Is it bad to drive a diesel with a bad injector?
If you've noticed symptoms of injector failure while driving, don't delay! While the risk of severe engine damage is relatively low, it's not impossible. More importantly, replacing a bad fuel injector will improve the fuel economy, engine power, and overall drivability of your vehicle.
Engine Stalling
If too little fuel is reaching the combustion chamber, the ECU will stop the engine, causing a stall. Engine stalling as a result of a failed injector normally occurs when the nozzles are badly blocked or when there's a fuel leak where the injector connects with the fuel lines.
Fluctuating power.
If your vehicle is revving inconsistently or your RPM gauge is up and down, this may be a sign your fuel injector needs a clean. A contaminated fuel injection system or worn fuel injector can often supply inconsistent amounts of fuel to the engine, resulting in poor performance.
You can drive at least 5,000 miles or more with a bad fuel injector. But you should avoid driving with a bad fuel injector as it can damage other parts of the fuel system. You should not ignore bad fuel injector symptoms.
On average, you can expect to pay between $350 and $850 to replace your fuel injectors. The range of costs depends on a number of factors. Smaller vehicles with fewer cylinders requiring less expensive parts will come in at the lower end of the spectrum. Larger, high-performance engines will command a higher price tag.
You're probably wondering just how you know when to replace your injectors. Here are a few things that can indicate it might be time to have your common rail injectors looked at. One symptom you might notice right away is poor fuel efficiency. You might also see blue smoke coming out of your exhaust.
Rough Idling/Irritating Idle Noise
Typically, a car delivers a subtle rumble when at idle. If you notice that the sound has gone from low to a rough and unpleasant noise, it may be a sign of bad fuel injectors.
How Often Should Injectors Be Replaced? On average, diesel fuel injectors should be replaced every 95,000 miles. Of course, several factors go into play such as operating conditions, the load being put on the engine, and the quality of fuel used.
Once the injectors itself or the filter basket becomes clogged, no amount of intake or fuel rail induced injector cleaner will resolve the problem. The only and most effective way to deal with a clogged fuel injector is to remove it from the engine and have them professionally cleaned.
Any external fuel injector leaks such as a cracked fuel injector body or bad fuel injector O-rings can cause an engine fire at any given time.
Can you replace one diesel injector?
Replacing one does not save effort.
Any diesel vehicle professional will not be inconvenienced by having to install a set of injectors. If you are installing them at home, it may feel like more effort at first. But the more you do it, you will prefer to quickly install new injectors together.