Fuel injectors are an essential part within your heavy machinery’s engine, but do you know how to spot issues with them? Find out how fuel injectors work, the common issues they experience and how to prevent problems arising.

What are fuel injectors in heavy machinery?

The role of a fuel injector is to spray diesel directly into the engine’s combustion chamber. No spark plugs are used in a diesel engine, and instead a process of atomisation, followed by compression ignition takes place.

Atomisation involves spraying a very fine mist of diesel into the engine’s cylinders and this is then combined with air. The fact that the diesel particles are so small means that the fuel can fully vaporise, resulting in a more efficient combustion process.

Common issues with injector parts

There are a range of common issues you might experience with your heavy machinery’s fuel injectors, including:

• Fuel Contamination -  The main issue with injector and fuel system problems. Causes are water ingress, microbial contamination from the fuel tanks, and solid particulate
• Clogging – often a result of rust building up from the fuel rail or fuel supply line
• Dirty fuel injectors – fuel additive residues can form a crust when burnt under the high temperatures involved in and around the engine
• Leaks – injector cooler faults and cracks in the fuel injectors can cause leakages

What are signs of fuel injector problems?

Some of the signs you might notice if you’re experiencing fuel injector problems include:

Increased fuel consumption

Leakages of fuel in the engine can result in increased fuel consumption. One of the first signs you might notice involving a faulty seal or a crack in your fuel injectors is an unusual increase in the amount of diesel you’re using. If you notice that your diesel isn’t lasting as long as it normally would, check for leaks.

Stalling

If too much or too little diesel is sprayed by your fuel injectors during atomisation, it can cause engine misfire and stalling. This can be a tell-tale sign of dirty fuel injectors, leading to incorrect amounts of fuel being involved in combustion, due to fuel additive blockages, for example.

Increase in exhaust smoke and fuel smell

An increase in exhaust smoke released by your heavy machinery, or a stronger fuel smell, is often another sign of issues with your fuel injectors. This means that your fuel injectors are supplying too much diesel due to a fault and should be looked into.

Poor performance

If you’ve noticed an overall loss of power in your heavy machinery, it could be indicate that the wrong proportion of air and diesel is being used in the combustion process. Again, this could be caused by clogging or leaks in and around the fuel injectors.

How to avoid fuel injector issues?

Now that we have identified some of the most common issues with fuel injectors and the symptoms of these problems, how best to avoid these issues?

As always, prevention is key! In the heavy duty machinery sector, this means maintaining your fuel injectors and spotting issues before they escalate. Our golden rule is regular maintenance and service intervals, with a key focus on filtration. Use the right fuel filter and change regularly!

Fuel injectors should be cleaned at least once a year, but don’t wait for black smoke to appear or for your heavy-duty machinery or drop in performance – if maintenance checks suggest that more frequent cleaning is required, don’t wait.

Cleaning your fuel injectors removes dust, dirt and debris and prevents rust and fuel additive building up. These become trickier to move if left to accumulate, so it’s important to keep on top of maintenance. You can also see our full guide on how to clean fuel injectors for more tips.

Always refer to your manufacturer’s Service and Maintenance information.

How Jaytrac can help

Since our founding in 1995, we’ve continued to supply high quality replacement parts to diesel machinery, including fuel injectors for Komatsu, Caterpillar and Cummins machinery. To find out more about how we can help you, or for any enquiries, please give us a call on +44 (0) 1604 491133 or email is at sales@jaytrac.co.uk. Alternatively, submit one of our contact forms and we’ll be in touch shortly.