The diesel fuel injectors are responsible for delivering precisely metered amounts of fuel to the cylinders at the right time, as ordered by the vehicle’s computer. Each diesel fuel injector nozzle has a plunger that is activated when an electrical current goes through it, allowing pressurized diesel fuel to be injected directly into the combustion chamber.
Over time, diesel fuel injectors can get dirty and inefficient. Since replacing a diesel fuel injector can be expensive, many car owners try to clean them first and see if that works. So, how to clean the diesel fuel injectors without removing them?
In this article, I will be talking about the best way to clean diesel injectors, how to clean diesel fuel injectors without removing them, and the most common symptoms of a clogged diesel fuel injector.
Key Takeaway
- The best way to clean the diesel injectors is to do so without removing them.
- Order a Sea Foam fuel injector cleaner and a new fuel filter.
- Add 20 ounces of Sea Foam to every 10 gallons of fuel in your fuel tank.
- Get the engine running to its optimal temperature.
- Turn off the vehicle and let it cool down
- Locate and remove the fuel filter.
- Add about 20 ounces into the fuel filter housing.
- Install the new fuel filter.
- Let the vehicle run for two minutes and then let it rest for fifteen minutes.
- Drive the vehicle for half an hour.
What’s The Best Way To Clean Diesel Injectors?
The best way to clean diesel fuel injectors without removing them is by adding Sea Foam to the fuel tank and the fuel filter housing. The Sea Foam is an incredibly effective way to clean diesel fuel injectors. It gets rid of stubborn buildups and deposits that form in the injectors, ensuring your vehicle runs faster and more efficiently.
The product works through a special chemical reaction that breaks down damaging particles left behind from combustion. In addition, Sea Foam not only cleans the fuel injectors but also removes moisture and offers lubrication which helps prevent future contaminants from building up.
Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment is a multipurpose fuel additive containing cleaning agents derived from petroleum distillates. It helps to dissolve gum, varnish, and carbon deposits in diesel fuel injectors, allowing engines to run smoother and more efficiently without any damaging side effects.
Sea Foam SF-16 also works to lubricate upper cylinder walls and rings, improve fuel economy, extend spark plug life, reduce emissions, and reduce engine noise. It works with all gasoline blends including E85 as well as 2-cycle or 4-cycle motors in cars, trucks, vans, boats, lawn tractors, and more – making Sea Foam SF-16 an ideal choice for keeping your vehicle’s motor healthy and running its best!
How To Diagnose Clogged Diesel Fuel Injectors
Clogged diesel fuel injectors can have a detrimental effect on your vehicle’s performance. To diagnose clogged injectors, begin by visually inspecting the fuel filter and lines for signs of debris or contamination. If any are present, replace them and bleed air from the system accordingly.
Afterward, perform a compression test to check for low compression that could be due to clogged injectors. Furthermore, inspect all wiring harnesses connected to these injectors for any faults or loose connections.
Once these tests have been conducted, it’s time to identify the source of clogged fuel injectors. Carbon deposits often lead to blockages; a pressure drop test can identify this buildup by measuring fuel pressure before and after an injector to determine whether there is an obstruction present.
If pressure drops significantly between one side and the other, then cleaning or replacement may be necessary.
Finally, if all else fails, chemical cleaning of the fuel system and injectors may be an option. This involves running a special solution through to dissolve any deposits or debris that have built up inside.
Although this method usually works to clear blockages away, caution should still be exercised as some chemicals can harm sensitive components within your engine.
How To Clean Diesel Fuel Injectors Without Removing Them
The nozzle of diesel fuel injectors is very small. They were built this way in order to spray fuel into the combustion chamber by using pressure. However, due to the nozzles being small, they can easily become clogged by dirt, debris, and other harmful deposits. Since most car owners do not have advanced mechanic knowledge, here is how to clean the diesel fuel injectors without removing them:
1. Get the required items
- Sea Foam fuel injector cleaner (see the price on amazon.com)
- Fuel filter
This task involves replacing the fuel filter. If your diesel fuel injectors are dirty, there is a great chance that the fuel filter is dirty as well.
2. Add Sea Foam to the fuel tank
The cleaning of the diesel fuel injectors starts from the fuel tank. As well know, the fuel from the tank travels to the engine thanks to the fuel pump. The fuel goes through a fuel filter where it gets filtered and then continues the journey to the diesel fuel injectors through a series of fuel pipes and hoses.
When you add Sea Foam diesel fuel injector cleaner to the fuel tank, this cleaner will travel all the way to the diesel fuel injectors and will remove all the harmful deposits that have built up on them. So, add about 20 ounces of Sea Foam fuel injector cleaner for every 10 gallons of fuel that you have in your vehicle. Do not worry if you add a bit more of the Sea Foam because it can’t hurt your vehicle.
3. Heat up the engine to the operating temperature
Next, sit behind the steering wheel and start your vehicle. You need to get the engine to the operating temperature. This will allow the Sea Foam from the fuel tank to travel through the fuel system and through the diesel fuel injectors. You can either drive your vehicle or let it run at idle. Whatever works for you as long as you heat up the engine to the operating temperature.
4. Take out the old fuel filter
A fuel filter is one of the core components of any vehicle. It is designed to keep dirt, debris, and other potentially harmful substances from entering the engine and damaging it. Fuel first passes through the filter which is usually made of paper or a synthetic-fiber material that allows gasoline molecules to pass through while capturing harmful particles. The larger particles settle on top of the filter while smaller particles make their way through individual fibers, so they can be trapped safely away from your engine.
However, the fuel filter can only do so much. Over time, the fuel filter gets clogged or damaged. Those harmful substances can find their way past the filter and into the walls of the diesel fuel injectors. If you have dirty fuel injectors, there is a great chance that the fuel filter is also dirty.
Removing the fuel filter from your car is a relatively simple process. First, make sure you have the correct replacement part and all of the necessary tools. The fuel filter sits in a housing that is secured in place by hose clamps. Unscrew those clamps and remove the fuel filter slowly. The housing will be filled with fuel, so it’s best if you have some old rug to prevent the fuel from dripping all over the engine.
5. Add Sea Foam to the fuel filter housing
As I said before, the fuel filter housing will be filled with fuel. In order to add Sea Foam to the fuel filter housing, you will need to remove the fuel first. You can do this by using a suction tube, a clean sponge to soak the fuel, or a spoon. Whatever works for you. Just make sure to remove as much fuel from the housing as you can.
Then, fill the fuel filter housing with Sea Foam all the way up before installing a new fuel filter. The reason why we are adding Sea Foam to the fuel filter housing is that when you start the engine, whatever is in the fuel filter housing will first go to the fuel injectors. In this case, that will be the Sea Foam.
6. Install the new fuel filter
With the fuel filter housing filled with Sea Foam, slowly insert the new fuel filter in place. There are markings on the fuel filter on which side goes up. Then, secure it with a clamp that you removed before. Wipe off any fuel that may have been spilled during the replacement. We do not want any fuel on the engine because as the engine gets hot, the fuel residue will start to smell.
7. Let the engine run for two minutes then rest for fifteen minutes
With the new fuel filter in place, start the engine and let it run for about two minutes. At this point, the engine is running solely on sea foam. By running the engine for about two minutes, the seafoam will hot soap the diesel fuel injectors and chamber residues for five to fifteen minutes.
The Sea Foam cleaning agents will start eating away the hydrocarbon residues and will cause them to dissolve. As they dissolve, they will fall down in the combustion chamber. The next step is very important.
8. Run the engine for thirty minutes
After the five to fifteen minutes wait, it is time to start the engine. Drive your vehicle for about thirty minutes. This will allow the engine to burn away the dissolved hydrocarbon residues. It is important that you do this drive immediately because we do not want dissolved residues from the diesel fuel injectors to sit too long in the combustion chamber. Also, keep in mind that we added Sea Foam to the fuel tank. This means that every time you drive your car, the Sea Foam will continue to clean the diesel fuel injectors.
Symptoms of Clogged Diesel Fuel Injectors
Keeping the diesel fuel injectors is an important task. A clogged fuel injector can cause all sorts of problems which can lead to total engine failure. Here is a list of the most common symptoms of clogged diesel fuel injectors:
1. Rough idle
A diesel engine relies on a system of fuel injectors to control the timing and amount of fuel that is delivered to the combustion chamber. When these fuel injectors become clogged, it can prevent the necessary amount of fuel from entering the cylinder. This disruption in the air-fuel ratio then causes the engine to idle roughly, resulting in a less than a smooth ride.
Furthermore, as the vehicle struggles to maintain its intended power output, it may cause added strain on other components such as spark plugs or fuel pumps. Therefore, for a diesel engine to perform properly and efficiently, it is important to ensure that all fuel injectors remain clear from debris and other obstructions.
2. Decreased fuel economy
Decreased fuel economy can be caused by a number of different problems. One of the more common is clogged diesel fuel injectors. When your diesel fuel injectors become blocked, they become unable to release fuel effectively into the engine’s combustion chamber, resulting in a decrease in power, and hence, reduced fuel efficiency.
In addition to decreased fuel economy, clogged injectors will often reduce engine performance as well as cause rough idling, misfires, and stalling issues. That is why it is essential for any diesel vehicle owner to regularly check their injectors in order to ensure that they are free from blockages and working efficiently.
3. Reduced engine power
Clogged diesel fuel injectors cause reduced engine power due to their inability to produce a fine mist of fuel that is then ignited when entering the combustion chamber. This results in incomplete combustion, meaning that not all the available energy is being transferred. This lack of transfer of energy not only decreases engine power but also increases fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, as too much air and unutilized fuel are expelled from the exhaust pipe.
To prevent clogging, it’s important to make sure that diesel injectors remain clean and free from the build-up of any deposits that can interfere with the proper functioning of your vehicle’s engine.
4. Illuminated check engine light
When a vehicle’s diesel fuel injectors are clogged, it can cause serious engine malfunction and adversely affect its overall performance. As a result, the vehicle’s onboard diagnostics system may detect the clogged injector and alert the driver with an illuminated check engine light. This is because the clogged injector is impeding the proper distribution of fuel to the engine, causing it to run inefficiently and eventually suffer damage over time.
P0300, P0301-P0304, and P0335 are all codes associated with fuel injector issues such as misfiring, inconsistent performance, or contamination.
5. Starting issues
Clogged diesel fuel injectors can be a major cause of starting issues in diesel engines. The purpose of the fuel injector is to atomize and spray the fuel, which helps the engine combust properly for optimal performance. When dirt and debris build-up, it clogs the tiny openings of the nozzle and prevents the fuel from entering the combustion chamber.
Furthermore, this blockage also causes a loss in pressure as the fuel has difficulty traveling through the nozzle. This leads to changes in an air-fuel ratio that affect how much power is generated by each cylinder, ultimately resulting in an engine that won’t start or operates poorly.
6. Engine stalling
Clogged diesel fuel injectors are a common cause of engine stalling since the fuel injectors are responsible for delivering fuel into the engine’s cylinders. The clogs can occur when calcium deposits develop on an injector’s needle, or when the filter screens become blocked by foreign objects such as pieces of rubber from the fuel hoses.
If left unchecked, these clogs can slowly reduce engine power and stall the engine entirely. Therefore, it is important for diesel vehicle owners to regularly inspect their fuel injectors for signs of blockage, and to remove any buildup before it has a chance to disrupt their driving experiences.
