Your vehicle’s fuel system is a crucial component of fuel efficiency. If maintaining high MPGs is one of your goals, then you should definitely look into fuel system service. At Hillmuth Certified Automotive, we recommend performing fuel system service every 2 years or every 30,000 miles. It’s one of our additional services that, depending on your driving habits, may improve the overall performance of your vehicle.
Signs of decreased fuel system performance
If you’ve never had your fuel system serviced, think whether you have experienced any of the following. Although these problems could be related to other parts and systems of your vehicle, a thorough fuel system cleaning may be all you need.
Reduced gas economy
Stalling
The gas pedal is hard to press
Poor acceleration
Rough idling
What does fuel system service include?
A complete fuel system service follows the path of the fuel from the gas tank to the engine, as well as takes care of the air intake. Here are the three major components of the fuel system service we offer at our Maryland auto repair shops.
Throttle Body Cleaning
A throttle body is technically a part of the air intake system, but it does play a big role in the fuel system as well. The role of a throttle body is to provide the right amount of air to get mixed with the fuel for effective combustion. Over time, a throttle body may become clogged with carbon deposits, which will prevent it from supplying the necessary quantities of air to the engine. As a result, your vehicle may start stalling or have problems accelerating. Thankfully, these issues can be addressed and prevented with timely throttle body cleaning.
Intake Manifold Cleaning
An intake manifold is located between the throttle body and the engine’s cylinders. It’s the component the air goes through before reaching the engine and mixing with the fuel. An intake manifold consists of a series of tubes of even diameter that connect to each of the cylinders and deliver the right amount of air.
Just like the throttle body, an intake manifold is prone to carbon buildup. This buildup looks like black gunk and may significantly reduce the manifold’s air-passing capacity. In case you are wondering where all this soot comes from, keep in mind that the air intake system is also used to recirculate exhaust gasses for more complete combustion. Sometimes, these undesirable exhaust particles get lodged inside the air intake, which slowly leads to a clog.
Fuel Injector Cleaning
The job of fuel injectors is to spray a fine gasoline mist into the cylinders where the fuel can be mixed with air. When we say “fine mist,” think hairspray. To produce the desired mist, the hole where the fuel comes out has to be tiny to establish the right pressure. It doesn’t take much for it to get clogged, which often happens after you turn off your car. The remaining small amount of fuel inside the injectors may burn and leave deposits as the vehicle cools down. Our Maryland auto repair specialists use a fuel system cleaner to clean your entire fuel system from the gas tank to the fuel injectors and exhaust.
Schedule your appointment today with one of our shops in Columbia, Gaithersburg, Glenwood or Clarksville if you think your vehicle could use a fuel system service, or simply bring your car in for a quick inspection.
