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Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

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What Is Fuel System Cleaning?

January 18, 2022 by Denver Express Car Care

As a vehicle owner, you take on the responsibility of maintaining it to ensure it continues to run well. Routine maintenance includes a variety of things:

  • Filling it with gas
  • Changing the motor oil
  • Filling the reservoir with windshield washer fluid
  • Keeping the tires properly inflated
  • Replacing the tires from time to time
  • Replacing the brake pads
  • Doing a fluid check for each of the major systems

Some maintenance items become almost automatic. You understand the car needs gasoline to keep running, so you make stopping by a filling station a part of that routine. 

Other maintenance items aren’t as well known. 

Like fuel system cleaning. 

It’s not something that’s commonly promoted through local repair shops. And yet it’s an important part of keeping your car operating well. 

A quick search will show you there’s a lot of variance as to when it should be performed. One resource says fuel system cleaning should be done annually. Another thinks it should be cleaned around 45,000 miles or three years, whichever occurs first. Still another says a car can drive 60,000 miles or more before considering a fuel system cleaning. Who should you believe?

What Is Fuel System Cleaning?

Start with your owner’s manual. Your car’s manufacturer knows best when it comes to the inner workings of your vehicle. 

You can also speak with one of our mechanics. It’s our job to inspect your car thoroughly, and let you know if the fuel system needs a little TLC. 

The fuel system

The fuel system provides the lifeblood to keep your car moving. If a piece of the fuel system is compromised, it won’t allow the fuel to flow properly throughout the system, putting other parts of the system at risk. 

The fuel system starts with the gas tank. It’s a reservoir that holds either gasoline or diesel, depending on the car you’re driving. 

The fuel lines carry fuel from the reservoir to the engine. Fuel filters are built into the system to capture tiny impurities that may flow through the lines, to ensure pure fuel makes it into the injectors for optimal performance. 

Fuel pumps give the system power. They push gas through the fuel lines, past the fuel filters, and through the fuel injectors. 

The fuel injectors have tiny nozzles that allow a fine spray of fuel to move into the cylinder. As this happens, the spark plug causes the spark that ignites the fuel and causes power to surge throughout the system, bringing your car to life. 

The fuel injectors mimic a fine aerosol spray, similar to how a can of hairspray might work. Over time, these tiny nozzles can get clogged, which causes the spray function not to work as intended. Instead of a fine mist, it turns into harsher sprays concentrated in certain areas. It takes more gas to create the power necessary for the same action. And that starts your vehicle down the road to inefficiency. 

Is fuel system cleaning necessary?

When you search online, you can find advice covering a full spectrum. Some will tell you fuel system cleaning is critical for performance. Others will tell you it isn’t necessary to keep your car running smoothly. 

If you use hairspray regularly, you know that some cans can work from beginning to end without a problem. At other times, you have to work at it to keep it spraying a fine mist every time you press down on the nozzle. 

The fuel system may work flawlessly … for a while. The older your vehicle is, the longer you drive it without cleaning it, the more likely it will be to start wearing down. 

There isn’t a harsh rule for when you should schedule a fuel system cleaning. But just because there isn’t a steadfast rule, doesn’t mean you should ignore it either. Like other systems, paying attention to your vehicle will alert you to potential problems. If you notice signs that indicate the fuel system might be the center of the issue, a fuel system cleaning may be just what your vehicle needs. 

Some of the signs you can watch for include:

  • Your car’s gas mileage starts decreasing without other factors at play. You’re filling up more even though your driving hasn’t changed. 
  • Your car seems to be losing power. It doesn’t have the same drive as it once did during your normal driving routines. 
  • Your car doesn’t always start up with the first turn of the key. It sounds a little rough during the startup phase. 
  • You notice your car struggles to keep up with you as you accelerate. 
  • Your engine hesitates when you step down on the accelerator to push your car into action. 

Once you notice a problem, pay attention to it. Does it worsen over time? It may be time to schedule a maintenance visit, have your car inspected, and consider a fuel system cleaning to ensure it continues to work well. 

The benefits of fuel system cleaning

Because it takes time for parts to wear down, when your vehicle finally needs fuel system cleaning, it’s a chance to replace older parts. Just like motor oil that breaks down and turns grimy, or tires that lose tread and put you more at risk, a fuel system cleaning ensures all parts of the fuel system are in great working condition. They make your car more efficient once again. 

If one part isn’t working correctly, it adds more stress to the other parts in the system. By cleaning the system and ensuring everything is working well, you’re increasing the life of every part in the system. 

An efficient fuel system means it takes in and processes gasoline as efficiently as possible. This is why it’s important to pay attention to your gas mileage. If you fill up more frequently and notice your gas mileage is waning, it’s a good sign of a problem. Fixing it will make the entire fuel system operate better, and make your vehicle more efficient. 

If the system uses gas efficiently, it also reduces the emissions it releases into the air. That makes your car as clean as possible as it takes you on your daily routine. It’s better for your car, and for the planet too. 

Is fuel system cleaning in your future? 

Filed Under: Engine Tagged With: Fuel System Cleaning

Fuel System Cleaning

February 11, 2015 by Denver Express Car Care

Fuel System CleaningHello Denver car owners, let’s talk about fuel.  Fuel, whether gasoline or diesel, is delivered to your engine to be burned in order to generate the power needed to keep your car moving.  This fuel leaves a residue as it moves through your fuel system.  This may not seem like much, but it can cause big problems.  Gum and varnish build up inside the fuel lines, the throttle body and injectors.  It’s like the plaque build-up you can get in your arteries, it restricts the free flow of fuel and can even clog your vehicles fuel injectors.

In addition, carbon from combustion starts to accumulate on your valves that are inside the combustion chamber and on your pistons.  This interferes with proper mixing of fuel and air and can prevent your valves from sealing properly.  This means less power, a rough running engine, wasted fuel and could even lead to pricey damage over time.

A fuel system cleaning at Express Car Care cleans out the gum and varnish from your fuel system and gets your injectors working properly, restoring power and improving miles-per-gallon (MPG).  Carbon deposits are dissolved and your engine starts running like new again.

If your engine seems sluggish and less responsive than it used to be, it might mean that you need a fuel system cleaning.  Ask your helpful Express Car Care technician if he recommends a fuel system cleaning for your car.

Give us a call or come in and see us, we’re here to help.

Filed Under: Car Maintenance Tagged With: Fuel System Cleaning

Fuel System Cleaning

June 19, 2013 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

Does your vehicle idle roughly while you’re sitting in traffic?  Is your gas mileage lower than in previous months or does your engine hesitate when you’re accelerating?  Does it have a pinging or knocking sound?  These and other symptoms could be trying to tell you that your car is in need of a fuel system cleaning.

The fuel system in your car is made up of fuel injectors, intake ports and valves, combustion chambers, a throttle body and the intake manifold.  When dirt and deposits get into any of these areas, it can lower your fuel economy, lessen your car’s performance and interfere with the proper operation of your engine.  These deposits are a result of burning gasoline and should be removed on a regular basis.  If deposits are allowed to build up in the combustion chamber and intake valves without regular cleanings, your engine’s compression is altered.  This can cause rough idling, engine stalling or hesitation, loss of power or engine knocking, or engine run-on when the car is turned off.

Once you have determined that your vehicle needs a fuel system cleaning,  one of our technicians will attach cleaning tools to the fuel system that will clean deposits from the fuel injectors and remove deposit build-up from the intake valves and the combustion chambers.  Deposits are also removed from the air intake system, including the throttle body and intake manifold.  The fuel system cleaning services the existing parts in the engine so they run like they were brand new.  It is usually recommended that you have a fuel system cleaning every 36,000 miles to keep your car running at it’s best.

If you have experienced any of these symptoms while driving your vehicle and think you might need a fuel system cleaning, come in and see us or give us a call at (303) 691-2760.

Filed Under: Car Maintenance, Engine Tagged With: Fuel System Cleaning

Fuel System Cleaning

January 22, 2011 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

We are asked quite a few questions when we recommend a fuel system cleaning.  The most frequently asked questions are:  ” I haven’t noticed any problems so why do I need this service?”  The answer to this question is that most vehicles are equipped with a “knock sensor” which decreases the engine’s performance to prevent harmful knocking conditions.  You might not notice the reduced performance and fuel economy because it happens gradually.  After the fuel system cleaning you may notice a dramatic increase in the performance and fuel economy of your car.

We are also asked, “why does my car need a fuel system cleaning?”  Our cars have fuel systems that have fuel injectors, intake ports, intake valves, combustion chambers, throttle body and an intake manifold.  Each of these areas can have deposits build up that can create problems in the engine.  If you have experienced rough idling, engine stalling or hesitation, loss of power or engine knocking, the problem might be in your fuel system. Fuel System Cleaning

Another question we get is,” what’s the difference between a fuel system cleaning and a tune-up?”  When you have the fuel system cleaned there aren’t any parts replaced.  When you have a tune-up the spark plugs are usually replaced.  The fuel system service cleans the existing parts in the engine so they run like they were new.  Since we haven’t replaced any parts we’re often asked what we actually do to the car.  What our technician will do is attach cleaning tools to the fuel system that clean deposits from the fuel injectors, intake valves and the combustion chamber.  The deposits are also removed from the air intake system.   These deposits occur as a by-product of burning gasoline and need to be removed on a regular basis.  We recommend that you have a fuel system cleaning every 36,000 miles to keep your car running at it’s best.

Filed Under: Car Maintenance, Engine Tagged With: Fuel System Cleaning

Express Car Care
4200 E. Evans Ave. Denver, CO (map)
Phone: (303) 691-2760
Located just southeast of the Colorado Light Rail station

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Monday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
Tuesday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
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Friday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
Saturday: Closed – A note from the owner
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