The car chokes, clicks, jerks – what causes these symptoms and what can be “treated”?

If your car’s engine is running erratically, you’ve noticed increased smoke, fuel consumption has reached unprecedented highs, and sometimes it’s a real challenge to start it, it could be a signal that you have a problem with clogged fuel injectors or particulate filter. However, this does not necessarily mean high repair costs or the need to travel to a service center in all cases. Who can help in such cases?

Water and dirt plugs

Modern fuel systems are characterized by high efficiency, but at the same time require appropriate maintenance. For example, one of the most common problems, which is relevant not only for diesel, but also for gasoline car drivers, is clogged fuel injectors. Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber using very high pressure through extremely small holes in the nozzle, which is the most sensitive area.

These holes can be blocked by various impurities, even very small ones, in the form of dust, as well as water. Contamination can occur due to external factors, for example, when fuel is poured from metal or plastic containers. Also due to the natural wear and corrosion of the moving parts of the fuel system or the degradation of the fuel when it sits in the tank for a long time, this is especially relevant now that bio-additives are used in diesel.

At that time, moisture can enter the system with fuel, for example from the fuel filler cap, but it is not uncommon for it to form in the fuel tank due to the temperature difference and the small amount of fuel in it. Moisture acts as a corrosion catalyst and also directly clogs the fuel injectors themselves by forming water plugs that the system can no longer remove.

That there are unwanted problems in the fuel supply system can be understood by noticing the uneven operation of the engine, which may begin to jerk when pressing the accelerator pedal harder and to accelerate faster, as well as a noticeable increase in fuel consumption. However, if you notice these symptoms, it is not necessary to rush to the service center. Before that, you can try to clean the system.

For cleaning contaminated fuel systems, special cleaners have been developed that eliminate blockages caused by both dirt and moisture. When choosing cleaners, you should pay attention to whether they are aggressive or mild in action. Aggressive can “cause” dirt from the bottom of the fuel tank, as well as tear off corrosion particles from the walls of the system tubes, and in some cases, this causes more harm than good. Gentle ones work only on the place where the clog is and remove it.

“Such cleaners are very easy to use. It is enough to pour them into the tank together with fuel. After mixing with fuel, the cleaner enters the system and gets to work breaking down dirt and moisture. The cleaner breaks down the dirt into particles that easily fit through the nozzle and enter the combustion chamber, where they burn together with the fuel, and then leave through the exhaust system,” explains the principle of operation of the cleaners, Ramūnas Kieras, customer manager of Xado.

Dirt and moisture in the system do not appear suddenly, unless they enter immediately in large quantities, so drivers have two choices – to use cleaners prophylactically to maintain the hygiene of the fuel system, or to try to save the situation when the first symptoms of the problem are noticed.

Car “suffocating” solid particles

Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) have been causing all kinds of headaches for drivers ever since they started being used in diesel cars. Their main problem is clogging. When this happens, drivers have several options: replace the old filter with a new one, simply disassemble the clogged one, or clean it. If you remove the DPF instead of replacing it with a new one or cleaning it, you will not only be doing more damage to the environment, but it is also very likely that you will not be able to pass the mandatory technical inspection, during which the performance of the particulate filter is increasingly emphasized.

What are the main causes of clogging of this filter? It can simply be the natural operation of the car. The DPF filter usually lasts 300-500 thousand. kilometers, and if partial clogging is achieved, the filter is cleaned by regeneration. The life of the filter is shorter if the car is mainly operated in urban conditions, when driving short distances, the engine does not reach the operating temperature, therefore the exhaust system does not reach the required temperature and the soot does not burn. Another reason is a poorly functioning combustion or lubrication system. Unburnt fuel or oil entering the combustion chamber enters the DPF filter through the exhaust system and clogs it.

The consequences of this can have a negative impact on the normal operation of the car, that is, fuel consumption increases, the traction of the car decreases, and the emergency engine operation mode is activated. Sometimes the filter becomes so clogged that the engine cannot be started. Even in the worst case, the particulate filter can still be saved by cleaning it – using special cleaners.

“The DPF filter is like a honeycomb that gets clogged by dirt. A hard and very dense layer of soot forms there, which reduces and eventually even completely blocks the removal of exhaust gases. Special cleaners work precisely in this area. They are poured into the fuel tank, mix with them and enter the combustion system. It is here that the active action of the tools begins – during combustion, a chemical reaction takes place and the cleaner, in the form of gas, travels to the DPF filter, begins to break down the soot and is removed through the exhaust system,” explains Xado representative R. Kier.

If you notice that, even after recently cleaning, the DPF filter is signaling a possible blockage again, you should check whether the engine’s fuel supply and lubrication systems are working properly. If you don’t fix the problem, the particulate filter can become clogged very often. The cleaner can be used not only when symptoms of DPF filter clogging are already observed, but regularly. In the latter case, you will not only extend the life of this expensive component, but also ensure smoother engine operation.