Is it better to clean or replace dirty fuel injectors?
Injector Operation Injectors include a precision-ground needle valve and are controlled by an electro-magnetic solenoid that is turned on and off by an electric control unit. Fuel is injected only during the “on” time and is metered by the size of the opening, duration of “on” time, and fuel pressure. Injector Service Try cleaning them first. If this is not successful, they must be replaced. Because of their construction, fuel injectors tend to “gum up” after 15,000 to 30,000 miles of driving. Fuel spraying from the injector must pass through a very small opening in the discharge nozzle. This is necessary to create a cone-shaped spray pattern that breaks the fuel up into a fine mist for proper atomization. Some newer style injectors are more clog resistant than their predecessors, but all are vulnerable to some extent. Every time the injector sprays fuel, a small amount remains in the nozzle. As it evaporates, it leaves behind a wax-like residue that forms hard varnish deposits. The ra
