BMW’s are known all over the world for their reliable and fast vehicles. BMW cars are beautifully constructed and the company pays close attention to the details when engineering a new model. The quality of BMW’s work is evident and the company is always making strides to engineer better and faster vehicles for their customers.
With proper maintenance these vehicles can last a long time. Keeping up to date on the services required will help ensure that your car is functioning properly. Yet, even with the car’s excellent engineering and providing proper maintenance, your BMW may experience problems every now and again.
What are Fuel Injectors?
In a combustion engine, your vehicle uses the fuel injectors to introduce fuel into the system. The most common way of introducing fuel into your system is by having the fuel go directly into the combustion chamber. Another common method is by mixing the fuel with air prior to the intake stroke; this method is called indirect injection.
The reason for a fuel injection system varies depending on the goal the manufacturer intends for the vehicle. Some positive byproducts of having fuel injectors is that your vehicle may be more reliable, maintenance is more cost effective, you will have higher fuel efficiency, and emissions will be less. There are other pros to having a fuel injector system, but it is all up to the engineers when designing the car what they want to focus on. As technology has developed the fuel injection system has switched to being digital, this allows for more accurate and efficient systems.
Servicing Fuel Injectors
With having a fuel injection system comes the need for maintenance and servicing. It is important to get regular checkups and cleaning for the system since they are so vital to the function of the vehicle. The driving conditions and how much you use your vehicle will depend on how frequently you will need to service the fuel injectors. Since each vehicle is built differently your car may have different needs for maintaining the injectors. Doing research and talking with a trusted mechanic is a good idea so that you know more about what your car needs.
What Causes a Fuel Injector to Fail?
There are certain steps recommended that you should take in order to increase the performance of your car. One such recommendation may be what type of fuel to use. If you are not using the recommended fuel it may cause a buildup of deposits in the engine. These deposits contribute to issues associated with failing injectors. If you use a lower quality fuel, you are more susceptible to these deposits, whereas better quality fuels are designed to prevent deposits and have a higher cleaning ability.
Of course, lack of maintenance is another cause of wearing out your fuel injectors. If you are not properly taking care of your vehicle, you have a higher likelihood of experiencing more problems. One thing people neglect to maintain is their fuel filter. The fuel filter prevents the fuel system from being contaminated by particles that are harmful to your fuel system. If not changed or maintain, the filter won’t be able to do its job properly.
How to Identify a Failing Fuel Injector System
Though each car is built slightly differently, there are some commons problems you will likely experience when dealing with a failing fuel injector system. A change in mileage and fuel efficiency is a great indicator of issues with your fuel injectors. Your gas mileage will lower, which increases the frequency of putting fuel in your vehicle. It is wise to monitor your fuel efficiency and gas mileage, if your vehicle does not have an electronic system that monitors that, there are many applications available to keep track on your phone.
Another common issue associated with faulty fuel injectors is you will begin noticing a fuel smell inside your vehicle. This is an indication that there is a pressure buildup somewhere or that you may have a leak. If you notice the smell of fuel in your vehicle, it is important to get it checked out immediately.
