react. Again the lower miles and the fact the turbo charged engine was more precisely fueled -- it used wide band O2 sensors vs. the other car using narrow band O2 sensors -- I think may have played a role.

If you want a fuel system "service" if Chevron gasoline with Techron is available in your area fill up the gas tank with Chevron gasoline and just drive the car. When this made a difference it was just using the car normally.

If Chevron gasoline is not available where you are get a bottle of Techron at the auto parts store and use according to directions. Actually a bottle treated 20 gallons but my cars all had 18+ gallon tanks so I just dumped in the entire bottle of Techron then filled the gasoline tank full.

Then just drive the car.

I use Techron in a bottle only very rarely -- Chevron gasoline was handy where I lived -- but when I used it I tried to schedule its use a tank or two before time to change the oil.

The "rule" is if the first tank or bottle makes a positive difference repeat the treatment. If it doesn't it is a coin toss as to whether one wants to double down on another treatment. If one is using gasoline that's probably worth a 2nd tank of gasoline. If one is using Techron by the bottle up to you if you want to try it a 2nd time.

My experience over the years is when it didn't make a difference the 1st time I can't recall it making a difference the 2nd time. The times it made a difference the 1st time I did it a 2nd time: A 2nd or subsequent tank of Chevron gasoline or another bottle of Techron. In this case there was not noticeable improvement after the 2nd treatment but the 2nd treatment probably removed some deposits that were not removed the first time. Just not enough of them remained to make a difference when they were removed.
 
#11 ·
I will tell you a little secret. Use a top tier fuel and you never have to do any of this. The detergent packs in top tier fuels do exactly what you're seeking to do here. Save your money for the proper tools to do your fluid changes yourself.
 
#12 ·
Would agree with you but I was a steady user of Shell V-Power -- a top tier gasoline -- for some time then switched to Chevron when the Shell station without any warning raised its prices. When I switched to Chevron Supreme the engine's reaction to the first tank of Chevron was rather remarkable. And i wasn't driving my car like a taxi cab. Talked to the dealer techs and they all said they had experienced pretty much the same thing. They might use a different gasoline for day to day use -- most favored Shell because it seemed to produce the most power -- but every once in a while filled up with Chevron Supreme for the Techron benefit. Or they used Techron in the bottle.

The SA told me while the dealer stocked another brand/type of fuel system cleaner and the techs could buy it at cost they all paid retail for Techron and had a bottle or two at their tool boxes.

But to be clear a number of engines -- all "new" or nearly new -- did not react to Chevron gasoline when I switched from Shell or even when I was using -- I'm ashamed to admit it -- discount gasoline and treated the engine to a tank of Chevron Supreme.

Still I would recommend using a top tier fuel over something not top tier.
 
#14 ·
I wonder what exactly that service is, like what do they actually do. I wonder if the service writer could even explain it.
 
#15 ·
If they do it the way they are supposed to



A Guy
 
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