Fuel Injection Service at your home

When should you consider a fuel injection service?

• Your engine idles, loses power, or misfires. Faults in the fuel injection system are a common cause of poor engine function.
• Smell of raw gas or visible leaks. The smell of gas around you car suggests that your fuel injector may be leaking. There should never be external leaks from a fuel injector. If you suspect that your fuel injector is leaking do not start your car as this is a fire hazard.
• Check engine light is on. Certain fuel injection failures, such as a faulty solenoid, will cause a trouble code to be set in the PCM and that will cause the check engine light to turn on. When this happens, a mechanic will read the codes and test the fuel injector, as needed.
• Major engine repairs, engine replacement, or long-term storage. Deposits in fuel injectors will always occur given enough mileage. These deposits affect the performance of the injectors from cylinder to cylinder. If you engine is disassembled, or if you are installing a new engine, it’s a good time to service the injectors as well. All injectors have tiny internal filter baskets: servicing the injectors entrails cleaning each injector ultrasonically and replacing the filters, which can be done at a relatively low cost.

How does a fuel injection service work?

Injectors can either be removed from the car and serviced, or be replaced with new injectors. When injectors are serviced, specialized equipment are necessary for cleaning and testing. The problem with the injector will determine whether they should be repaired or replaced. Both options require removing the injector from the vehicle and typically following this procedure:

• When the engine is off and cool, the mechanic relieves pressure within the fuel rail by briefly running the engine with the fuel pump fuse out.
• They will them remove the upper plenum on the intake manifold along with any hoses, cables, or wiring that restricts access.
• Next they’ll remove the supply and return lines from the fuel rail, unlock and remove the electrical connectors to each fuel injector, and unbolt and remove the fuel rail from the intake manifold.
• The injector(s) that need to be serviced or replaced are then removed from the fuel rail. It’s critical to make sure no debris enter the exposed openings. An O-ring seal usually firmly holds the injector in a finely polished bore in the fuel rail. This O-ring will need to be replaced.
• Using a new O-ring, the injector is re-installed into the fuel rail. O-rings fit very tight to prevent fuel leaks and engine oil is used on the O-ring to prevent any damage to it.
• The mechanic will then re-install the fuel rail and reconnect the supply and return lines. The plenum is re-installed along with all cables, hoses, or wiring.
• Then, the engine is run and the mechanic will carefully check for leaks and road test the vehicle.

Things to keep in mind when servicing a fuel injector

• Making use of top quality Tier One gas may decrease deposits on gas injectors and extend their life.
• If an injector issue requires the replacement of one injector, it’s most effective remove and service every other injector at the same time. This might involve replacing an electrically failed injector together with an out-the-car cleaning of the remaining injectors. Serving all injectors simultaneously guarantees the injector set will be well balanced and in turn ensures smooth engine function.
• Do not make use of gas system cleaning compounds, or treatments, unless such products are defined by your vehicle’s manufacturer.
• Cleaning gas injectors in the vehicle is not as efficient as out-the-car cleaning since injectors have small inner filter baskets that must be changed as part of the procedure of servicing a gas injector.

Can you safely drive with a fuel injector problem?

Yes, as long as there is no external leak of gas from a damaged or defective injector, it is risk-free to drive the vehicle. Nevertheless, if the injector is recognized to be malfunctioning, it can trigger engine misfires, extreme discharges or, in the case of a terribly leaking injector, can overload as well as overheat the catalytic converter. Furthermore, gas effectiveness will constantly be reduced if the gas injectors are not functioning effectively.