The fuel system in your automobile needs to be cleaned professionally every 30,000 miles. This not only allows us to replace the fuel filter but also clean the fuel injectors. Fuel injectors can go bad in two ways. First, they can get clogged by carbon deposits that are a natural byproduct of engine combustion. Second, they can crack and start to leak. Here are signs that your fuel injectors are bad.
Misfiring Engine
If there is a problem with the fuel delivery into the cylinders, your engine will misfire. You’ve heard the expression firing on all cylinders, and this is what needs to happen in order for your engine to run efficiently. If the injectors are clogged and failing to put fuel in some of the cylinders, those cylinders will not fire when it is their turn. This is what causes the misfiring engine.
Rough Engine Idle
When the engine is misfiring the idle gets rough. In fact, in severe cases, the engine may stall. You will also have performance issues while your vehicle is in motion. Again, the cylinders need a steady stream of fuel in order to fire correctly. If one or more of the injectors are clogged, your vehicle is going to struggle to perform because the combustion chamber is fuel-starved.
Bad Fuel Economy
You would think that this would increase your fuel economy because the engine isn’t getting as much fuel as it needs. In actuality, reduces your fuel economy because the engine burns through the fuel more quickly. Consequently, bad injectors can reduce your gas mileage and leave you heading to the service station more often. This is not good with gas prices at an all-time high.
Dancing RPM Needle
Sometimes, the fuel injectors will also crack and start to leak. When this happens, you may notice your RPM needle dancing on the tachometer. This is a sign that the cylinders are getting drops of extra fuel. In addition to the dancing RPM needle, you may also feel your vehicle surge forward as the cylinders burn the excess fuel. This is called surging.
Hard Starts/No Start
Finally, if the injectors are clogged and unable to spray fuel into the cylinders, you may not be able to get your engine started. This, again, signals a fuel-delivery problem. You need to have plenty of fuel in the cylinders in order to fire up your automobile.
Do not worry. We can help. If it has been more than 30,000 miles since you had your fuel system serviced, call us today to schedule an appointment.