The cylinders of an internal combustion engine receive their fuel from certain vital components called fuel injectors. These injectors transfer fuel to the cylinders by spraying it into them. The cylinders have a nozzle where the fuel goes through. From there, the fuel reaches the internal combustion engine and becomes mixed with the proper amount of air. The delivery of the fuel must coincide with the delivery of the air. If the timing or pressure of the fuel injection is incorrect, then inadequate combustion will take place in the engine.
Fuel injectors are controlled by the engine control unit of the vehicle. This is the main computer of the vehicle which communicates with all the sensors, systems, and components. Each time you step on the gas pedal, the engine control unit controls how much fuel the injectors spray into the engine cylinders. As long as the fuel injectors stay functional, they will always do what the engine control unit wants them to do. However, if the injectors were to go bad, they may start spraying the wrong amount of fuel. This can cause all kinds of problems for the vehicle.
7 Bad Symptoms
There will be some easily recognizable symptoms that will occur when you have bad fuel injectors. You probably won’t be able to ignore them for too long because they will impair your driving ability. Therefore, once you notice them, try to do something about them immediately. Take your vehicle to the mechanic and get the fuel injectors replaced.
Below are the top 7 symptoms of bad fuel injectors.
1) Rough Idle
Rough idling of the engine will occur when the cylinders aren’t receiving enough fuel. You’ll notice this when the RPM falls below its normal amount. As the problem continues to get worse, the engine will eventually stall altogether. This will force you to restart the engine if you can.
2) Engine Misfires
Engine misfires are common when you have clogged or faulty fuel injectors. As you put more power demands on the engine, bad fuel injectors won’t be able to put enough fuel into the engine to satisfy these demands. This will weaken the acceleration power of your vehicle.
3) Engine Vibrates
The engine needs the proper amount of fuel to run smoothly. If your fuel injectors are bad, they cannot put enough fuel in the engine. When the engine tries to run on little to no fuel, it will vibrate during each cycle that it doesn’t have fuel. You will feel the vibration from the driver’s seat.
4) Leaky Fuel
Old or damaged fuel injectors can form cracks in them, causing fuel to leak out from the vehicle’s body area. Meanwhile, the nozzles of the cylinders are not getting their fuel. Check the fuel rail or the exterior of the vehicle because you’ll probably see fuel there.
Read also:
- Common Symptoms of a Faulty Speed Sensor in Your Vehicle
- 5 Symptoms of a bad Coolant Temperature Sensor in Your Car
- 5 Symptoms of a Bad Oxygen Sensor in Your Car
5) Check Engine Warning Light
The Check Engine warning light can illuminate for any number of reasons. One of those reasons just so happens to be bad fuel injectors. Whenever the engine cannot operate properly, the engine control unit activates the Check Engine light. Bad fuel injectors can cause this to happen too.
6) Poor Fuel Economy
Faulty fuel injectors will weaken your fuel economy. Between the leaks and the misfires, gasoline will be lost rather quickly. This means more trips to the gas station and more money out of your pocket.
7) Strange Gas Smell
Fuel leaks are immediately followed by fuel smells and odors. If you haven’t visually noticed the gasoline, then you’ll probably smell it for sure. When experiencing any of the other symptoms in conjunction with this one, you can conclude that your fuel injectors must be bad.
