How to check the injectors on the engine and clean them yourself?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

Owners of cars with injection engines must know how to check the injectors, because their high-quality work requires the correct operation of the internal combustion engine itself. Everyone can check and troubleshoot injectors themselves, while saving money at the service station.

Why do we need nozzles at all?

The main function of this element is to supply fuel to the combustion chambers. Moreover, you need to supply a certain amount of gasoline mixed with air. Only in this way can a combustible mixture be formed that will ignite in the combustion chamber. Given this, it is logical to assume that the injectors may fail due to poor fuel. And this is true 90% of the time. Car owners who pour bad gasoline into their car are forced to clean or change this engine element more often. But for this you need to know how to check the nozzles correctly.

Manifestation of injector failure

If the engine is unstable, it is impossible to say unequivocally what exactly is the cause of the malfunction. Comprehensiveexamination: coils, spark plugs, engine compression, etc.

Before you check the injectors, look for the following faults:

1. Rough idle.
2. Starting problems.
3. Higher fuel consumption.
4. Loss of dynamics, lack of power during acceleration, jerky driving.

If these problems are observed with your engine, then it's time to check the correct operation of the injectors. There are different ways to test an injector on an engine. Manufacturers are doing everything to facilitate access to the most "weak" places of the car. So there shouldn't be any problems.

How to test injectors with a multimeter?

There is a special device for diagnostics - a multimeter. It is inexpensive and is available at any service station. With it, they usually check the battery, fuses and other elements of the internal combustion engine system. Instructions on how to check the injectors of VAZ and other car brands:

1. Open the manual and see which injector is used in your car - low or high impedance. This is necessary for accurate diagnosis.
2. Remove the wires from the injectors.
3. Take a multimeter and set it to resistance measurement mode. Now connect the diagnostic wires to the injector terminals.
4. Measure resistance.
5. Normal resistance on low impedance injectors should be 2-5 ohms. The norm for high impedance injectors is 12-17 Ohm.

If onmultimeter you find values that do not fit into the specified range, then this means that something is wrong with the injectors. Usually, an element that does not meet the normal resistance is removed and replaced with a new one.

Note that a multimeter is an extremely useful device that any master dealing with electronics has. With its help, the voltage in electronic circuits, the resistance of the elements is measured. If necessary, buy yourself such a device, because in any case you will need it when checking many elements of the engine.

Hearing test

Experienced drivers know how to test injectors on a diesel or gasoline engine by ear. They don't even need a multimeter. It is difficult for an inexperienced driver to do this, but you can try. Listen carefully for sounds coming from the cylinder block. A ringing sound indicates that the nozzles are not working properly, which means they need to be checked and cleaned. Of course, the accuracy of this diagnostic method is not worth explaining. In rare cases, you can accurately diagnose a malfunction by ear.

Checking mechanical properties

Special equipment is needed to test these elements, so it is difficult to do it yourself. Most auto repair shops have stands to test the stability of the injectors, and with their help you can find out what kind of flow is created during operation. That is, you can visually observe the "torch" spraying gasoline (diesel fuel). If the fuel is sprayed unevenly, then the problems in the operation of the internal combustion engine are quitepossible.

It is worth noting that this method is the most accurate, and it is guaranteed to detect a malfunction.

Cleaning nozzles

If during the diagnostic process it was found that these elements do not work correctly, then you need to clean them. You can do it yourself without removing them from the engine.

Cleaning options:

1. Use engine additives. They are poured into the fuel tank, mixed with gasoline, and as it passes through the injectors, the additives clean them.
2. Some experienced motorists recommend a monthly pressure cleaning. To do this, you need to accelerate the car to a speed of 120 kilometers per hour on a flat road. In this mode, you need to drive about 10 kilometers and slow down.
3. If you cannot drive at this speed for any reason, then you can do the same procedure while idling. Turnovers must be kept at the level of 4-5 thousand. Note that this method is less efficient than those described above.

Even if there are no problems during engine operation, the nozzles need to be cleaned every 35-40 thousand kilometers as a preventive measure. Given the quality of gasoline that many gas stations fill, injectors are one of the first items to be repaired or replaced.

Fortunately, now you know how to check the operation of the injectors, and fix them if possible. But inIn most cases, the part is simply changed. These are inexpensive internal combustion engine elements that are inexpensive and easy to change. So if you find a problem with the operation of the injectors, you should not be especially upset. Such repairs will not cost much.