{"id":167,"date":"2020-12-07T10:19:06","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T17:19:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cartreatments.com\/?p=167"},"modified":"2022-06-30T10:27:23","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T16:27:23","slug":"how-to-clean-fuel-injectors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/how-to-clean-fuel-injectors\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Clean Fuel Injectors (Using a Cheap Cleaning Kit)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fuel injectors are the parts of the engine which are responsible for spraying fuel into the intake valves of the engine from where the mixture goes into the piston cylinders for the combustion. The ECU (engine control unit) determines the amount of fuel which is pushed into the fuel injector.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" area-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-639b066b38713\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #23627c;color:#23627c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #23627c;color:#23627c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-639b066b38713\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-visibility-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/how-to-clean-fuel-injectors\/#Why-Fuel-Injectors-Get-Clogged-Up\" title=\"Why Fuel Injectors Get Clogged Up\">Why Fuel Injectors Get Clogged Up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/how-to-clean-fuel-injectors\/#Try-This-First\" title=\"Try This First\">Try This First<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/how-to-clean-fuel-injectors\/#How-to-Manually-Clean-Fuel-Injectors\" title=\"How to Manually Clean Fuel Injectors\">How to Manually Clean Fuel Injectors<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/how-to-clean-fuel-injectors\/#What-Youll-Need\" title=\"What You&#8217;ll Need\">What You&#8217;ll Need<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/how-to-clean-fuel-injectors\/#Fuel-Injector-Cleaning-Procedure-Step-by-Step\" title=\"Fuel Injector Cleaning Procedure (Step-by-Step)\">Fuel Injector Cleaning Procedure (Step-by-Step)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why-Fuel-Injectors-Get-Clogged-Up\"><\/span>Why Fuel Injectors Get Clogged Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over time, fuel injectors slowly get clogged by the wax-like residue from fuel which is formed when engine is turned off and there is no fuel or gas to wash it away.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This buildup of the residue may be small at the time, but the continuous buildup of this residue could cause major problems for the car\u2019s engine and for you, in the future.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Combine that with carbon deposits and other tiny debris, and you get less fuel injected than normal and in an unnatural spray pattern. Since an engine is so reliant on a <a href=\"http:\/\/cartreatments.com\/air-fuel-ratio-at-various-conditions\/\">proper air\/fuel mixture<\/a>, this can cause all sorts of problems.<\/p>\n<p><em>See Also: <a href=\"http:\/\/cartreatments.com\/fuel-injectors-symptoms\/\">Symptoms of Bad Fuel Injectors<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Try-This-First\"><\/span>Try This First<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-506531 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sea-foam-review.jpg\" alt=\"Sea Foam review\" width=\"140\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sea-foam-review.jpg 140w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sea-foam-review-36x56.jpg 36w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\" \/>If you catch the problem early enough, using a <a href=\"http:\/\/cartreatments.com\/best-fuel-injector-cleaners\/\">good fuel injector cleaner<\/a> (which is simply added to your fuel tank) once or twice is often enough to clear out any blockages in the injector and fix the issues at hand. This is usually the best first thing to try.<\/p>\n<p>However, in many cases, a fuel system cleaner\/additive is simply not strong enough for very dirty injectors since it&#8217;s being diluted with all the gas in the fuel tank. This is where a more involved fuel injector cleaning is necessary.<\/p>\n<p><em>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/p0201\/\">P0201 Code<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-to-Manually-Clean-Fuel-Injectors\"><\/span>How to Manually Clean Fuel Injectors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-506544 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/fuel-injector-cleaning-kit.jpg\" alt=\"fuel injector cleaning kit\" width=\"240\" height=\"203\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/fuel-injector-cleaning-kit.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/fuel-injector-cleaning-kit-66x56.jpg 66w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-Youll-Need\"><\/span>What You&#8217;ll Need<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Fuel Injector Cleaning Kit (example: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B081FB83MY?tag=cartreatcom-20\">this<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07VC37VRB?tag=cartreatcom-20\">this<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Aerosol fuel injector cleaner (example: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B004QJ3AYO?tag=cartreatcom-20\">this<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B003L7T57S?tag=cartreatcom-20\">this<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Cleaning your fuel injectors is not a difficult task but it requires removing the individual fuel injectors from the fuel rail. We recommend a <a href=\"http:\/\/cartreatments.com\/chilton-vs-haynes-best-repair-manual\/\">good service manual<\/a> specific to your make and model to show how to remove and reinstall fuel injectors. If you don&#8217;t feel comfortable with this DIY process, there&#8217;s absolutely no shame in having a repair shop or dealership perform a professional fuel injector cleaning.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fuel-Injector-Cleaning-Procedure-Step-by-Step\"><\/span>Fuel Injector Cleaning Procedure (Step-by-Step)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Following the instructions in your service manual, remove the fuel injector.<\/li>\n<li>Choose the correct size plug that matches your size of fuel injector and connect it to the fuel injector.<\/li>\n<li>Choose one of the two white spray nozzles that matches the opening on your fuel injector and insert the fuel injector into the nozzle.<\/li>\n<li>Connect the black clip to the negative terminal on your car battery.<\/li>\n<li>Take off the spray nozzle from the aerosol can of fuel injector cleaner.<\/li>\n<li>Connect the top of the can to the adaptor nozzle of the cleaning kit.<\/li>\n<li>While pushing the adaptor nozzle down on top of the fuel injector cleaner can with one hand, use your other hand to touch the red clip to the top of the positive battery terminal to operate the fuel injector and allow the cleaning solution to spray out.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>DO NOT<\/strong> allow the injector to be energized for more than 1 second at a time. Instead, do 5 short touches of the red clip to the battery. With each spray, the spray pattern should start to change as the injector gets cleaned out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Once the injector has a nice clean spray pattern, disconnect it and repeat the other fuel injectors.<\/li>\n<li>Once all injectors have been cleaned out, reinstall them in the fuel rail according to instructions in your service manual.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Here&#8217;s a good video detailing the procedure above:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Fuel Injector Cleaning Using a Jet Nozzle Tool\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VFQxygSjBHk?start=1&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The fuel injectors are the parts of the engine which are responsible for spraying fuel into the intake valves of the engine from where the mixture goes into the piston cylinders for the combustion. The ECU (engine control unit) determines &#8230; <a title=\"How to Clean Fuel Injectors (Using a Cheap Cleaning Kit)\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/how-to-clean-fuel-injectors\/\" aria-label=\"More on How to Clean Fuel Injectors (Using a Cheap Cleaning Kit)\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1002,"featured_media":506546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no"},"categories":[58],"tags":[100405,100413,100369],"modified_by":"Mark Stevens","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1002"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/506546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}