The most common fault codes associated with a clogged fuel injector are P0171 and P0174, which indicates the engine controller is seeing a lean condition. It is also possible to see fault codes for a rich condition if the injector is leaking or not atomizing correctly.
A bad fuel injector can cause too much or not enough fuel to be delivered into the engine – this will cause the Check Engine light on the car to turn on, indicating an issue.
If the fuel injectors are clogged, your vehicle will not be getting the gas it needs to generate the power to go faster. The result is a sluggish response to your acceleration commands, including when you are stopped or when you are trying to pick up speed on surface streets or highways.
The cleaners have detergents that can break down gunk and they're applied to the fuel tank, so they can run through the injectors along with the fuel. Though, that method is better for preventative maintenance and won't unclog really sticky injectors.
A fuel injector that is starting to clog has a certain feel. You will have a slightly rough idle but the vehicle will perform normally under acceleration, up until when the injector becomes completely clogged and creates a cylinder misfire all of the time.
How Fast Do Fuel Injector Cleaners Work? Although most fuel injector cleaners begin working immediately, it takes time before the improvements become noticeable. Before the cleaners start working effectively, the vehicle should travel several hundred miles and burn a good portion of a full fuel tank.
Age and condition – if the injectors are old or worn out, a clean may not be enough to restore performance and could do more damage. Severe clogging may mean they need to be replaced anyway. Costs – cleaning fuel injectors is cheaper than replacing them.
Although fuel injectors are individual, they are designed to work as part of a team with the other injectors. So, if you're wondering if you can replace just one injector or all, the answer is almost always to replace them all. Typically, the labor to replace one or all of them is the same.
What the P0200 code means. P0200 means that the engine control module (ECM) has detected a malfunction in the fuel injector circuit. The fuel injector circuit controls the fuel injectors and commands how much fuel and when to spray the fuel.
Listening Test
While the engine runs, put the tip of a long metal screwdriver against one of the fuel injectors. Lean in and put your ear on the handle of the screwdriver. A clicking sound indicates a good injector. If you don't hear anything, the injector may need to be cleaned or replaced.
What does it sound like when you have a bad fuel injector? If you happen to hear a rough idling voice, then it is a sign that the fuel injector is bad and it is not delivering the necessary fuel to the engine.
Most popular Injector cleaning methods:
Injector / Injection Cleaner (Pour into fuel tank) Rail Induced Injector Cleaner (Used by repair shops and most dealers) DIY Injector Cleaning. Ultrasonic Fuel Injector Cleaning.
Summary. Generally, we recommend that you clean your injectors every 15,000 miles. However, you could undoubtedly do it less frequently: about every 30,00 miles or once a year. You may also want to be careful about the gas you put into the vehicle and always check its quality beforehand.
For the first dose, simply install when you have a full tank of gas. It's that simple. From there, many experts will probably tell you that you should add a fuel injector cleaner to your gasoline every time you fill your tank up.
Make a habit of using a bottle of our gas saving fuel injector additive every 3-5,000 miles and avoid carbon and gunk buildups before they can cause problems for your engine. Many enthusiasts use Rislone to prevent their fuel systems from encountering problems.
As mentioned, the average cost of fuel injector replacement can vary depending on several factors, such as the make and model of your vehicle, the severity of the issue, and your location. However, on average, you can expect to spend anywhere from $500 to $2,500 for this fuel injector replacement.
According to Angie's List, the average cost of a fuel injector cleaning ranges between $50 and $80. However, these figures could be a bit higher, depending on the make and model of your vehicle. In addition, you may be assessed a fee of around $50 if your fuel filter needs to be replaced.
Common causes of injector failure
While many things can cause breakdowns, the most likely cause of premature failure is fuel contamination. Fuel contamination occurs when debris in the fuel gets past the filtration, destroying the sealing surfaces.
A P0200 code indicates a general fault or problems with multiple injectors. P0201 to P0208 codes indicate a problem with a specific injector - for example, P204 would indicate the problem is with the fuel injector for the #4 cylinder. Fuel-related OBD-II codes are in the P0300 to P0308 range.