Did your mechanic just tell you that it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world for you to have fuel system cleaning done? If you’ve never heard of this before, you might be under the impression that you don’t need to worry about scheduling this particular service. But the truth is that you should consider having fuel system cleaning performed on your car every so often. The fuel system cleaning cost is relatively low compared to other car maintenance services and will usually prove to be well worth it in the end. Let’s talk a little more about fuel system cleaning and what it entails before discussing fuel system cleaning and whether or not it would be worth it for you.
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What Is Fuel System Cleaning?
Over the years, the fuel systems inside of cars have changed quite a bit. Once upon a time, cars used to have carburetors in them that were responsible for feeding fuel to their engines. But those carburetors weren’t always all that efficient, which often led to cars burning through way more fuel than they should. As a result, car manufacturers responded by creating fuel injection systems that made it much easier for cars to figure out how much fuel to use, thus cutting down on the amount of fuel that cars went through on a regular basis.
The one downside of these fuel injection systems, though, was that it made it necessary for car owners to perform fuel system cleaning every now and then. Cleaning your car’s fuel system is important because it enables the system to continue to dish out the right amount of fuel each and every time you step down on the gas pedal in your car. And of course, there is a fuel system cleaning cost that comes along with the cleaning process.
During fuel system cleaning, a mechanic will remove any fuel and deposits that have built up inside of your system over time. They’ll also clean out intake valves and cylinder heads for you and perform a full flush of your fuel system. This process is designed to keep your car’s fuel system as efficient as it was when you first got your car.
Is Fuel System Cleaning Necessary?
There are some people out there who will try to tell you that fuel system cleaning isn’t necessary. And to some degree, they’re right. You don’t have to clean your fuel system as often as you change your oil or have your car’s alignment worked on. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t worry about doing fuel system cleaning at all.
If you don’t clean your fuel system every now and then, there are going to be deposits that build up in your fuel system that will cause you all kinds of problems. You might burn through way more fuel than you should when you have a dirty fuel system. You might also find that your car will stall out or struggle to accelerate in some cases. For these reasons, you should resist the urge to put fuel system cleaning on the back burner and speak with your mechanic more about your fuel system if they express any concerns about it.
How Often Should You Have Fuel System Cleaning Done?
Most mechanics agree that fuel system cleaning is a necessary part of the car maintenance process. But what they don’t always agree on is how often you should pay the fuel system cleaning cost to have your fuel system cleaned. There are different schools of thought on this based on which mechanics you talk to.
But generally speaking, most mechanics will tell you that you should consider doing your first fuel system cleaning job at somewhere around the 60,000-mile mark unless you see signs that you should do one sooner (we’ll discuss the signs that’ll show you that you need fuel system cleaning in a few moments). From there, you should work with your mechanic to make sure that you have fuel system cleaning done as necessary.
There isn’t a hard and fast rule for how often you may need to have fuel system cleaning performed on your car. It can vary depending on everything from the make and model of your car to your particular driving style. But just because there isn’t a rule in place doesn’t mean you should ignore fuel system cleaning altogether. It’s something that will need to be done periodically over time.
How Do You Know If You Need Fuel System Cleaning?
Although there isn’t really an exact mileage mark at which you’ll need to make sure fuel system cleaning gets done, there are a bunch of signs that’ll indicate that you need to take action and clean your fuel system. It’s your job to look out for these signs at all times when you’re behind the wheel of your car. Otherwise, you might end up driving around with a dirty fuel system for way longer than you should.
Here are some of the signs that’ll show you that you need to arrange to have fuel system cleaning done sooner rather than later:
- You’re filling up your car’s gas tank way more often than usual despite the fact that you’re not driving your car any differently
- Your car doesn’t seem to have the same power that it usually does when you’re driving it uphill
- Your car doesn’t always start up the first time you turn the key or it starts really rough almost every time
- Your car struggles to gain any momentum when accelerating
- Your engine gives you a spongy response when you step down on the gas pedal in your car
If you spot any of these signs and can’t remember the last time you took your car in for fuel system cleaning, that should tell you something. You’ll need to shoulder the fuel system cleaning cost to get your fuel system clean again so that you don’t experience any of these problems anymore.
What Are the Benefits of Fuel System Cleaning?
Having fuel system cleaning done will require you to drive your car down to your auto repair shop to get it worked on. It’ll also require you to factor the fuel system cleaning cost into your monthly budget. But you might not mind once you hear about all the great benefits that you’ll enjoy when you have fuel system cleaning performed.
For starters, you’ll increase the efficiency of your engine when you have fuel system cleaning done. You’ll put a whole lot less wear and tear on the various parts in your engine while achieving better gas mileage. You’ll also ensure that your car produces a lot less emissions than usual. This will make your car so much better for the planet than it was before. And overall, your car is going to perform better than ever once fuel system cleaning has been done. You’ll be able to feel the difference when you get behind the wheel and drive your car around.
Who Should You Trust to Do Fuel System Cleaning?
One of the best parts about having fuel system cleaning done is that you don’t need to take your car to a master mechanic with a wealth of experience to finish the job. The fuel system cleaning process is something that almost anyone with a little bit of experience with cars can do. That doesn’t mean you should trust just anyone to do it or try to do it yourself. But you can easily find someone who works on cars in your community to handle fuel system cleaning for a low fuel system cleaning cost.
Look around for auto shops in your area that specialize in performing routine car maintenance tasks. They should be more than happy to provide you with the fuel system cleaning services you need time and time again. They should also be able to set you up with them without subjecting you to a high fuel system cleaning cost. Search for a shop that offers fuel system cleaning for an affordable price.
How Long Does Fuel System Cleaning Take?
Another great thing about having fuel system cleaning done is that it’s not something that’s going to take hours on end for a mechanic to do. While it might sound like cleaning out the whole fuel system in your car would take a long time, it’s often a job that can be completed in less than 30 minutes in most cases.
To start, a mechanic will remove the fuel rail from your car, which includes things like your fuel injectors, hoses, and more, and scrub everything down. Then, they’ll allow your car’s engine to run so that the fuel injector nozzles get clean. That whole process will play out in a matter of just half an hour and keep your fuel system cleaning on the lower side.
If you happen to take your car in for fuel system cleaning service on a busy day, you could potentially have to wait a lot longer to have your fuel system cleaned. But the actual cleaning won’t take too long at all and will have you back behind the wheel of your car in no time.
What Does Fuel System Cleaning Cost?
At this point, you should know just about everything there is to know about fuel system cleaning. The only question you have left is: “What will fuel system cleaning cost me?” And you’ll be happy to know that the answer to this question is: “Not much at all!”
Every auto stop charges a slightly different price for fuel system cleaning. But you shouldn’t have to spend more than $100 to have your fuel system cleaned. In fact, you should only have to pay somewhere between $50 and $80 to have the fuel systems in most cars cleaned.
There is a chance that, while in the process of cleaning your fuel system, your mechanic may find that your fuel filter has gotten very dirty. They may suggest that you replace it for an additional $50 or so. But outside of that, there aren’t going to be many things that pop up and cause your fuel system cleaning cost to go any higher. You should be able to get in and out with your car without spending too much money at all.
Is Fuel System Cleaning Worth It?
There are some people who will try their best to get away with not doing fuel system cleaning. They don’t feel as though the fuel system cleaning cost is worth it to them. But as we’ve explained here, fuel system cleaning is well worth the price you’re going to be asked to pay for it. For well under $100, you can ensure your fuel system is clean and make your car more efficient overall.
You might want to be wary about having your fuel system cleaned every single time you go to have your car’s oil changed. Some unsavory mechanics might try to talk you into doing this, in which case it won’t be worth it every time. But if you haven’t had a chance to clean your fuel system in a while now and you have the opportunity to do it, it’ll definitely be worth the fuel system cleaning.
Can You Sell a Car That Hasn’t Had Fuel System Cleaning Done in Forever?
Do you know for a fact that you haven’t had fuel system cleaning done to your old car in a really long time? That might make you a little bit apprehensive when you go to get rid of it. Doesn’t it mean that your fuel system is going to be filthy, which might make it difficult to sell your car?
In some instances, yes. Someone might balk at the idea of paying you for a car if it doesn’t start right up due to a dirty fuel system or if it’s terrible on gas because the fuel system hasn’t been well-maintained. But you shouldn’t have any trouble selling a car to junk car buyers like Cash Cars Buyer, even if you haven’t kept up with paying the fuel system cleaning cost.
We would love to make you an offer for your car, regardless of what kind of condition your fuel system is in. Contact us now to see how much cash your car might be worth.