How to Clean Fuel Injectors

Dirty fuel injectors can cause clogging, which leads to a wide variety of engine problems. These problems include a drop in fuel economy, worse performance or even dirty emissions. There are 2 ways to clean fuel injectors; you either clean them while they are still in the car or you can take them out to clean them. Most of the time, cleaning them while they are in the car is sufficient.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fuel injector cleaning kit

1. Open the engine compartment, with the engine turned off, and locate your fuel injectors. You might need a guide to help you find this if you are unfamiliar with car engines.

2. Ensure fuel is not pumped into the engine when it is started, by either installing tubing connecting the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet, or by removing the fuel pump and stopping up the fuel return.

3. Hook up a pressurized solvent to the fuel injectors and start the engine.

4. Run the pressurized solvent through the running engine.

5. Shut off the engine and remove the cleaning supplies.

6. Reconnect the fuel lines and fuel pump. Then restart the engine and check for improved performance. If there is no noticeable improvement, run the process again. If this still fails to yield the desired results, you must remove the fuel injectors for off-car cleaning.

7. Take your vehicle to a mechanic. As off-car cleaning requires expensive equipment, it is better to take it to a professional. The service should run anywhere from $30 to $50 and take a little less than an hour.

Tips & Warnings

• The solvents used can be quite acidic, so make sure to wear eye and skin protection.
• Fuel lines are pressurized, so exercise caution while disconnecting them.
• The solvent can be even more flammable than gas, so ensure no open flames or sparks are near your workspace.