If it has been more than 30,000 miles since your last fuel system cleaning, then, yes, your car is overdue for a fuel system cleaning. Cleaning the fuel system ensures that it never gets clogged. Specifically, cleaning the fuel system unclogs the fuel injectors, the fuel hoses, and replaces the fuel filter, which is filled with dirt and sediment after 30,000 miles of filtering the fuel. If your fuel system is getting clogged, you will have one or more of the following problems.
Hard to Start
The engine is going to get hard to start because the fuel will get stuck behind the clog. Unfortunately, this means you may get stranded with a dead engine. You cannot start the engine without fuel in the combustion chamber, but you already know this. Let’s assume for the moment that the fuel injectors are clogged. This will prevent them from spraying fuel into the cylinders.
Misfiring Engine
If the clog isn’t too bad, you will be able to get the engine to start. Unfortunately, the engine will not run smoothly. Rather, the engine will misfire because it will not have a steady stream of fuel to the cylinders. This can be caused by the injectors, the hoses, or the filter if any of these fuel system parts are clogged. If the clog is a severe one, your engine may start to stall.
Rough Idling
Unfortunately, the misfiring is also going to make your engine idle roughly. In fact, this sign of a clogged fuel system may be the first sign you detect. It is easy to feel your vehicle shake when you are sitting still. If you listen carefully, you will also be able to hear the engine cut its power temporarily. This is the sound that a misfiring engine makes.
Fuel Pump Problems
Unfortunately, a clog in the fuel system can also create problems for the fuel pump. The fuel pump pushes the fuel into the engine so it can be sprayed by the fuel injectors. Unfortunately, if the fuel gets stuck behind a clog, the fuel pump will try even harder to push the fuel through. This overworks the fuel pump’s motor and you may start to hear whining sounds in the tank.
In addition, the fuel pump motor will burn out eventually, leaving you with a clogged fuel system and a fuel pump that no longer works.
To prevent this from happening, bring your vehicle to our shop at the first sign of trouble.
