Fuel - filters, injectors, proper octane

Home - Engine - Questions - Car Insurance - Hybrid - Repair Manuals - Contact - Schools - Wiring Diagrams - Tires Air Conditioning - Strut - Scan Tools - Hand Tools - Trouble Codes - Check Engine Light - Brakes - Maintenance Hub Bearing - Parts - Videos - Racing - Alarms - New Cars - Remote Starters - Engine Sensors - Auto Repair

Basic Electrical Theory Electrical Components Switches & Relays Wiring Harness Test Equipment Testing with a Multi-meter

A Fuel Filter is designed to restrict impurities from getting into the fuel injectors. Over time the fuel filter can become to restrictive and cause a lower fuel pressure which leads to poor fuel mileage and poor performance. The fuel filter should be replaced every 30,000 miles. A clogged fuel filter can lower fuel pressure 3 to 5 psi. And in some cases this can make the difference for an engine to start or not. If you need instructions on replacing your fuel filter we recommend this online manual for detailed instructions and how to photos.

Fuel Injectors are only a nozzle and a valve that is controlled electrically. The power to inject the fuel comes from the electric fuel pump that is located in the fuel tank in cars from the late 1980's. An Injector capable of opening and closing many times per second

When the injector is energized, an electromagnet moves a plunger that opens the valve, allowing the pressurized fuel to squirt out through a tiny nozzle. The nozzle is designed to atomize the fuel -- to make as fine a mist as possible so that it can burn easily.

The amount of fuel supplied to the engine is determined by the amount of time the fuel injector stays open. This is called the pulse width, and it is controlled by the ECU.

The injectors are mounted in the intake manifold so that they spray fuel directly at the intake valves. A pipe called the fuel rail supplies pressurized fuel to all of the injectors.

Do you need to add fuel cleaner additives to your fuel tank, NO!! Do the fuel injector cleaners work that are added to the fuel tank, NO!! Do not waist your money an these products. Gasoline that you buy at the pump already has these detergents added to the fuel to begin with. If you suspect your injectors are slightly clogged, they can be clean, but only with a stand alone fuel injector cleaning tool. Read expensive ( around $500.00 ) or around $69.95 if you take it and have it done at a local shop that has the equipment.

Proper Octane - The octane rating of a spark ignition engine fuel is the knock resistance (anti-knock rating) compared to a mixture of iso-octane. By definition, isooctane is assigned an octane rating of 100 and heptane is assigned an octane rating of zero. An 87-octane gasoline, for example, possesses the same anti-knock rating of a mixture of 87% (by volume) iso-octane and 13% (by volume) n-heptane. This does not mean, however, that the gasoline actually contains these hydrocarbons in these proportions. It simply means that it has the same autoignition resistance as the described mixture.

Is Higher Octane Better?

Online Auto Repair Manuals On Sale for $10.49 . Get the same information the dealers use that include TSB's, Belt routing, repair procedures, color wiring diagrams and more.