Common Fuel Injector Problems and Their Symptoms

Fuel injectors play an important role in the optimal performance of your vehicle because they deliver gasoline to the engine. Failure of fuel injectors affects the performance of your vehicle. In this article, we will discuss the role of fuel injectors in fuel injection system, and the common fuel injector problems and their symptoms.

Role of fuel injectors in fuel injection system
Fuel injection system is one of the major developments in automotive engineering as it makes the vehicle fuel efficient and less polluting. The fuel injector plays an important role in fuel injection system.

How the system works
The vehicle's engine uses internal combustion - burning an air-fuel mixture to generate power. While the air is taken from surroundings, fuel injectors inject the fuel required for the combustion. The fuel injection system atomizes the fuel and turns it into fine mist by pushing the air-fuel mixture forcibly through a tiny nozzle by applying high pressure. The mixture is then sprayed into the combustion chamber via the intake valve.
Let's take a look at the common problems and symptoms associated with fuel injectors.

Dirty fuel injectors
If fuel injectors are not cleaned regularly, the left out additives (that are not sprayed out) from fuel form crust due to high temperature.

Dirty fuel injectors obstruct the smooth flow of fuel or disrupt the injector spray resulting in an uneven pattern. This can be identified when you detect hard engine-striking, poor acceleration and poor mileage.

Clogged fuel injectors
Fuel injectors are clogged with debris or particles like rust or other foreign particles that enter the injectors through the fuel pipes, tank or fuel lines.

The clogging may also be due to poor maintenance. Clogged fuel injectors can be identified by checking the signs of rough engine idle, misfiring or surging engine.

Valve doesn't open or close
This problem arises as a result of faulty winding, faulty spring or due to the buildup of rust or other fuel additives on fuel injectors. This causes the valve to get stuck and it will not open or close properly. When the valve cannot open, fuel is not delivered to enable combustion and hence power cannot be generated. When valve cannot close, there will be an excess supply of fuel for combustion, resulting in wastage/leak of fuel.

Fuel injector leaks
This problem happens when the other systems connected to fuel injectors fail. The systems associated with fuel injectors should function properly. Any faulty part or failure of systems associated with it results in leaks in fuel injectors. Leakages in fuel injectors show various symptoms like rough engine idle, reduced gas mileage, engine fire, etc.

Fuel injectors are an important component of your vehicle. If you identify any of the common problems mentioned, you can save a great deal of money by taking measures immediately to fix these problems. This will improve the performance of your vehicle.

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