The diesel fuel injectors in your engine are vital to the operation of your vehicle. You enjoy a smooth-running vehicle when they function properly. It gives you all the power you need for driving your vehicle around and getting things done. When it operates at peak performance, your diesel fuel injectors get you optimum fuel efficiency and help keep your engine’s emissions safe. Read on to know more about diesel fuel injector testing.
While the prospect of testing your fuel injectors can seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before, it’s a lot simpler than it seems.
When your fuel injector isn’t working properly:
- You lose power
- Emissions get way worse
- Your fuel efficiency tanks
It can be very frustrating, especially considering the thought you put into opting for a diesel engine.
But once we diagnose the problem, we’ll be able to plan a course of action, from cleaning or replacing the injectors to having our expert mechanics do the job. We’ll also get to know your system better and prevent future issues down the road.
Our Approach to Diesel Fuel Injector Testing
Our approach at Diesel Components Inc. depends on the type of fuel injection in your vehicle. For example, if you have a Throttle Body Injection (TBI) system, we’ll do the following:
- We’ll remove the air filter housing.
- We’ll start the engine and take a serious look.
- We’ll look at the fuel spraying from each injector.
- If the fuel is partially atomized & spraying in a v-shaped pattern, we’ll injector is OK.
- If the fuel spray is broken or the injector is clogged, we’ll unclog it with a fuel cleaner additive.
- If there’s no fuel spraying from the injector, it could be completely clogged. Or perhaps something is wrong elsewhere, like the fuel pump or fuel filter; if that’s the case, we’ll move to the next steps.
These Next Steps Are Important – Read them Carefully
The following steps apply to a TBI system injector that is completely clogged or not functioning. And for vehicles that utilize electronic fuel injection (EFI), we’ll use a long screwdriver or metal rod.
- After starting the engine, we’ll place the end of the screwdriver on a fuel injector.
- We’ll carefully lean toward the far end of the screwdriver or rod, and if the injector is activating properly, we should be able to hear a clicking sound.
- We’ll repeat the screwdriver test on each injector and note each one we can’t hear clicking.
- Then, we’ll turn off the engine and turn on the battery, so the lights, radio, and other electronics are on and working.
- We’ll connect the clip of the automotive test light to the negative terminal of your vehicle’s battery. Right after that, we’ll take the pointed tip of the test light & touch it to the small bit of exposed wire on the fuel injector connector; if the test light lights up, the injector is functioning properly.
- Finally, we’ll repeat the test light procedure for each injector and take note of each one that does not light up.
5 common symptoms of faulty diesel fuel injectors:
- Misfire: If the vehicle is misfiring on the ignition, a complete diagnosis by us will involve finding the lacking combustion process element. This is either due to a lack of fuel injection or a lack of combustion chamber heat in diesel engines. As a result, the fuel charge in one of the cylinders fails to ignite, or a low fuel level is pumped into the ignition.
- Dirty emissions: Injector deposits and clogged filters will cause an uneven or incomplete fuel burn. It will eventually result in the area of the vehicle around the exhaust being dirty and the release of white smoke from the exhaust pipe.
- Increased fuel consumption & poor miles per gallon: Faulty injectors burn more fuel and it’ll directly impact your vehicle’s performance as well as efficiency.
- Trouble starting the vehicle or uneven idling: The engine may start to crank, and it won’t start unless you crank it for a long time. Plus, the engine may use different speeds of revs on idle.
- The smell of fuel: The smell of diesel inside the cabin means that the diesel leaks somewhere. It could be from a faulty injector allowing fuel to flow out of the injector when it isn’t active.
How to Prevent Future Fuel Injector Problems?
If your injectors are bad, you should look forward to replacing them as soon as possible. The key is replacing them with the best fuel injectors you can buy, so you can get the reliable performance you deserve from your diesel engine. Buy Diesel Components Inc. fuel injectors to ensure:
- Fuel efficiency
- High engine performance
- Cleaner emissions
Once we have tested your fuel injectors and have solved the problem, we’ll talk about the possible underlying causes with you. Many factors can cause injectors to fail, including major internal & external deposit buildups.
Our expert mechanics can give you some tips on preventing buildups, such as using a fuel system cleaner. Contact us or visit us for more.
Visit Diesel Components Inc. for Diesel Fuel Injector Testing
With the right tools, expertise, and knowledge Diesel Fuel Injector Testing is an easy job for technicians at Diesel Components Inc. But when you do it yourself, the job won’t be done right, and you will spend more $$$ than you expected to save. We have seen so many injectors damaged by people who prefer DIY. If you want your injectors to be set correctly and without damage, then visit Diesel Components Inc. for Diesel Fuel Injector Testing as soon as possible.
If you come to us for Diesel Fuel Injector Testing, your diesel vehicle will keep running the way you expect it to, and it won’t slow you down again. This way, you’ll also prevent loss of engine performance and even avoid any major damage to your engine down the road.
