Description
Fuel Injector Replacement
What is a fuel injector and how does it work?
A fuel injector is a fuel metering device that sprays atomised droplets of fuel in a specific pattern into the engine’s intake manifold or directly into the combustion chamber. The injector has a solenoid and valve within, and the solenoid’s operation, or pulsing, is controlled by the powertrain control module (PCM). The PCM controls the solenoid’s “on” time to keep the air-fuel ratio optimised while the engine load and operating conditions constantly change. Fuel injectors are usually connected to a fuel rail located on the top of the engine, and the fuel rail, in turn, is supplied with fuel under pressure from the fuel pump located in the fuel tank.
When to consider replacing a fuel injector:
- Rough idle, loss of power, or misfiring. Poor engine operation has many causes but faults in the fuel injection system, including the fuel injectors, are high on the list of possibilities.
- Odor of raw gas or visible leaks. Fuel injectors should not leak fuel into the intake manifold when the car is off. If you notice any fuel odor around your car, the possibility of a leaking fuel injector should be considered. There should be no external leak from a fuel injector. If an externally-leaking injector is suspected, do not start your car due to the fire hazard.
- Check engine light. Some fuel injection failures, for example, a faulty solenoid, may cause a trouble code to be set in the PCM and that will cause the check engine light to illuminate. The codes are read and the fuel injector is tested directly, as needed.
- Major engine repairs, engine replacement, or lengthy storage. All fuel injectors will have deposits given enough mileage. These deposits can cause an imbalance in the performance of the injectors from cylinder to cylinder. When an engine is already disassembled or installing a new engine, that is a perfect time to service the injectors as a set. All injectors have tiny internal filter baskets. A professional injector service facility will clean each injector ultrasonically and replace these filters for a relatively low cost.
