Problems with your diesel engine common rail injectors can have a direct impact on the way your engine performs. So, you probably want to get those problems taken care of as soon as possible.
A big question you probably have, though, is why your injectors failed in the first place. Just what kind of issue are you looking at?
And, more importantly, how can you prevent it in the future?
In this post, we’re looking at some common symptoms of failures with your common rail injectors to help you better understand what you can do about it.
What Are the Common Symptoms of Common Rail Injector Failure?
When your common rail injectors start failing, some symptoms you can look out for include:
- List Misting
- Smoke
- Excessive Black Smoke
- DPF Filters Clogging
- No Start Problems
- Regen Times Too Short
If you notice some of these symptoms, you might need to replace your common rail injectors. But, you may be wondering what might cause these issues in your engine in the first place.
What Leads to Common Rail Injectors Failures?
In general, the root cause of your common rail injector problem depends on the type of issue you’re experiencing.
Injectors Stuck Open
For example, you might have problems caused by injectors sticking open. This might be caused by water or dirt.
You could have no starts and a lot of black smoke, especially if something is under 5 micron, or whatever your specific engine calls for.
A common issue on Cummins engines is the injectors sticking open, which might lead to no starts. You’ll also be leaking pressure from the power loss.
Dripping Injectors
Another problem you might encounter is dripping injectors. This might cause a light blue haze in idle.
They can perform a leak test to have this diagnosed. You’ll commonly see this issue in Duramax engines.
Other Common Issues
You might notice injectors that aren’t firing well, or air getting into the system. If you have a bad feed line going into your common rail pump or even a double o-ring on the fuel filter, it’ll suck air from anywhere.
This probably won’t cause a fuel leak, but you’ll notice a lack of power or hard starts.
High mileage on the engine can lead to problems as well. Over time, things are just going to wear. You might see this on your nozzles, or on the valve sets in the injectors.
This is referred to as ball seat erosion. Over time, the pressure can cut through the metal of the injectors, leaving little grooves that cause high return rates or hard start problems.
What to Do About Common Rail Injector Issues
Quite a few common rail injector problems are caused by the quality of the diesel fuel and the operating conditions.
That’s why we always recommend getting good quality fuel from places with high traffic. That way you can be sure they turn over a lot of fuel, preventing water and contaminants from getting into it as it sits in the tank.
It’s also possible for diesel fuel to create moisture in the tank. When you return fuel and it cools down, condensation is formed.
This leads to the potential of water in the tanks. That’s why it’s good to drain your filter.
What To Do When You Notice Problems
First, you’ll want to have your engine scanned. Having an authorized tech scan your engine shows if you’re getting balance rates that are off, or if you’re showing a code.
Properly diagnosing the problem in this way helps you to know that you’re fixing the whole issue, and can prevent further problems in your engine.
HHP Can Help!
Highway & Heavy Parts has a large selection of common rail injectors and we can help you find the right fit for your engine.
Our ASE Certified Techs can answer your questions and get down to the root of the problem. We want to make sure you’re getting the best components to get the job done right.
From diagnosis through delivery, we’re Highway & Heavy Parts!
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