You got a diesel engine for the performance, and when everything is working as it should, your engine is a fine-tuned machine. Issues can arise, however, that compromise your engine’s performance. One such issue that diesel owners can face is a clogged fuel injection system.

The Best Ways to Clean Fuel Injectors

From taking out your injectors and thoroughly flushing them to regularly cleaning your fuel system, you can be proactive and keep your fuel injectors working properly.

Fuel injectors work by spraying an atomized mist of fuel into engine cylinders to power the internal combustion process. Each injection of fuel is controlled by your vehicle’s computer system so the timing and amount of fuel injected are exactly what is needed. When you press the gas, more fuel is injected, and so forth.

Diesel fuel contains particles that can build up in your fuel system over time. If your fuel injection system is not cleaned regularly:

  • It can lead to significant buildup and clog your injectors.
  • A clogged injector can’t deliver the right amount of fuel to the cylinder.
  • It can often result in decreased engine performance, higher emissions, and damage to the injectors or other engine components.

Spotting a bad injector is relatively straightforward if you know what to look for. Symptoms of bad or clogged fuel injectors include:

  • Engine misfires
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Hard starting
  • Inconsistent RPMs
  • Fuel smells around your vehicle
  • Unable to start

If you are still unsure on whether or not you have a bad fuel injector, learn how to test for a bad fuel injector here.

So what are the best ways to clean fuel injectors? These tips will help you through the process so you can get the maximum level of performance from your diesel engine.

Injector Cleaning Kit

If your fuel injectors are really clogged, they could use a heavy cleaning. This can be done with an injector cleaning kit. There are a variety of products out there, and you might need to ask your mechanic for some advice. Make sure the kit you use is designed for diesel injectors.

Some kits hook directly to your engine’s fuel rails, while others require you to hook each individual injector right into the kit. The kit will force a fuel injector cleaner into the injector to work out blockages. Some use compressed air to do the trick.

Add Fuel Injector Cleaner Directly to the Fuel Filter

One of the best ways to clean fuel injectors is to add an injector cleaner to the fuel system for a good cleaning. After making sure you purchase a fuel cleaner designed for your type of diesel engine, follow these steps: 

  • Warm up the engine for a few minutes
  • Turn off the engine and remove the fuel filter
  • Fill the filter and housing with the fuel cleaner additive
  • Replace the fuel filter and make sure there is no air in the filter or its housing
  • Once the filter is in place, start your vehicle and run the engine for a few minutes
  • Turn off the engine and leave it off for several minutes to give the additive time to soak up impurities in the fuel system
  • After the additive has had time to soak, start your engine and drive your vehicle for about half an hour to give the cleaner time to run through the system and clean it out

Fuel Additives

The best way to clean fuel injectors on a regular basis is to use a diesel fuel cleaner additive. This can be added to the fuel tank periodically to cycle through your engine. If done regularly, maybe once or twice a month, it can keep gunk and debris from building up in your fuel injection system. It can also make more thorough fuel injector cleaning less necessary, or even not needed at all.

How Often Should You Clean Your Diesel Fuel Injectors?

The good news is that high-quality fuel injectors are not likely to get clogged. This is especially the case if you routinely use a fuel cleaner additive. A more thorough cleaning like those described above might be necessary every 30,000 miles or so, depending on your engine.

You will also get more from your fuel injectors when you opt for high-quality injectors from a reliable source. That’s why you should get them from Dieselogic. For all things fuel injector, use Dieselogic.