Feedback for my 2011 MS3

[Duey1083]

Hey everyone,

I've been doing a little research and would like your opinions & feedback on my plans for my 2011 with 75,000 miles (currently bone stock). I've owned it since 14,000 miles on the odometer and have babied it.

Here's my plan for the winter:

1. Intake valve cleaning
2. New spark plugs; sticking with OEM
3. Compression test & oil analysis (to find out health of engine; sounds and feels fine though and has not been bagged; warmed up and cooled down properly)
4. Shop that wants to do the valve cleaning recommended upgrading my injector seals? Please comment on whether it's necessary.

Early spring:

1. Cobb AP V3
2. Rear Motor Mount (not sure which brand; open to recommendations)
3. Autotech HPFP Internals
4. Corksport ECU & Battery Box

Early summer:

1. HTP 3.5" SRI/TIP
2. FMIC (haven't researched which brand yet; Cobb or Corksport)
3. Cobb 3" SS Downpipe (expensive and open to other suggestions); also, not feeling very confident about doing this myself, especially with all of the miles on my engine
4. eTune with Freektune; I'd like to install 1 - 3 all in one go to reduce the number of eTunes I need to do.

Wish list:

1. BNR S3 turbo upgrade if K04 dies
2. 3 - 3.5 bar TMAP sensor upgrade; DAMN! I just replaced it with a new OEM one
3. Not sure if I need to look into upgrading my BPV; doesn't look like it with the stock K04

Anyways, I'm new to all of this, but have been researching quite a bit. But if there is some glaring omission from my path, or you think I should look at something else, please let me know!

Let the roast begin! Especially since I'm still stock at 75,000 miles

Andrew

[Vansquish]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 Hey everyone, I've been doing a little research and would like your opinions & feedback on my plans for my 2011 with 75,000 miles (currently bone stock). I've owned it since 14,000 miles on the odometer and have babied it. Here's my plan for the winter: 1. Intake valve cleaning Good idea, especially for the mielage. 2. New spark plugs; sticking with OEM *Might* be necessary, but they're probably OK. Mine were at 75k. If you replace them, make sure that they're gapped to Mazda's recommended 0.024"-0.027". 3. Compression test & oil analysis (to find out health of engine; sounds and feels fine though and has not been bagged; warmed up and cooled down properly) Compression test is a fine plan, but UOAAs are usually just a waste of money. 4. Shop that wants to do the valve cleaning recommended upgrading my injector seals? Please comment on whether it's necessary. K.I.S.S. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That is to say, if they're not leaking, and you're not getting extraneous knock readings that you can't track down, then your injector seals are probably fine. I wouldn't mess with them unless you're planning on putting down a heck of a lot more power or there's something wrong with the OEM seals. Early spring: 1. Cobb AP V3 Potentially a good plan, but definitely read up on the recent changes to the way that Cobb is running its business. Cobb has pissed a lot of people off, as they're kind of screwing self-tuners over with their new business model (you pay for the hardware and software, AND you pay for a class to be able to use it). I'd recommend reading up on Versatuner as well. 2. Rear Motor Mount (not sure which brand; open to recommendations) Good plan, no specific recommendations other than to keep in mind that the higher the durometer of the bushings, the more NVH is going to be transmitted to the cabin, and the more your interior will start to rattle. 3. Autotech HPFP Internals An absolute must. I'd do this before, or contemporaneous with the tuning solution you choose. 4. Corksport ECU & Battery Box Why? Unless you're running an oversize intake, there's not much point. Early summer: 1. HTP 3.5" SRI/TIP Sounds good. 2. FMIC (haven't researched which brand yet; Cobb or Corksport) Keep in mind, a good quality aftermarket TMIC will net you similar peak gains and be much easier to work with when it comes to finding leaks in the system. 3. Cobb 3" SS Downpipe (expensive and open to other suggestions); also, not feeling very confident about doing this myself, especially with all of the miles on my engine I put a DP on my car at almost 100k miles, though I had a tune and other parts (HPFP, etc.) that acted to monitor and mitigate any potential damage. It's always a risk, though. 4. eTune with Freektune; I'd like to install 1 - 3 all in one go to reduce the number of eTunes I need to do. Good plan. Wish list: 1. BNR S3 turbo upgrade if K04 dies Good plan too. 2. 3 - 3.5 bar TMAP sensor upgrade; DAMN! I just replaced it with a new OEM one Definitely required if you're going to run anything close to 20psi of boost. 3. Not sure if I need to look into upgrading my BPV; doesn't look like it with the stock K04 No need to replace it until you start finding that it's leaking. There are people who have run OEM (lightly modded) BPVs to over 25psi. Anyways, I'm new to all of this, but have been researching quite a bit. But if there is some glaring omission from my path, or you think I should look at something else, please let me know! Let the roast begin! Especially since I'm still stock at 75,000 miles Andrew

Welcome, Andrew. My comments are in-line.

[CWP_MS3]

I'm not a fan of aftermarket catted too expensive when you can turn off codes, and most states have self service emissions kiosks. If you're doing it to avoid drone, that's a different story, but then I would probably run a TP and stock upper cat.

[Duey1083]

Thank you for your insights Vansquish and CWP_MS3.

I'll skip the oil analysis and injector seals. I abide by the K.I.S.S. rule too.

I'm definitely planning to do the RMM and HPFP internals before any of the other mods and I'll look into the Versatuner too. I keep seeing it being recommended on this forum. I actually only wanted the AP for the gauges and Cobb OTS map for a stock engine (before I start adding any bolt-ons; obviously I'll work with an e-tuner after/before bolt-ons). I figure this would give me a chance to get accustomed to using the AccessPort.

Reason I wanted to do the Corksport ECU & Battery box is because I live in Canada and would like to retain the OEM battery size for CCA. Also, with the 3.5" intake, I read that the ECU needs to be relocated, though I'm sure I could just relocate it to the Fuse Box cover much cheaper. I think the other option was to remove the lower ECU cover, and I'm not sure I like that idea...

One question about the HTP 3.5" SRI/TIP. I know I will need a MAF calibration, but I assume that would be accounted for in the e-tune, correct? Sorry if that's a newb question.

Thank you for the recommendation for the TMIC. I don't track the car, nor will I be able to; there's no local track here So I think a TMIC would definitely be fine. I'm thinking the ETS TMIC, but need to do some more research.

I'm going to skip the downpipe now and just go with the catless test pipe. Looks like I keep both O2 sensors, so shouldn't have to clear or by-pass any codes. I'll do research on which one to go with.

If and when I go to BNR S3, I'll get a short style catted downpipe to fit with the test pipe

Please keep the comments & feedback coming. I really appreciate it!

Andrew

*EDIT: I have no idea how to link other forum members into a message...hmm *

[CWP_MS3]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 I'm going to skip the downpipe now and just go with the catless test pipe. Looks like I keep both O2 sensors, so shouldn't have to clear or by-pass any codes. I'll do research on which one to go with.

Its a pipe with 2 flanges. Don't over think it. Buy ebay, or better yet used ebay.

Personally, I think it would be better to buy for the future and get a full downpipe. So, if you think you're going to need it down the road, just do it correctly now and buy that.

[Duey1083]

Are there any big drawbacks if I were to go with a two piece downpipe versus a full one? I agree with your do it right the first time approach though.

The downpipe installation looks very overwhelming for a newb like myself...haha, don't know what I'd do if I broke a stud trying to remove the stock one.

Not sure if there are any members from Calgary, Alberta, Canada on here that would be willing to lend a helping hand. Otherwise, I might just pay a shop to tackle that one for me.

[aackthpt]

Freek will tell you that you needn't replace the MAP sensor if you're keeping the K04. I did, just to prepare for the future and because engineer. If you just replaced it, just keep the stock one. I also switched BPV because I thought I had a problem with my stocker, but I didn't. Again just keep it. Note that there might be some interference between the HTP intake filter and your BPV. As long as you don't care about some fin bending, though, it won't be a problem.

While my k04 lasts I'm keeping the stock DP and just switched the TP. I went for the resonated one because it was said to keep things quiet, but if I didn't care so much about the noise then I'd have gone for the straight pipe in a minute. There aren't really any downsides to a two piece downpipe rather than a one-piece. Truth is both work fine if properly designed/engineered.

I figured I might (might) switch the DP if my turbo goes bad. Then it would be much easier to switch the DP and the turbo together and it wouldn't really matter much what went bad during installs/uninstalls. Like you I always figured I'd just switch to an s3 if my k04 dies.

The only two RMMs I'd suggest buying are the CPE stage2 and Damond. Get the Damond if cost is a big factor, you are OK with slightly more aggressive vibes, or you think you might push past stock bottom end power levels. If you're a big NVH pussy like me get the CPE one.

Good luck and happy modding

[WAMBUSHHHH!]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 Reason I wanted to do the Corksport ECU & Battery box is because I live in Canada and would like to retain the OEM battery size for CCA. Also, with the 3.5" intake, I read that the ECU needs to be relocated, though I'm sure I could just relocate it to the Fuse Box cover much cheaper. I think the other option was to remove the lower ECU cover, and I'm not sure I like that idea...

I can confirm that CS's 3.5in intake fits like a dream with their battery box (I mean, it fucking better since they were both designed by the same company and to play nicely together). Just some food for thought but the battery box is a pain in the ass to remove. It's pretty tight with the ECU cables. I believe they made some modifications to the design to make it a bit easier but you may want to verify that. The metal rods for the battery tie-down are also a huge pain in the ass if you don't put zip ties at the bottom to prevent them from sliding out the bottom of the box. I cut my box up a bit to help with removal but its still a bit cumbersome but not enough to make me want to change the set-up.

[Duey1083]

This is all great info! I really appreciate it

So, I've decided to make the following changes to my mod path:

- I'll go with the HTP 3.0" full intake instead of the 3.5" as the 3.5" will be overkill, especially for the K04 and maybe even for the S3
- I'll buy a cheap TP off ebay as per the suggestion above
- If my K04 dogs out or I decide to upgrade the turbo, I'll go with a full downpipe

Going with the 3.0" intake, I'll avoid having to buy the ECU & Battery Box, which will save some money.

One question though; with the 3.0" intake, I need to remove the lower ECU cover. Is there any harm or danger to doing this? I'm just thinking it would expose sensitive electronics to harsh, atmospheric conditions. I haven't look into this though.

[sharksinspace]

Enough people have run it that way, or with the ECU relocated to the top of the fuse box, that I assume it isn't much of an issue. I have a 3" intake on the way, myself, and will likely do the fuse box trick when I install it.

[WAMBUSHHHH!]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 One question though; with the 3.0" intake, I need to remove the lower ECU cover. Is there any harm or danger to doing this? I'm just thinking it would expose sensitive electronics to harsh, atmospheric conditions. I haven't look into this though.

Always some risk but nothing to really worry about. You'd really have to take on a good amount of water to put the ECU at risk and in that scenario you're probably boned anyways. I ran my 3.0in intake for around 7 months with no cover and never had an issue. It saw rain, snow, 100+ degrees and -2 degrees and never had an issue.

I agree the 3.5 is overkill. There was a marginal bump in performance when I went from stock to CS's stock sized intake but the larger bump in performance came from switching to the 3in intake. It's tough to really say how much since I also installed a RP at the same time but those mods really made the car feel much more stout. With the 3.5in intake, you'll run out of turbo before you max out the efficiency of the intake.

[MS3Shadow]

It's better to buy 3.5in intake since you'll probs going to get an bigger turbo. And you don't have to buy multiple intakes. Just get the one with your goals in mind.

I bought an 3.5in intake when i had my K04 and now it's working well now since i upgraded turbos.

Sent from my Pixel XL

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by WAMBUSHHHH! Just some food for thought but the battery box is a pain in the ass to remove. It's pretty tight with the ECU cables. I believe they made some modifications to the design to make it a bit easier but you may want to verify that. The metal rods for the battery tie-down are also a huge pain in the ass if you don't put zip ties at the bottom to prevent them from sliding out the bottom of the box. I cut my box up a bit to help with removal but its still a bit cumbersome but not enough to make me want to change the set-up.

The new version of the battery box has a removable front, to which the ECU mounts, as well as a removable top. This way I think you actually don't even have to disconnect the ECU half the time when you remove the battery box. Also the installation instructions no longer have you remove the plastic pieces from the junction area of the main harness which would be a nice time saver as well as reduce worry about fscking the harness.

Those rods are a fscking PITA and I'm amazed I never thought of tie-wrapping them. For the one that falls so far I just keep the wing nut on it and lift it with a mag pickup tool before I put the battery clamp on it... that procedure gets quick after you've done it a few times.

The battery box removal (at least for the older v2 box... I think today's is technically v3) is a lot easier if you have a silicone intake, so you can bend and smash it out of the way as needed.

[Duey1083]

Originally Posted by aackthpt The battery box removal (at least for the older v2 box... I think today's is technically v3) is a lot easier if you have a silicone intake, so you can bend and smash it out of the way as needed.

Do you think the Corksport battery box would work with the HTP 3.5" intake? Or would I have to ask Corksport or HTP about that directly? I think both companies would want to sell me their own intakes or battery trays. I wouldn't want to go with the HTP battery tray because I want my OEM battery size still.

[Duey1083]

I finally pulled the trigger! Waiting on my Cobb AP, Autotech Internals, and CP-e Stg 2 RMM

[sharksinspace]

Off to a good start! RMM will make a big difference in drivability, and the AP/internals will set you up well for your future power mods.

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 Do you think the Corksport battery box would work with the HTP 3.5" intake?

I have Freek's 3.5' intake which is essentially the same as HTP. It's not what I run, but with my CS v2 battery box it did fit just fine. My note about the find (pleats?) bending was from experience, not reading. Anyway, that fitment was a little better than my JBR silicone 3.5" intake, actuallly (before I mounted the JBR without using their hardware). I therefore suspect with the current CS battery box it would fit fine, and it should be a little easier to install than with the old battery box that I have.

Note that you probably can't get a 3.5" intake to fit without extending one of the heater core coolant lines a bit. You can either use this kit or just go buy the equivalent parts from your favorite auto parts supply. 5/8" Hose Extension Kit - Hi-Tuned Performance Products This was the major bugaboo I ran into when I put my 3.5" on the first time.

I'd suggest to get the HTP with the flow straightener, not necessarily because you need it but because I suspect having it improves system reliability. That's a long story that would probably be better had in PM than in the thread.

I finally pulled the trigger! Waiting on my Cobb AP, Autotech Internals, and CP-e Stg 2 RMM

Awesome. You're on your way.

[Duey1083]

Thanks again!

In terms of extending the heater core coolant line, is there a How-To for that? I haven't had time to dig through that forum, but nothing really came up on my Google Search. I'm assuming I'd just keep the coolant expansion tank closed and pull apart the lines to install the 5/8" extension. Obviously, I'd have an air pocket in the system and would need to bleed it. Will I lose much coolant during this process?

Also, the HTP comes with a built in honeycomb element upstream of the MAF sensor; is that all I should need for straightening?

Thanks again guys! This thread has really increased my confidence with proceeding to mod my car

[sharksinspace]

Dunno about the coolant line, but as for the intake, the honeycomb is all you need.

[CWP_MS3]

Yeah, never heard of any squirrelly shit with the coolant hose... :/

Shit, we've broken a noob. He's read too much to the point where he now knows more than we do, and now we have no idea what he's talking about.

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 In terms of extending the heater core coolant line, is there a How-To for that? I haven't had time to dig through that forum, but nothing really came up on my Google Search. I'm assuming I'd just keep the coolant expansion tank closed and pull apart the lines to install the 5/8" extension. Obviously, I'd have an air pocket in the system and would need to bleed it. Will I lose much coolant during this process?

You just have to work fast. You might lose up to a pint of coolant, and it's not a bad idea to do the burping/revving procedure from TFM afterward. But when we did mine it wasn't really enough for the car to much notice. It didn't overheat afterward, and I just kept the overflow tank topped off. It definitely sucked some in and righted itself over the next ~week. Just make sure you always have a numeric coolant temp gauge while you drive the car that you can keep a third eye on. I use Torque on my Android phone for daily monitoring, but the AP would obviously be fine as well.

The coolant line extension is mentioned in at least one old thread, but I hadn't found it before I did my install either. Thankfully I was able to enlist some experienced help who knew about it. Here's one old thread with a picture of the fix and contains a link to the original discussion with HTP: HTP 3.5 heater hose wtf

Also, the HTP comes with a built in honeycomb element upstream of the MAF sensor; is that all I should need for straightening?

Yes. The honeycomb is the flow straightener, and I think last I looked you could get the intake with/without it which is why I mention it. As long as it's in there you're fine.

[Duey1083]

So my parts should be arriving on Monday! That's a pretty quick delivery, but I'm kind of...well...really excited, so it's going to feel like forever!! LOL.

For the heater coolant hose extension (which I won't need until I get to my intake), based on my reading, the normal coolant temps should be between ~180 - 220 degrees...Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Thanks again guys! I'm stoked...even just for the new tune on my stock engine.

[sharksinspace]

Dats dat Fahrenheit, yo.

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 For the heater coolant hose extension (which I won't need until I get to my intake), based on my reading, the normal coolant temps should be between ~180 - 220 degrees...Fahrenheit or Celsius?

That's Fahrenheit. Note how it's close to the boiling temperature of water in Fahrenheit, which you can exceed somewhat because of the pressurization of the cooling system.

Don't forget to get the correct special coolant. The ones that say they mix with anything? Don't trust it.

[Duey1083]

Haha, I work with Celsius all the time, but I definitely should have thought of the boiling temps, lol. My goof!

So my AP arrived, gonna download the Stratified Tune on it and hopefully try to flash my ECU. I bought a battery charger to make sure I don't run out of charge. Should the charger be on full charge with the accessories on, or trickle charge?

Really sorry for the dumb question

[Duey1083]

Don't answer the question about charging the battery...I figured it out and installed my AccessPort. Wow! They make it really easy

So, I totally failed at doing my first data log; apparently WOT to me means 85%, haha.

Nevertheless, can I post my first one here for everyone to review? I'll redo it when I have some time; it was a third gear pull.

[Fstrnyou]

Your APP might not be WOT (100%), but your throttle position was. And Fuck You GenPu's and your stable BATs.

I share your excitement when parts are on my porch when I get home from work. I have a room full of parts that need installing.

[Duey1083]

Thank you for reviewing the logs. When I'm looking at the Throttle Position, I max at around 74%...not sure if I'm missing anything.

With that initial log, does everything seem alright? KR, LTFT, fuel pressure, and AFR look good as far as I can tell. Is it normal for spark advance to increase so much?

[Fstrnyou]

I don't understand why, but >70% throttle is WOT. This only applies to the throttle body position. The accelerator pedal position should be 100% for WOT.

There was no KR in the log I looked at.
Fuel trims zero out at WOT.
Ignition timing should decrease with load, increase with RPM. If you weren't knocking, don't worry about it. If anything, no knock means you can use more advance. This applies up to MBT or knock. The general consensus is, this platform is knock limited, so you won't reach MBT without an ethanol mix.

[Duey1083]

Originally Posted by Fstrnyou I don't understand why, but >70% throttle is WOT. This only applies to the throttle body position. The accelerator pedal position should be 100% for WOT. There was no KR in the log I looked at. Fuel trims zero out at WOT. Ignition timing should decrease with load, increase with RPM. If you weren't knocking, don't worry about it. If anything, no knock means you can use more advance. This applies up to MBT or knock. The general consensus is, this platform is knock limited, so you won't reach MBT without an ethanol mix.

Thanks man! So looking at that log, everything looks pretty decent. Ignition timing definitely decreased when load increased and start increasing again as got closer to redline.

This tune certainly makes the car feel different. Boost comes on a lot smoother and more gradual in day to day driving in the city. It doesn't have the huge wall of boost come on at 3,000 rpm like the OEM map had. Acceleration also feels less jerky and the boost doesn't appear to be tapering off at the redline like it normally does.

Out of curiosity, what do your BATs look like? Also, please forgive my humble noobiness, but can I ask you what MBT is?

Originally Posted by aackthpt Don't forget to get the correct special coolant. The ones that say they mix with anything? Don't trust it.

I'm assuming that if I'm only spilling out a pint when I do the heater core coolant line extension, that I could just top it off with distilled water?

[Fstrnyou]

MS6s and GenJuans have horrible BATs with the stock intercooler. My most recent example...51 degrees according to my vehicle display. 0-100mph test run. BATs ended at 140 degrees. I try to run between 17 and 18psi, but it was closer to 17 that day with the colder temperatures.

MBT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_brake_torque

Adding a bit of distilled water shouldn't change your mixture too much. But you might want to test your coolant to see what the mixture looks like before you add anything back in to make sure you have the correct mixture for your area. It's cold up there.

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 Out of curiosity, what do your BATs look like? Also, please forgive my humble noobiness, but can I ask you what MBT is? I'm assuming that if I'm only spilling out a pint when I do the heater core coolant line extension, that I could just top it off with distilled water?

Originally Posted by Fstrnyou MBT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_brake_torque Adding a bit of distilled water shouldn't change your mixture too much. But you might want to test your coolant to see what the mixture looks like before you add anything back in to make sure you have the correct mixture for your area. It's cold up there.

Some people say the acronym refers to Mean Best Timing, some say something else, but luckily everybody means essentially the same thing anyway. For example here's another thread discussing which it means... What is MBT? - evolutionm.net ...and actually their link to eng-tips has probably the best informed discussion.

My opinion is that you shouldn't put in distilled water because (a) you will change the mix and you live in the Great White North (b) it can't hurt having extra coolant on hand anyway and (c) you will be forced to learn which coolant the car takes if you put in the real thing (d) you might spill out more than a pint anyway.

[Duey1083]

Originally Posted by aackthpt (c) you will be forced to learn which coolant the car takes if you put in the real thing

Mazda FL22 green coolant Good point about your note of having extra coolant around.

Thanks! I'll read up on MBT in the links you guys provided.

[flyhigh]

Originally Posted by MS3Shadow It's better to buy 3.5in intake since you'll probs going to get an bigger turbo. And you don't have to buy multiple intakes. Just get the one with your goals in mind. I bought an 3.5in intake when i had my K04 and now it's working well now since i upgraded turbos. Sent from my Pixel XL

This. Wish I had done this. I'm on my third and final intake now.

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 Mazda FL22 green coolant Good point about your note of having extra coolant around..

or Zerex Asian is a good replacement that's a bit less costly and a lot more easily available.

Valvoline? ZEREX? Asian Vehicle Antifreeze / Coolant : Product Catalog - Valvoline®
https://www.amazon.com/Zerex-675130-.../dp/B0033QO022
https://www.walmart.com/ip/ZEREX-ZX0...-gal./40726453

[Duey1083]

Well...I have good news and bad news.

My compression test went swimmingly today. Everything looks good there.

However, since the shop was doing the compression test, I had them change my plugs for me (may as well). The technician noted that my spark plug from cylinder #1 was wet with fuel and says that means that that fuel injector is failing (leaking; not out of the O-ring) and I'll eventually throw misfire codes. He says I don't need to change it out now; it may last another 6 months to a year before it becomes a problem.

Nevertheless, since they need to remove the intake manifold to get to the injectors, they decided to save me some money, and didn't end up doing the intake valve cleaning. We can tackle that when we get to the problem injector.

So, I'm stumped...should I be replacing all four injectors? Or just the one? It costs ~$300 (USD) for one new injector Obviously this would be a great time to upgrade the seals, so I'll do that at this time, but I don't want to spend $1,200 (USD) on four new injectors.

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 #1 was wet with fuel and says that means that that fuel injector is failing (leaking; not out of the O-ring) and I'll eventually throw misfire codes. He says I don't need to change it out now; it may last another 6 months to a year before it becomes a problem.

Did you inspect the plug yourself and do you agree with his assessment that it was wet with fuel?

I'm interested to hear if anyone really believes their assessment of the cause. With that said, If it's not an immediate problem and it's believed that might actually be the cause, I'd try to fix it myself by (a) running top-tier fuel only for a while (b) running a few bottles of injector cleaner or fuel system cleaner (including doing some research online to determine what actually works). Do that regimen, pulling that plug periodically to see if you're improving the situation. It might work, it might help clean things otherwise, and it would be a lot less costly than injectors. If I could get it to the point that the plug didn't seem to be getting covered in fuel, I'd continue doing it for about as long as it took to get to that point again just for insurance. And consider adding some portion of it to your regular regimen...

[Duey1083]

@aackthpt;, I didn't get to see the plug when they first pulled it out, but the tech said it appeared to be wet with fuel.

Apparently he borescoped the cylinder and said it was NOT wet with fuel, but the injector did appear wet.

I have not noticed any performance or stuttering issues and one of the services yesterday was actually an injector cleaning service. I'll start putting in an additive to my fuel tank from now on. Any recommendations?

They actually gave me my old plugs back and the far right one (bottom in picture) has a weird bronzy oil/gas rainbow spectrum through the threads. I believe that one came from cylinder #1 .

The tech did stress that this isn't urgent, but brought it to my attention. What are your thoughts?

[aackthpt]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 I have not noticed any performance or stuttering issues and one of the services yesterday was actually an injector cleaning service. I'll start putting in an additive to my fuel tank from now on. Any recommendations? They actually gave me my old plugs back and the far right one (bottom in picture) has a weird bronzy oil/gas rainbow spectrum through the threads. I believe that one came from cylinder #1 . The tech did stress that this isn't urgent, but brought it to my attention. What are your thoughts?

I'd say don't run an additive every time, but that's why I suggested to start running only top-tier, because it'd probably do most of what an additive would do anyway. Personally I haven't run top-tier most of the car's life but I have recently started trying it now that I've found out Costco is top-tier. One of the banned OG's (Raider) swears by Techron and has said he's blown out blockages in his EGR with the fuel system cleaner.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Chevron-T...10-oz/16647989 (note that you can get a bigger bottle)
But being that you would need injectors cleaned mostly a more specialized product also might work:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Chevron-T...12-oz/46683811
I've run Techron fuel system cleaner once in my car and once ran through Dura Lube:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dura-Lube...16-oz/19887509
after I read some experiments supposedly showing it has great solvent capabilities and doesn't have some chemicals that can hurt plastic components.... either way *shrug* I'm not going to endorse either really. I've seen too much "evidence" that things do nothing also... so I'm still skeptical at best. I only suggest it because it's cheap and it's probably not gonna hurt nuthin'.

As for the plug I'd say take some better pictures of the end of it from various angles. It definitely looks different from the others but that photo isn't great. I'm not all that expert in plug-reading or diagnosing engine problems so I don't really want to offer opinions on the problem... there are bunches of guys more knowledgeable than me in these areas on this forum.

[MS3Shadow]

Originally Posted by Duey1083 So, I'm stumped...should I be replacing all four injectors? Or just the one? It costs ~$300 (USD) for one new injector Obviously this would be a great time to upgrade the seals, so I'll do that at this time, but I don't want to spend $1,200 (USD) on four new injectors.

You can get used injectors for about $100 or so

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