Spring Cleaning for Your Engine

Spring has officially sprung! It’s time to get your car ready for the season and, just like a house, that might include some long-awaited cleaning. Give Heinold and Feller Tire and Lawn Equipment a call; we’re happy to help!

From VehicleMD

Finally, the days are getting longer, the snow has melted and there is green grass popping out of the ground — all signs that winter has subsided and spring is well on its way. For some it may be time to do spring cleaning. But did you realize your engine might need a little spring cleaning, too?

A total fuel system cleaner can be the perfect spring cleaning solution to help clean your engine and prepare it for its summer travels. A fuel system cleaning will help eliminate deposits in your engine that can lead to symptoms like hesitation, diminished vehicle acceleration, increased emissions and reduced fuel economy. These deposits can appear because of improper maintenance, driving in a lot of traffic, or driving in extremely hot or extremely cold weather conditions.

Your vehicle has several fuel injectors—usually one injector for each cylinder on the vehicle—that dispense fuel for your engine to burn. It is very important that these injectors are clean because a clogged fuel injector can waste fuel and money.

Picture for a moment, your kitchen faucet. It dispenses water into your sink much like a fuel injector dispenses fuel into an engine. However, if there are calcium or lime deposits clogging the faucet, it will not put out as much water as it should. Carbon deposits do the same thing to fuel injectors. Instead of spraying in a nice cone shape, carbon deposits deflect the spray patterns. This means that your vehicle is not operating at its maximum efficiency, and you’re not getting the full benefit out of your fuel system or gasoline. A total fuel system cleaning can help clean the deposits from your fuel injectors to ensure they are spraying properly and you are not wasting fuel.

A total fuel system cleaning generally consists of three stages. The first stage cleans and removes carbon deposits in the upper part of the engine. The second stage is usually added directly to the fuel tank. This helps clean the rest of your fuel system, like the fuel lines and fuel pump. It also cleans the insides of your fuel injectors. In combination, these two stages create a third stage, which cleans the fuel injector tips.

“Motorists today expect more from their vehicles than ever before,” said Steve Farr, vice president of Smart Blend Synthetics, Life Automotive Products. “Performing preventive maintenance services, such as fuel system cleaning, instills not only driver confidence, but they can reduce the risk of costly repairs in the future.”

For example, if one of your engine’s fuel injectors was to fail because of deposits or buildup, it could cost you upwards of $300.

A fuel system cleaning every 15,000 miles will help keep your fuel system in top condition. This little bit of preventive maintenance will not only help fend off costly repairs in the future, but it also can help you start saving money at the pump today. So, when you start your spring cleaning, don’t forget about your engine.