The fuel injector is responsible for supplying fuel to your car’s engine. It atomizes the fuel by spraying it through a tiny nozzle. The atomization enables the fuel to burn more efficiently and makes the engine run smoother. It’s needless to say that without a functional injector, your car won’t run.
Fuel injectors have become much more advanced than they used to be, and that makes them quite reliable. But then, no piece of machinery can last forever. Sooner or later, you'll have to maintain and replace your fuel injector. In this post, we'll review the common ways that fuel injectors can fail, and what you can do about them.
One of three things usually lead to faulty fuel injectors:
Dirt or foreign materials
The injector’s parts are designed to channel fuel at high pressure, and so, any foreign materials can cause an obstruction fairly easily. It's important to note that a dirty fuel injector isn't the same as a clogged fuel injector. The main difference is that while a dirty injector will still work, a clogged injector is completely obstructed and won't be of any use to your engine.
Substances that can clog up a fuel injector include dated fuel, tiny residues in the fuel, carbon, as well as engine gunk.
Leaks
O-ring failures are the most common causes of leaky injectors. The part of the O-ring at the point where the injector meets the fuel rail can become brittle and hard due to the heat from the engine. After a while, the ring will break off, making fuel leak onto the engine. The injector can also leak when the body or the nozzle breaks or cracks.
Mechanical failure
Sometimes, fuel injectors fail just because they are machine parts. That's why it's essential to visit your mechanic periodically and have your car serviced.
Some other times, a simple oversight can lead to a cascade of events that eventually damages the fuel injector. Some of the signs of a faulty injector include the following:
Hard starting, especially when the car engine is hot Reduction in engine performance Increased fuel consumption Oil thinning Smoke from the tailpipe Overall poor engine performance
How to Prevent Injector Problems
Here are some tips on how to prevent fuel injector problems.
Inspect and clean the injector regularly.
The best way to ensure the health of your fuel injectors is to remove and inspect them regularly. Engineers recommend that you inspect your injectors every 24,000 miles. But then, if you use your car for many short trips, you may want to check them more frequently.
Service your engine regularly.
A faulty engine will overburden many other engine parts, including the fuel injector. Simple maintenance actions like changing your oil and filters won't only maintain your engine’s health, but other car parts as well.
Know when it’s time to replace it.
Sometimes, you have to recognize that your fuel injector has run its course and needs to be replaced. Trying to manage an old and faulty injector will only cause your car more problems later on. You can get durable fuel injectors at this link: https://goldfarbinc.com/collections/fuel-injectors