How to Diagnose Dirty Fuel Injectors

Fuel injectors regulate the amount of fuel that enters the engine in your vehicle. Dirty fuel injectors inhibit the fuel flow and cause symptoms that you can use to diagnose the problem and lead to a fix. Burning fuel treated with cleaners can improve the performance of your fuel injectors.

Instructions

1

Notice when your vehicle hard starts. Attempt to crank your engine and feel a hesitation in turning the engine over. You may need to make several attempts before your vehicle actually starts.

2

Feel a roughness in the way your car idles. Stop your car and listen to the engine at its idle speed. Listen for any abnormal knocking sounds coming from the engine, which may dissipate when running your engine at driving speeds.

3

Keep track of your gas mileage and note any increases in your car's fuel consumption. Note that dirty fuel injectors can cause a slip in your gas mileage that can return to normal levels following a cleaning of the injectors.

4

See a change in the overall performance of your vehicle. Note any sluggishness or decreased efficiency of your vehicle's engine to diagnose dirty fuel injectors.

5

Note a hesitation in your vehicle's reaction to your stepping on the gas pedal when you attempt to gradually increase your speed. Dirty fuel injectors can cause a stumbling pattern to an attempted increase in the fuel flow to make the vehicle go faster. Hesitation in picking up the pace can mean that your fuel injectors need a cleaning.