Fuel Injectors - why they fail
- Thread starter stockrex
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Trav could answer this well. Although he has not posted in a while.
I have no info on the DI injectors but the port injectors on my Toyotas has been trouble free for hundreds of thousands of miles.
same here, but regular maintenance such as fuel filter changes before they get too clogged and use of cleaners
mechanically they can fail if the resistance is out of spec.
mechanically they can fail if the resistance is out of spec.
Originally Posted By: stockrex
Hi folks,
someone who knows more about the topic pls educate us:
1. Why fuel injectors fail?
2. Do they wear out with miles?
3. Clogged/dirty - what gets clogged or dirty and techron type cleaning agents, how do they help clean?
The newer type ones seldom fail. "Failure", in my experience, is generally an electronic issue, often caused by pressure cleaning the engine.
I have not experienced them wearing out. Though, if they were run with dirty fuel, I suppose it could be possible. (I am referring to gasoline injectors....Not diesel.)
What caused issues back in the bad old days of early electronic injectors was stop and slow driving, where the injector didn't get a signal for a big shot of fuel, and the injector would get heat soaked, causing varnish like deposits to form. Techron type cleaners were developed to remove these deposits. These cleaners are now present in almost any fuel you buy, to varying degrees. If an engine is running a bit rough, it can be worth it to try the cleaner.
I have not experienced any injector problems for at least 20 years, despite having vehicles with 250 to 300k on them. It is mature technology.
Hi folks,
someone who knows more about the topic pls educate us:
1. Why fuel injectors fail?
2. Do they wear out with miles?
3. Clogged/dirty - what gets clogged or dirty and techron type cleaning agents, how do they help clean?
The newer type ones seldom fail. "Failure", in my experience, is generally an electronic issue, often caused by pressure cleaning the engine.
I have not experienced them wearing out. Though, if they were run with dirty fuel, I suppose it could be possible. (I am referring to gasoline injectors....Not diesel.)
What caused issues back in the bad old days of early electronic injectors was stop and slow driving, where the injector didn't get a signal for a big shot of fuel, and the injector would get heat soaked, causing varnish like deposits to form. Techron type cleaners were developed to remove these deposits. These cleaners are now present in almost any fuel you buy, to varying degrees. If an engine is running a bit rough, it can be worth it to try the cleaner.
I have not experienced any injector problems for at least 20 years, despite having vehicles with 250 to 300k on them. It is mature technology.
Here is a cross section of a typical fuel injector.
They aren't overly complicated, but are high precision parts that can be affected by foreign materials, which is probably the most common source of problems.
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They aren't overly complicated, but are high precision parts that can be affected by foreign materials, which is probably the most common source of problems.
The solenoids go out on most of the ones I've had to replace. Simple ohm meter check finds the bad ones 90% of the time. After that, foreign debris causing them to leak is the next biggest issue.
Originally Posted By: zach1900
A million miles on toyota and nissan, never a failed injector.
Chevy 4.3, God those injectors suck.
2003 GMC Envoy XL.. Injectors nice and clean. Engine innards kept nice. Changed 02 sensor 200 miles ago. P0420 came on.. Code cleared. Injectors good to go. Royal Purple MaxClean, SI-1, CRC "Guaranteed To Pass" in heavy dose last 1000 miles.. Cat still good..
Honda has funky injectors by design, loping idle is from a "pulse" to them, Honda the only car I know of that does this..
Did I mention those 4.3 injectors SUCK. (LU3 and L35, VIN W and VIN Z..)
A million miles on toyota and nissan, never a failed injector.
Chevy 4.3, God those injectors suck.
2003 GMC Envoy XL.. Injectors nice and clean. Engine innards kept nice. Changed 02 sensor 200 miles ago. P0420 came on.. Code cleared. Injectors good to go. Royal Purple MaxClean, SI-1, CRC "Guaranteed To Pass" in heavy dose last 1000 miles.. Cat still good..
Honda has funky injectors by design, loping idle is from a "pulse" to them, Honda the only car I know of that does this..
Did I mention those 4.3 injectors SUCK. (LU3 and L35, VIN W and VIN Z..)
^^As to "cause of failure?".. It probably shouldn't matter since a fuel system is pressurized, but when a tank is run low, say to a 1/4 tank or below, the innards including furl pump are supposed to heat up, vs being kept cool by moving liquid fuel in a full tank. Perhaps this extra heat could maybe put more wear on injectors.. or not, since they are always moving fuel. Unless the fuel being moved is extra hot, from a low tank. WAG and I may be totally wrong.
Dirty fuel would also be a guess, anything that disrupts a spray pattern could contribute to failure.
Half the oil was gas when I changed mine earlier this year. Yuck. It got there from.. *ding* a leaking injector.
Dirty fuel would also be a guess, anything that disrupts a spray pattern could contribute to failure.
Half the oil was gas when I changed mine earlier this year. Yuck. It got there from.. *ding* a leaking injector.
Fuel injectors have fine nozzles that can get clogged by particulate contaminants in the fuel. Abrasive particles can wear seals and also damage components in the little valve that is in each fuel injector. Failiue of the soilenoid coil is probably possible, but I have never experienced this. Avoid running the engine on the dregs that contain sediment by keeping the fuel level above close to empty is probably a good idea. Ultrasonic cleaning loosens buildup of contaminants and restores performance in injectors that are dirty but not yet worn.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted By: stockrex
Hi folks,
someone who knows more about the topic pls educate us:
1. Why fuel injectors fail?
2. Do they wear out with miles?
3. Clogged/dirty - what gets clogged or dirty and techron type cleaning agents, how do they help clean?
Curious! Do you buy gas with ethanol? I've logged over 600K on my 2.5 Dodge and 4.3 Chevy and never repaired or changed them. I drive right by all ethanol pumps btw.
Hi folks,
someone who knows more about the topic pls educate us:
1. Why fuel injectors fail?
2. Do they wear out with miles?
3. Clogged/dirty - what gets clogged or dirty and techron type cleaning agents, how do they help clean?
Curious! Do you buy gas with ethanol? I've logged over 600K on my 2.5 Dodge and 4.3 Chevy and never repaired or changed them. I drive right by all ethanol pumps btw.
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Trav could answer this well. Although he has not posted in a while.
Ya, I sent him a pm about getting injector service done and he has not replied yet. Maybe he is on hollidays?
Trav could answer this well. Although he has not posted in a while.
Ya, I sent him a pm about getting injector service done and he has not replied yet. Maybe he is on hollidays?
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: stockrex
Hi folks,
someone who knows more about the topic pls educate us:
1. Why fuel injectors fail?
2. Do they wear out with miles?
3. Clogged/dirty - what gets clogged or dirty and techron type cleaning agents, how do they help clean?
Curious! Do you buy gas with ethanol? I've logged over 600K on my 2.5 Dodge and 4.3 Chevy and never repaired or changed them. I drive right by all ethanol pumps btw.
Yes, I buy shell/Costco/whateverislowestprice
I asked a general question to educate myself and others.
I have 84 and 89 Toyota 1 ton trucks, these sit 11 months of the year. so does my other newer vehicles for many months.
Originally Posted By: stockrex
Hi folks,
someone who knows more about the topic pls educate us:
1. Why fuel injectors fail?
2. Do they wear out with miles?
3. Clogged/dirty - what gets clogged or dirty and techron type cleaning agents, how do they help clean?
Curious! Do you buy gas with ethanol? I've logged over 600K on my 2.5 Dodge and 4.3 Chevy and never repaired or changed them. I drive right by all ethanol pumps btw.
Yes, I buy shell/Costco/whateverislowestprice
I asked a general question to educate myself and others.
I have 84 and 89 Toyota 1 ton trucks, these sit 11 months of the year. so does my other newer vehicles for many months.
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Curious! Do you buy gas with ethanol? I've logged over 600K on my 2.5 Dodge and 4.3 Chevy and never repaired or changed them. I drive right by all ethanol pumps btw.
No choice where I'm at ... ALL stations have 10% ethanol. I doubt it makes any difference to the life of the fuel injectors. Ethanol will definitely keep moisture out of your fuel system though, as it absorbs water really well.
Curious! Do you buy gas with ethanol? I've logged over 600K on my 2.5 Dodge and 4.3 Chevy and never repaired or changed them. I drive right by all ethanol pumps btw.
No choice where I'm at ... ALL stations have 10% ethanol. I doubt it makes any difference to the life of the fuel injectors. Ethanol will definitely keep moisture out of your fuel system though, as it absorbs water really well.
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