Diesel fuel injectors play a significant role in ensuring your vehicle is running at its best, so if you notice any of these symptoms, yours may be failing.
Most people know that internal combustion engines require a fuel source to run. For many passenger cars and trucks, that fuel source is gasoline. However, many commercial vehicles, boats, farming implements, military vehicles, and even lots of regular passenger cars rely on diesel. Diesel engines are responsible for powering more than you may realize, and the fuel can be a surprisingly efficient power source. Besides fuel, there are various other differences between modern diesel and gas engines. However, they also share a lot of similarities, including the use of fuel injectors.
Diesel fuel injectors are responsible for spraying precise amounts of diesel into combustion chambers or swirl chambers, depending on whether the engine uses direct or indirect fuel injection. Then, that fuel is compressed and heated by glow plugs until it burns, creating the small explosions that give the engine its power. Fuel injectors play an important role, and they can cause a lot of issues for your engine when they fail.
Fortunately, there are some common signs of diesel fuel injector failure that can help you catch the problem before more damage develops. Knowing the signs isn’t a substitute for performing regular maintenance, which is the best way to avoid fuel injector issues, but it can help you address the problem before it worsens. As a former professional mechanic and a lifelong car fanatic, I’ll cover the most common symptoms of diesel fuel injector failure. That way, you can hopefully avoid the seriously expensive issues that may develop if you ignore your faulty injectors. So, from misfires to a rough idle, here are the most common symptoms of diesel fuel injector failure.Your vehicle is difficult to start
We’ve mentioned that the fuel injectors are responsible for metering precise amounts of diesel into the combustion chambers or swirl chambers. However, if one or more injector is faulty or beginning to fail, your engine may not get the right amount of fuel. That can cause a lot of issues, including difficulty starting your car or the inability to start the vehicle altogether.
The issue can occur when fuel injectors become clogged by impurities in the diesel fuel. Alternatively, your injectors may fail if they break, develop a leak, experience an electrical malfunction, or simply wear out with time. If your injectors are bad, you may experience difficulty starting your engine in that it takes a long time to crank, or you have to pump the gas pedal to make it fire up. If the problem is already severe enough, you may be unable to start your vehicle at all. That’s because if the injectors have failed completely, no fuel will be able to reach your engine.
The tricky thing is that there are various mechanical issues that can prevent your engine from starting. There are a few ways to test diesel fuel injectors. However, if you’re not an experienced DIYer or home mechanic, you may struggle to perform them. Instead, if you’re having trouble starting your diesel engine, and you suspect an injector issue, the best thing to do is visit a pro. They may be able to clean your fuel injectors, but they’ll most likely replace them with a fresh set to fix your problem.
