How to Tell if Your Car Needs Fuel Induction Service

Your vehicle’s fuel efficiency is important, not only to your bank account, but also to your driving safety and performance. One such car maintenance strategy that helps prevent poor fuel economy is fuel induction. If you have noticed that your car is using up more gasoline than normal, or your car engine is losing performance value, you might benefit from fuel induction service.

Continue reading to learn what fuel induction service entails, plus how to spot the signs that suggest your car is in need of it soon.

Fuel Injection Cleaning Indianapolis Indiana 317-475-1846
Fuel Injection Cleaning Indianapolis Indiana 317-475-1846

Fuel Induction Services

If your car is experiencing subpar fuel efficiency or engine operation, the fuel system is the first place you should be concerned about. Generally, a quick fuel induction service is the common, go-to maintenance to rule out more serious automotive problems. If your fuel economy issues or engine performance problems persist after a fuel induction, then your mechanic will have to look further.

What is fuel induction? Let’s first review the journey of your car’s fuel. When you engage the gas pedal, fuel from your gas tank is sent to the fuel pump, down the fuel lines, through the fuel filter, and into the fuel injection system. From there, the fuel injection system sprays fuel into the engine combustion chambers, where it meets air let in from the air filter. The air-fuel mixture is then ignited by the spark plugs, which starts your engine.

Also referred to as fuel injection or fuel system cleaning, fuel induction is a routine car maintenance service that eliminates the harmful carbon deposits produced by impurities in gasoline and fuel additives. These deposits can clog the fuel injectors and fuel lines, which can reduce the flow rate of fuel, or even block it altogether in serious cases, thus leading to engine performance issues and poor gas mileage. This service is suitable for both return and returnless fuel systems.

Signs That Suggest You Need Fuel Injection Cleaning

Refer to your owners’ manual for manufacturer recommendations on how often you should take your car in for fuel injection cleaning services. Between scheduled maintenance, you may notice signs that suggest your car needs fuel induction cleaning sooner than later. Here are some common signs to look out for:

⛽ Poor Gas Mileage
⛽ Filling Up the Tank More Often
⛽ Slowed Acceleration
⛽ Engine Knocking or Banging
⛽ Bumpy Idling
⛽ Losing Power While Driving

Fuel Induction Versus Fuel System Cleaner

You might think you can save time and money by purchasing some over-the-counter fuel system cleaning solution. Although such products are relatively inexpensive, they may not be the best solution for your automotive fuel system inadequacies or performance issues. Fuel induction services range in price depending on a variety of factors, namely the make and model of your vehicle, usually starting out around $150 or so.

A bottle of fuel system cleaner will run you around $35 or $40. Sure, the math says you can save a lot of money by choosing the DIY route, but professional fuel induction service is the better and smarter investment, especially for cars in serious condition. The money you save in the long run on fuel and auto repairs will surpass the cost savings you get from going the over-the-counter route.

Are you in need of a vehicle inspection or fuel injection cleaning? Contact Northeast Auto Service at 317-475-1846 for professional fuel system service in Indianapolis, Indiana. We also offer a generous selection of automotive service and repair coupons, discounts, and deals!

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What Does Fuel System Cleaner Do?

In order to better understand what a store-bought fuel system cleaner does, you might want to refresh your memory on the relative components in your vehicle’s fuel system.

Fuel System Repair 317-475-1846

Fuel System Repair 317-475-1846


Let’s start with the gas tank. Your gas tank is the main reservoir for fuel. It holds either diesel fuel or gasoline, depending on the make and model of your car or truck. Next we have the fuel lines, which are basically just small hoses that act as a transit system for fuel, carrying it from the tank to the engine.

Now, in order to keep those fuel lines clean and free of dirt and debris, your vehicle has fuel filters. These pick out all the grit and particles that can clog up the injectors. To get the fuel to the fuel injectors, your vehicle has a fuel pump. It pumps the fuel through the filters and then through the injectors.

We are getting very close! Fuel injectors have little nozzles that then spray a tiny amount of fuel into your engine’s cylinders. Here’s the fun part everyone likes: the spark plugs then come in and ignite that tiny spray of fuel in the cylinders, and POW! The crankshaft is powered up and your car’s in motion.

Fuel System Operation

Now that you’ve caught yourself up on a standard fuel system and how it operates, you can understand the importance of the fine spray of fuel that comes out of the injectors. You want this mist to be fine and delicate, much like spraying an aerosol can. The mist has to be thin, even, and just fine enough so that it can be perfectly ignited by the spark plugs. If the little fuel injector nozzles clog up, even in the slightest way, the spray becomes thick and streaky, making it much more difficult to fully-ignite. Not only does this result in reduced power and torque, it can quickly and dramatically increase fuel consumption.

Preventing Clogged Fuel Injectors

A store-bought fuel system cleaner is a great way to reduce the likelihood of clogged fuel injectors. Simply add the cleaner to your gas tank and then run the engine. Once the engine is quite warm, add another bottle of cleaner to remove additional grit and further eliminate heavy carbons deposits from the combustion chambers. Last, take your vehicle into a licensed automotive repair shop to have your air intake manually cleaned.

Indianapolis Fuel System Repair

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Call Northeast Auto at 317-475-1846 for Indianapolis fuel system service and repair at an affordable price. We are ASE certified car mechanics that have decades of experience servicing and repairing domestic and import vehicles. Call 317-475-1846 and request a free estimate, today.