5 Signs Your Diesel Injectors Need Repair
Diesel injector faults need to be caught early and fixed promptly, because a major overhaul can hit a car owner's wallet hard.
In this article we look at the signs that your diesel injectors are failing.
Higher fuel consumption
Every driver should take notice when fuel consumption goes up without any change in driving style. This happens because the engine is not getting the right amount of fuel into the cylinders and ends up demanding even more fuel than it actually needs.
More smoke
Faulty injectors cause uneven combustion in the combustion chambers, which can increase the amount of exhaust gas. If you see black exhaust when you stab the throttle, the injectors are over-fueling; more white or bluish-gray smoke at idle means the injectors are not delivering enough fuel.
Engine vibration
Vibration can have many causes, injector faults among them. When injectors get dirty, fuel metering into the cylinders goes off, which can make the engine run unevenly and vibrate. The shaking is most often felt at idle.
Hard starting
Another sign of injector trouble is long, uneven cranking on a cold start. It is caused by poor-quality fuel, which clogs the fuel filter and fouls the injectors. Natural injector wear can also be the cause.
The car drives better
When fuel is delivered and metered incorrectly, faulty injectors can significantly over-fuel, which makes the car feel livelier and more responsive to the throttle.
Catching problems early saves a lot of money on a major overhaul or a new part. If you notice even one of the injector fault signs above, we recommend booking a diagnostic check.
