People often ignore or never pay attention to the numerous complicated components of a car, mostly because they don’t know how to.
One of these elements is the fuel injection system is responsible for “injecting” or pressurizing fuel from the vehicle’s fuel tank down to its engine. When it comes to caring for machine parts, you can save significant costs and time by learning how to keep them running properly.
Here are some effective tips you can follow to maintain your fuel system and ensure its longevity.
What Are Fuel Injectors?
Common-rail or diesel fuel injection systems have injectors that squirt fuel into the combustion chamber part of the engine. Fuel systems are typically electronic and are controlled by a computer that monitors the air to fuel ratio, the position of the throttle, and components in the exhaust.
Diesel fuel injection systems are badly affected when the common rail injectors get clogged, and water or air enters the fuel injection system. If the fuel injection system isn’t correctly maintained, it can lead to a lot of the fuel being wasted and, in some cases even a full engine breakdown.
Ways to Maintain Fuel Injection Systems
Control the Feed Line Pressure
In the case of common-rail fueling, higher pressure doesnt necessarily mean better performance. Too much fuel pressure can cause the same problem that any restriction on the returning line would cause.
A high inlet pressure could result in burst seals, internally damaged pumps, and impaired fuel injectors.
Prevent Water Contamination
Water in the fuel injection system is extremely dangerous, and it can cause the system to miss or halt completely. Many fuel filters immediately stop fuel flow when water is detected in them.
Water collects on the fuel tank walls via condensation, creating tiny water droplets that settle to the bottom of the tank, which needs to be drained out regularly. There are no additives that can successfully eliminate water from diesel fuel, which means the primary solution is a water-separating fuel filter.
Return Vehicle to Stock Before Tuning
If you have a custom-tuned vehicle engine and you’re going for diagnostics, returning the calibration back to stock is strongly suggested. Often, custom tunes can conceal issues and make them more difficult to find, which doesn’t let you properly diagnose actual problems.
Returning the ECM tuning to stock can significantly increase the efficiency and speed of the analysis. It helps determine the source of a problem much more quickly.
Important Things to Remember
Apart from the tips listed above, there are some basic guidelines and suggestions that you should follow for regular maintenance of your fuel injection system:
- Read the safety procedures before operating on the system.
- Change oil at the recommended time intervals.
- Replace fuel filters every 10,000 to 25,000 miles driven.
- Use degreasers or specialty cleaners to terminate gunk and grime on the system’s components, including the engine.
- Clean the engine bay with a wet sponge and wipe it down with a cloth approximately every three months to avoid dust from accumulating.
- Use an air pressure cleaning tool or a small object to clean the corners and nooks of the injector system.