Clogged fuel injectors can cause all kinds of engine problems. The fuel injectors are what spray the gasoline that is pumped from the tank by the fuel pump into the cylinders or intake manifold. Your vehicle needs this gasoline or diesel fuel in the cylinders in order to start and run. Crossroads Automotive lists the signs of clogged fuel injectors below.
1. Misfiring Engine
If your engine has started to hiccup or sputter while you drive, it could be the fuel injectors. If they are clogged, your engine isn’t getting all of the fuel it needs to run. Consequently, the engine will become starved for fuel and you’ll notice misfiring, sputtering, and hiccupping as a result. Professionally cleaning the fuel injectors will remove the dirt and carbon deposit and open up the fuel flow again.
2. Rough Idling
The fuel starvation that results from clogged fuel injectors will also cause your automobile to idle very roughly. The same thing that happens while you’re driving causes the engine to sputter while you’re sitting at an idle. Basically, the engine is struggling to prevent itself from stalling because it doesn’t have enough fuel to keep running. Severely clogged injectors will cause the engine to stall.
3. Dead Engine
In fact, you might not be able to get your vehicle started if the injectors are completely clogged. This is because there is zero fuel making its way into the cylinders in the combustion chamber. Without fuel, the spark plugs can only attempt to ignite air, which they will be unable to do. Consequently, you’ll have a dead engine until the fuel injectors are cleaned and reopened again to distribute fuel.
4. Poor Gas Mileage
Another sign of clogged fuel injectors is problems with your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s gas mileage. If you notice that you aren’t getting the gas mileage you used to, it could be that the fuel injectors are clogged and the engine is working too hard with what little gas it has. This will cause it to burn through the gas quickly. Your fuel injectors could also be leaking and the engine is burning the excess fuel.
5. Dancing RPM Needle
Finally, clogged fuel injectors will – oddly – cause your tachometer needle to move sporadically. It will move up and down as your engine struggles to control the RPMs when it is fuel-starved. The tachometer needle should be steady and move as the RPMs in your engine rev higher or lower. If the needle is dancing around, something is wrong, and it could be clogged or leaking fuel injectors.
Crossroads Automotive in Topeka KS, would be happy to inspect your fuel injectors to make sure they aren’t clogged or leaking. If they are, we can clean or replace them.