What Are Symptoms of Fuel Injector Problems?
Fuel injector issues can become apparent with many different symptoms including problems with the car starting, idling problems, a failed emissions test, generally poor car performance and an inability to reach high revolutions per minute, or RPMs. Two major problems exist with the fuel injector. There are bad, faulty, clogged and leaking fuel injectors, which generally cause a decrease in performance, and a leaking fuel injector, which can cause fuel odors within the vehicle as well as poor performance.
Both leaking and damaged fuel injectors can cause serious engine issues and lead to engine failure. If there are external fuel injector leaks, the entire fuel injector body must be replaced. Fuel injectors are quite sturdy and rarely need to be replaced, so individuals who plan on buying a new one should first try cleaning the current injector.
Issues that can be caused by both leaking and clogged fuel injectors include:
- Starting issues
- Poor Idle
- Poor or failed emissions
- Increased fuel consumption
Symptoms purely for clogged or faulty fuel injectors include:
- Poor performance
- Inability to reach high RPMs
- Surging and bucking under different throttle loads
- Smoke from the tail pipe
- Engine knock or detonation
Symptoms solely for leaking fuel injectors include:
- Fuel odors inside and around the car
- Oil thinning
- Hydro lock
Engine knock or detonation, hydro lock and oil thinning can all cause serious damage to vehicle engines and should be addressed immediately.
