Why would fuel injectors need to be replaced?

A faulty fuel injector will either prevent fuel from being sprayed into the engine all together or it will mess up the intervals at which it is supposed to be sprayed. Either way, your vehicle won't run the way it's supposed to or even be undriveable.

How do I know if my fuel injectors need to be replaced?

Are fuel injectors worth replacing?

Some fuel injectors are rated to last one billion cycles or approximately the lifetime of the vehicle. But when you factor in the adverse conditions experienced in real-world driving coupled with a lack of proper maintenance, most fuel injectors might need to be replaced every 50,000 to 100,000 miles.

What happens if you don't replace fuel injectors?

If you have one or more faulty fuel injectors — due to wear or mechanical or electrical issues, driving for a long time can cause several problems: Stalling or failure for your car to start. Flooding of your engine. Pre-ignition of your fuel.

Why do you need to replace fuel injectors?

Fuel injectors can fail from contaminants (such as dirt, carbon buildup, or low-quality fuel) clogging the injector. Sometimes they can be cleaned, but they often require replacement. A fuel injector can leak due to aging of its rubber seals, or it can leak from cracks in the injector itself.

Bad Fuel Injector Symptoms

How much does it cost to change fuel injectors?

On average, you can expect to pay between $350 and $850 to replace your fuel injectors. The range of costs depends on a number of factors. Smaller vehicles with fewer cylinders requiring less expensive parts will come in at the lower end of the spectrum. Larger, high-performance engines will command a higher price tag.

How long do fuel injectors usually last?

The fuel injectors on your car will typically last between 50,000 and 100,000 miles. The length of time that the injector lasts has a lot to do with the type of gas that is used in the car and how often the various fuel filters are changed.

Will new fuel injectors improve performance?

A new or upgraded fuel injector can improve engine performance, reduce diesel emissions, and increase the uptime of your truck. Don't wait for a better system to come on the market, though, because when it's worn out, part of the fuel injector – or even the entire system – should be replaced.

How much does it cost to get your fuel injectors cleaned?

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.

Will a bad fuel injector throw a code?

Diagnosing a Clogged Fuel Injector

One of the obvious symptoms of a clogged fuel injector is the lighting up of the "Check Engine" light in your dashboard. The fault codes usually associated with a clogged fuel injector can range from misfire codes to lean codes.

Why are fuel injectors so expensive?

Injectors have a tolerance of 1 micron, the finest tolerance of any mechanical component on the engine. To be able to manufacture at such precise standards and to afford the exacting quality checks along with it also helps to explain part of the costs of quality fuel injectors.

Is a fuel injector a big job?

Replacing a fuel injector seems like a daunting project, but with a little skill you can do the job yourself and save serious money. Shops charge a huge amount for fuel injection work. If you know that you have a bad injector, the job can be done at home.

Is it better to clean or replace fuel injectors?

If you are running into trouble codes that point to misfires that are diagnosed as clogged fuel injectors, then this service might be beneficial. But in the end, the proper way to clean any fuel injector is to remove it and even then you might still have to replace it if cleaning fails.

Will bad injectors cause check engine light?

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.

What happens when one injector fails?

If a clogged fuel injector continually struggles to disperse fuel to the engine, a time will come when it misses the fuel supply completely and the engine will misfire. The misfire will easily be felt while driving, and often requires immediate repair by trained automotive repair specialists.

How do I know if my fuel injectors are clogged?

Can you drive with dirty fuel injectors?

You can drive at least 5,000 miles or more with a bad fuel injector. But you should avoid driving with a bad fuel injector as it can damage other parts of the fuel system. You should not ignore bad fuel injector symptoms.

Is a fuel injection service necessary?

The average vehicle should receive fuel injection services every few years or 45,000 miles. Although most mechanics will say that a fuel injection service isn't absolutely necessary until there are visible signs of dirty injectors, we recommend keeping your injectors clean as much as possible to ensure a safer ride.

Is fuel injection cleaner good for your car?

A good fuel injector cleaner can improve fuel economy, gas mileage, and vehicle performance. It helps lower maintenance costs by keeping the engine clean. A clean engine delivers more power and better performance because it doesn't have to work as hard.

Do bigger injectors need a tune?

In general, injectors need a tune. Otherwise, your ECU is trying to drive the new, bigger injectors using the duty cycle and dead times for the old, smaller injectors, which means too much gas potentially at the wrong time (i.e. - running rich and potentially missing).

What can damage fuel injectors?

Fuel injectors will fail when debris (water, dirt particles, etc.) or rust find their way into the system and, after time, plug up the nozzle, the armature, or the nozzle needle gets stuck. To prevent debris from getting into the system, we recommend doing everything you can to help keep your fuel system clean.

How often should fuel injectors be cleaned?

It is recommended to get fuel injector cleaning done after every 60,000 to 90,000 miles. If you've noticed a sharp decline in your fuel economy, a lack of power in your car, or have experienced a sluggish feeling when you accelerate, it could mean you need a fuel injection cleaning service.

How many fuel injectors are in a car?

A car generally has one fuel injector per cylinder. So, if you drive a four-cylinder car, it will most likely have four fuel injectors.

How long does a fuel injection service take?

The chemical passes through the injectors, cleaning them in the process. The engine usually operates for about 5-10 minutes on the cleaner. This process is more time consuming than the pour-in method and requires special equipment and training. There are many disadvantages to using the on- car cleaning method.