Engine Injector Problems And What Causes It

Engine injectors are devices that are attached at the top of an engine cylinder whose job is to spray diesel is an atomized manner to allow easy combustion through compression of the piston. It is important that the diesel be atomized so that there is a large surface area for fuel to interact with oxygen to cause an efficient explosion within the combustion chamber.

These injectors are available in all diesel generators which range from 15kVA, 30kVA, 60kVA, 100kVA, 150kVA and above.

Problems That A Faulty Injector Might Cause

Injectors that are not working well will result in :

  • Increase in the level of lubricant oil in the sump tank
  • White smoke from your exhaust pipe
  • Higher than usual fuel consumption

Why Does An Injector Get Damaged?

Bad Fuel Quality

Injectors which are faulty are usually either jammed or clogged up. This is because of 2 things: Carbon deposits over time will gather at the nozzle’s head causing difficulty in spraying out diesel. This is a common problem which is why injectors need to be serviced or replaced over time. The cause of this is due to bad fuel quality. In Malaysia, our diesel is higher in sulphur content compared to our European counterparts, hence this problem is more prone to happen.

Even Worse Fuel Quality : Water In Fuel

Generators in construction sites in Malaysia usually have this kind of problem. The fuel is contaminated by water due to diesel being stored in oil drums which are porous or the cap is not closed properly. This allows rain water or splashes of water to enter the fuel. As a result, the water will enter the injectors, causing rust as seen in the photo below.

As you can see from the picture above, there is rust in the injectors.

What Should I Do?

Choose a good generator to begin with. Our generators have all the precaution steps taken to allow them to work even if there’s some water in the fuel.

Or, you can bring the injectors to the shop and service them so that they can be used again.