It is hard to tell exactly how long it will take fuel injector cleaner to work. Some fuel injector cleaners may begin working within 50 miles, but others take longer. It’s recommended to run the treated tank as empty as possible before refilling with fuel. That way the fuel injector cleaner has another chance to work on some fuel that is free from fuel additives.
Any fuel injected engine benefits from fuel injector cleaner because fuel injectors are actually tiny precision tools containing parts that look like small needles and spray nozzles. They are used to control the fuel flow into the engine. Inside fuel injectors, there is a small orifice that allows fuel to pass through when the fuel injector is turned on. This fuel needs to be atomized so that it can burn in the engine and these components allow fuel to pass through when needed. Contaminants such as dirt or metal particles, water and fuel additives lead to fuel injectors becoming less efficient and this reduces power output and fuel economy. Regular use of fuel injector cleaner helps fuel injectors to work better which allows an engine to run smoother, optimizes fuel economy and also reduces fuel costs.
What are fuel injectors?
Fuel injectors contain a small orifice that allows fuel to pass through when the fuel injector is turned on. This orifice is much smaller than the average fuel injector.
How do they work?
When the engine is in closed-loop mode, the ECU turns on the fuel injectors to send a precise amount of fuel into each cylinder. Since it does not have specific information about what you are doing, it also sends a small spray of fuel into the catalyst to prevent it from becoming so saturated with fuel that the engine slows down.
What does a clogged inlet mean?
When your fuel injector inlet becomes clogged, less air and gas can pass through it. This causes a lean misfire, which will lead to stalling or a decrease in power. This can often be a sign of a bad fuel filter, but there is a small chance that the clogged inlet was caused by an improperly manufactured fuel injector.
What happens if you have a lean misfire?
A lean misfire means that your engine is not getting as much air as it needs to burn all of the gas in the cylinder. This, in turn, will decrease your overall horsepower and cause damage to your catalytic converter.
What happens if you have a rich misfire?
A rich misfire means that there is too much gas for the amount of air entering your engine. This can lead to hesitation when accelerating or not being able to accelerate at all.
How can you prevent misfires?
Regularly check your fuel filter and replace it when necessary. Also, make sure that all of the connections between your fuel injectors and intake are clean. This will help to avoid a clogged inlet which could cause a lean or rich misfire. If you have not replaced your spark plugs in a while, that may also cause misfires.
What is fuel injection?
As fuel injected engines are known as Otto cycle engines, four stroke technology makes this possible. The four stages of an engine cycle include intake, compression, power, and exhaust. The fuel injection process begins when fuel is mixed with air in the fuel injector to create a combustible fuel-air mixture.
This fuel-air mixture is then introduced into the engine via an intake stroke where it meets the piston before it moves upwards past valves which are opened by camshafts rotating at a high speed.
Fuel injectors inject fuel at the exact moment the fuel-air mixture is at its most optimum air-fuel ratio, which is also known as stoichiometric fuel mixtures. This fuel injection process continues throughout the power, compression and exhaust stages before fuel flow stops when the engine has finished its cycle.
Conclusion
If you’re not sure how long your fuel injector cleaner will take to work, the best thing to do is consult with a professional. A mechanic can tell you if it’s time for a tune-up or if there are any other issues that need attention before they clean your engine. You should also have them inspect all of the sensors and parts in the car after cleaning so that everything’s working properly again.
