5 SYMPTOMS OF A CLOGGED FUEL INJECTOR
purpose
The purpose of the fuel injector is to open up for a specific amount of time to allow the proper amount of fuel to enter the engine to mix with air and spark to create combustion. A fuel injector could clog due to a bad fuel filter letting a small amount of debris pass through. Also, if you live in an area where it snows, salted streets are a huge contributor to corrosion. If your fuel lines start to get corroded over time, this will eat away the metal and can transfer to your fuel injectors. Another factor could be the type of fuel system you have. Most cars have multi-port fuel injection nowadays, but some newer cars have gasoline direct injection. This type of injection is known to cause carbon blockage on the fuel injectors since it’s right inside the combustion chamber, making it easier for the leftover fuel to heat up on it.
location
Fuel injectors will be located near the intake manifold, usually at the top of the engine as shown in the picture.
Symptoms
engine light
The first symptom your car could be experiencing is an engine light. Here are some codes that can pop up that are related to a bad fuel injector:
P0201
P0202
P0203
P0204
P0205
P0206
P0207
P0208
P0209
If you have a clogged fuel injector, you should also have a code for a lean condition - P0171. A lean condition means you have more air than fuel in combustion. A lean condition can also lead to misfires, so you should also expect these codes:
P0301 (Misfire Cylinder 1)
P0302 (Misfire Cylinder 2)
P0303 (Misfire Cylinder 3)
P0304 (Misfire Cylinder 4)
P0305 (Misfire Cylinder 5)
P0306 (Misfire Cylinder 6)
P0307 (Misfire Cylinder 7)
P0308 (Misfire Cylinder 8)
These codes can help you diagnose to see which fuel injector is clogged up.
Ensure you can access your car's diagnostic codes by acquiring an OBD2 scanner here.
hard start/no start
The second symptom of a clogged fuel injector is a hard start or a no start at all. A clogged-up fuel injector will either not let fuel pass through at all or restrict the exact amount needed. If the engine isn’t getting proper fuel per air ratio, it’s not going to be able to combust efficiently, leaving your vehicle with a hard start or a no start.
delayed acceleration
The third symptom your car could have is delayed acceleration. If you press down on the gas pedal, the throttle plate will open up, bringing in more air. When there’s more air, the engine control module (ECM), should command more fuel. If the fuel injectors are clogged, they will not provide the proper amount of fuel at the rate at which the ECM is looking, leaving you with a delayed acceleration.
Stalling engine
The fourth symptom of a clogged fuel injector is a stalling engine. You could be driving down the road when all of a sudden your car randomly turns off. This happens due to the lean mixture created by the clogged fuel injector. If you’re gassing the pedal to increase speed on the road, this is going to bring in more air. Then the ECM should be increasing more fuel. A clogged fuel injector won’t let the proper amount of fuel to be released in that split second, leaving your vehicle with a stalling engine.
rough idle
The fifth symptom of a clogged fuel injector is a rough idle. You’ll feel your car shaking at the red light or a stop sign. This is due to the lack of fuel being released from the injector into the engine. Lack of fuel-to-air ratio leads to misfires, which creates inconsistency, causing vibrations in your car.
If you think you might have a clogged fuel injector and want to save some money try using this cleaning chemical before buying a new fuel injector for your car. Remember, it’s important to clean the fuel system every 50,000 miles to prevent the fuel injectors from clogging up.
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