The fuel injectors have special nozzles that spray the right amount of fuel into the cylinders or intake manifold for engine combustion. These nozzles will get clogged eventually because carbon deposits are a natural byproduct of combustion engines. Over-the-counter fuel injector cleaners are not as effective as professional cleanings, which is why we here at
Dead Engine
If you cannot get your engine started, and the problem is not electrical, chances are the engine does not have any fuel. If the fuel injectors are clogged completely, they will be unable to spray gasoline or diesel fuel into the cylinders or intake manifold. Before your engine is completely dead, it may get harder and harder to start.
Misfiring Engine
If the fuel injectors aren’t completely clogged, there may still be small streams of fuel making their way into the combustion chamber. This can cause your engine to misfire. A misfiring engine feels as if it has the hiccups. It will stutter as you drive along and you will be able to feel the tiny vibrations. You may also feel your vehicle shudder as you press down on the accelerator to pick up speed.
Poor Fuel Economy
Your fuel injectors can also become cracked and start to leak. When this happens, you end up with more fuel than is necessary in the engine. The engine burns away the excess fuel and, as a consequence, your fuel economy goes down. This can also happen if the engine is struggling to run because it is fuel-starved. The engine will burn away the fuel more quickly as it tries to produce power.
Rough Idling
Clogged fuel injectors can also make your engine idle roughly. This, too, is a result of the fuel starvation that is going on underneath the hood. Any time your engine struggles to produce power, it will idle roughly because it is fighting off an engine stall. If it’s been over 100,000 miles since you have had your fuel injectors cleaned, it’s likely they are caked over with carbon deposits.
Sporadic RPM Needle
Finally, as the fuel spurts out of the clogged fuel injectors sporadically, your tachometer will confirm this to be the case. You will notice that the tachometer needle dances up and down as the fuel spurts into the combustion chamber. A sporadic RPM needle is also a sign that your vehicle has a vacuum leak. We can check for both problems at our shop.
Call ER Auto Care in Plain City and Columbus, OH, today if you think your fuel injectors are clogged. We’d be happy to inspect them and clean them professionally. If they are leaking, we will replace them.
