How to Determine When Fuel Injectors Need Cleaning?
2 Answers
When fuel injectors become dirty, the car will exhibit the following noticeable symptoms: 1. Increased engine noise, especially noticeable at lower gears and below 2500 RPM. 2. Unresponsive throttle, resulting in less smooth driving. There is a noticeable lag after pressing the accelerator, and the engine RPM rises slowly when revving in neutral. 3. Idle vibration, particularly noticeable when starting. There may be slight misfiring when shifting at low gears and low RPM. Here is some information about cleaning: 1. Cleaning interval: Clean every 40,000 to 60,000 kilometers. 2. Price: Cleaning at a 4S shop costs around 1000 RMB.
As a veteran driver with decades of experience, I believe clogged fuel injectors can be detected through driving sensations. If you notice obvious engine shaking and instability at idle, like a cold-induced shiver, that's a red flag. Or when accelerating, the throttle feels unresponsive, acceleration becomes sluggish, and power drops significantly compared to before. The most direct warning sign is a sudden spike in fuel consumption—last month my highway mileage was normal at around 6L/100km, but this week in city traffic it suddenly jumped above 10L/100km, which immediately felt wrong. Other common indicators include difficulty starting when cold or black smoke from the exhaust. Excessive carbon buildup in fuel injectors causes uneven fuel spray, disrupting the air-fuel mixture ratio. When these symptoms appear together, it's time to consider cleaning the injectors. For inspection, you can start with self-checks like listening for abnormal engine sounds, but I recommend not pushing it—early detection and cleaning saves both money and hassle.