I used to use Techron every 3K in my cars, but stopped doing it for a while. According to top tier gasoline suppliers (Shell, Mobil, BP, Costco) their premium gasoline contains detergents (the list of ingredients for each is a big secret) and does not need a use of Techron and such. May be I am too lax and should do it regardless. It is not expensive: $3-$5 each bottle.

 

Oh I nearly forgot, to anyone who is concerned about this and definitely to the OP, you might also try Kreen.

I have used this occasionally in the past for engines that had severe carbon buildup. This stuff even removes varnish! Definitely not something to screw around with on your typical everyday maintenance though, however if someone like OP believes carbon buildup is a problem in their engine, my suggestion is to pour maybe a few ounces of this stuff in the gas tank at a fill-up...it doesn't take much. Also you can you might try pouring a few ounces into the engine oil about 200 miles or so prior to an oil change. Just make sure to follow the directions because I dont have the stuff in front of me at the moment.

Kreen

 

I have something to add to the use of engine cleaning chemicals. On the IS200t tuning thread we have been going back and forth about when the port mounted injectors are functioning. My official answer was the exact times when they function is Toyota proprietary information. So they wouldn't tell me much. But I was told they are used during cold start up, as well when the ECU feels it has been too long since they last fired. Like a cleaning cycle. Another user found a article from Car and Driver stating the port and DI injectors run together at low/medium throttle.
Why is this important.. Because the port injectors are the ones cleaning off your valves. So you want to drive in a manner that would engage them the most while using the cleaning product in your gas. You don't want to full throttle it everywhere on that tank of gas.

 

Also, left field but have you NX owners heard about Orange Virus and the tune they are releasing... Pretty big stuff!

https://www.ovtuned.com/blogs/news/8...rom-patch-1-01

 

Been lurking around the Lexus forum for awhile. Looking for a car long term for the wifey as her lease was up on the Audi S3.

Kind of odd that the turbo cool down is still recommended as most luxury brands have pumps running when the car is off.

 

I agree. I can not get an official answer on whether the water pump keeps running on shutdown to keep from oil coking. But I have never heard the water pump running after turn off. Either it's really quiet or it's not running.

 

Don't know how much truth is in there but here it is, 120k mile on this test engine, taking it apart and checking the internals.

https://mobiloil.com/en/article/why-...tested-results

 

Here is a review for this engine

http://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine_id=139

 

 

Good read, fun finding out the bore and stroke are the same.

 

Engine looks very similar to the 2AZFE in my old scion tc, it was open deck as well and it took quite a beating after I turbo charged it. I usually mist some sea foam into the intake of my direct injection cars once or twice year. This seems to help clean out anything, i started doing this after my friend had big problems with carbon build up on his direct injections only 2007 is250. Doing regular misting/cleaning really helped his car get back to running right and stopping his super rough idle. So i do it once a year or so just for good measure.

 

EE talks about if the "Italian tune-up" helps or hurts your car. He cites a study that was specific to a DI 2.0L turbo engine. The study said the load on the engine was directly proportional to the number of carbon deposits in the engine. So essentially the study found that driving an engine similar to ours under heavy load (full throttle, trailering, hill climb, etc) will cause more carbon.

 

Yes, but don't forget that toyota uses DI and Port injection and i'm sure that is much different than your standard DI only engines. Its like the is250/is350 comparison, is350 doesn't have issues with carbon build up like the is250 and the only real difference is the dual injector system.

 

Our engine does not run both DI and PI at all times. In fact, the most I could get out of Toyota was that the Port Injection is engaged when low load and during "cleaning cycles". They would never say the exact time or parameters for when DI or PI or both were used, stating proprietory information.
I was more interested in the fact that the lack of fuel on the valve to cool it helps to create even more carbon.

 

It doesn't have to run at all times to help with carbon buildup. The same D4-S system is used in the is350 on the 2GR-FSE engine that has been out since 2006, so hundreds of thousands of miles have been put on those cars and they have not experienced any issues with carbon build up. So the system works, it is even used in the subaru sourced engine in the scion frs.