Don’t flush those injectors unless you really need to

Proper maintenance of your vehicle is important. It will help to increase the life of your car while decreasing the likelihood that you’ll find yourself sitting on the side of the road when something went wrong. There was a time when a periodic injector flush was part of that maintenance process. Now days, not so much.

In fact, frequent injector flushes as part of regularly scheduled maintenance are probably not a good idea. Furthermore, they’re costly. As long as they’re operating correctly there is no need to flush them.

If you start experiencing mechanical problems, it’s possible the fuel injectors could be the culprit but don’t jump to that conclusion. This is where a qualified mechanic is a great asset. Your mechanic will track down the problem. And, if it turns out you have a problem with your injectors, your mechanic will uncover the evidence and present you with the best possible solution.

On occasion, a problem with fuel injectors can be remedied with cleaning. In some cases, however, replacement is required. A qualified mechanic should be able to determine which is the case for your vehicle.

Some cars come with port fuel injectors where an injector adds fuel to each cylinder. Others have TBI, or throttle body injectors. In the latter case, one or two injectors are responsible for mixing fuel with air for all the cylinders. Even if your vehicle has port fuel injectors, a problem may be isolated to one injector.

Another word of caution: check with your mechanic before using a fuel injector cleaning fluid you might purchase at an auto parts store or department store. Many of these will do a fine job of cleaning the varnish and sediment out of your fuel tank and fuel lines. Then, the cleaner will deposit the mix in your injectors. At that point, you may need your mechanic to remove the injectors and perform a proper cleaning.

For more information about fuel injectors and maintaining your vehicle, check with Performance Unlimited, 5415 Austin Court, Ringwood.

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