Is it safe to use regular fuel system cleaner like stp on a fuel injected bike or is there motercycle specific cleaners out there?

 

Sea Foam

 

Never spray any cleaner ***** nilly in the throttle body. There are sensors that that black crud once dissolved in that fine liquid and it will blow un into temperature sensor, past the o-ring in the IAC valve or into the TPS and when it dries, they will fail.

Put it on a clean cotton towel, and carefully clean around the butterfly. Just a tad on the pintle valve tip.

Never ever put anything in fuel tank except gas. Unless it sits over a year. Then only enough carefully measured for a full tank of gas which also should be in there. An FI system from tank to fuel injectors is totally sealed. and will never dry out.

 

Unless the thing has sat long enough for the gas to go bad, you shouldn't need any fi cleaner. That said, I always use premium gas from a first rank producer, like Standard, Texaco or Shell. If you've been running Ronnie Rotten's discount special, you may have a problem.

Also, if you see a tanker making a drop, find another station. The gas flowing into the tanks stirs up all kinds of crap from the bottom of the tanks.

 

Why do you feel a need to 'clean' the injectors? Are you using crappy fuel? Most of the fuels sold in the US through typical retailers already have some cleaning agents in them. If you have symptoms that indicate dirty injectors, pull the injector and clean it properly. Or just replace it.

I've never understood the additives and why people use them. I've had hundred of thousands of miles on injectors over the years, multiple vehicles and never had one go bad from gumming up before something else gummed up and failed (like a pump). I've had injectors fail and require replacement. But never had one 'dirty' creating a spray pattern that did not ignite properly.

 

Sea foam

 

The goop shouldn't really harm anything but not sure it's necessary. Are you experiencing problems or just wondering?

There are dozens of products out there, you don't have to pick a motorcycle specific one, but you can.

Or you can save your money.

 

If you put too much in a small gas tank like on a Harley, it will dissolve the pump intake sock off. Without that sock, and the junk left pulls up to the intake and plugs it. Then when the motor dies, it falls off. Then it repeats on next startup.

 

I'd assume the consumer would read the directions and put in the amount suggested by the company that makes the goop.

 

Using Seafoam on occasion is good practice, specially on a Harley. Why? A stock Harley recycles oil fumes through the air cleaner and back into the combustion chamber to be burned. Even a two year old bike will have oil deposits in the combustion components. Not a problem if you have an aftermarket air filter that breathes to the atmosphere.

Since Seafoam also encapsulates water droplets, it is beneficial for any bike that sits for long periods, such as a bike that is used only sparingly or that is stored for many months during winter. I personally use it because for $6 a can, it gives me peace of mind that I am doing something right for my bike and if six bucks could minimize any potential issues with the fuel system, well, it is good cheap insurance.