GDI • TFSI • MPI • Piezo • Flow Testing • Ultrasonic Cleaning
Professional Fuel Injector Testing
Fuel injectors are precision components. Their condition cannot reliably be determined simply by looking at them or by assuming that an injector which operates electrically is working correctly.
TuningWorx provides professional petrol fuel injector testing, cleaning and assessment using specialist test equipment.
Injectors are tested individually so that their operation and fuel delivery can be compared across the complete set.
Where cleaning is appropriate, the injectors are then retested so that the results can be compared with their condition before cleaning.
Testing Before Cleaning
We believe it is important to establish the condition of the injectors before attempting to improve them.
Depending on the injector type and application, testing can include:
- Electrical operation
- Injector activation
- Spray pattern
- Leakage
- Flow rate
- Injector balance
- Low-speed operation
- Higher-demand operation
- Response under different test conditions
This allows us to identify problems that would otherwise be hidden by simply cleaning the complete set.
Injector Flow Testing
Correct fuel delivery is about more than the total amount of fuel an injector can flow.
A set of injectors should also deliver fuel consistently relative to one another.
An injector which flows significantly differently from the others can affect mixture distribution between cylinders even when the engine management system appears to be operating normally.
Testing the complete set allows us to assess both individual injector performance and balance across the engine.
Spray Pattern Assessment
The way an injector atomises and distributes fuel is an important part of its operation.
Deposits and contamination can affect the spray pattern even where the injector still appears to deliver an acceptable quantity of fuel.
Depending on the injector and test procedure, spray characteristics are assessed as part of the overall injector condition.
Injector Leakage Testing
An injector should seal correctly when it is closed.
An injector that leaks or drips can contribute to:
- Difficult starting
- Rich running
- Poor idle
- Increased fuel consumption
- Fuel contamination of engine oil
- Excessive emissions
- Cylinder-specific running problems
Leakage testing therefore forms an important part of injector assessment.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Where appropriate, injectors can be cleaned using ultrasonic equipment.
Ultrasonic cleaning helps remove contamination and deposits which may affect injector operation.
Depending on the injector type and construction, the cleaning process can also include forward and reverse flushing.
Cleaning is not treated as proof of repair.
The injectors are retested afterwards to determine whether their performance has actually improved.
Before & After Results
The important question isn't whether an injector has been through a cleaning machine.
It is whether its performance improved.
Our testing process allows us to compare injector operation before and after cleaning.
Where appropriate, the report can show the improvement in measured fuel delivery as well as the condition of the individual injectors within the set.
This also allows us to identify an injector which remains outside an acceptable range after cleaning.
Injector Test Report
Injector sets tested by TuningWorx can be supplied with a test report recording the results of the work carried out.
The report can include:
- Vehicle identification
- Injector identification
- Test pressure
- Initial test results
- Final test results
- Before and after flow measurements
- Spray-pattern assessment
- Leakage assessment
- Cleaning operations carried out
- Replacement service components
- Photographs taken during testing
This provides a useful record of the injector condition rather than simply returning a cleaned set with no measured evidence of the result.
GDI & TFSI Direct Injectors
Gasoline Direct Injection systems operate under very different conditions from conventional port fuel injection.
GDI injectors are exposed directly to the combustion chamber and can be affected by deposits, contamination, leakage and changes in spray characteristics.
We test and service supported direct-injection systems including applications commonly described as:
- GDI
- FSI
- TFSI
- TSI
- Direct Injection
The available test and service procedure depends on the particular injector.
Port Fuel Injectors
Conventional multi-point and port fuel injectors can also suffer from contamination, restricted flow, poor spray pattern and imbalance.
These injectors are particularly suitable for comparative flow testing because the complete set can be assessed under the same operating conditions.
Where appropriate, service components such as filter baskets, pintle caps and seals can also be replaced.
Piezo Injectors
Piezoelectric injectors require different handling and test procedures from conventional solenoid injectors.
We support selected petrol piezo injector applications using appropriate test procedures and equipment.
Because injector construction varies considerably, suitability is confirmed from the injector identification before testing.
Injector Service Components
Depending on the injector type and application, servicing may include replacement of components such as:
- Filter baskets
- Pintle caps
- Top and bottom O-rings
- Teflon seals
- Spacers
- Rubber head seals
- Injector hose
Not every injector uses all of these components.
Parts are replaced where appropriate to the particular injector and service being carried out.
Cleaning Cannot Repair Every Injector
Not every injector problem is caused by contamination.
An injector may have an electrical fault, internal wear, mechanical damage or another defect that cleaning cannot correct.
For this reason, we don't guarantee that every injector presented for cleaning can be restored to satisfactory operation.
Testing before and after cleaning allows us to determine whether the service has produced a measurable improvement.
Where an injector remains defective, we will identify it rather than simply returning the set as “cleaned”.
Performance & Modified Engines
Injector condition becomes particularly important on performance and modified engines.
An injector which is adequate at light load may become a limiting factor as fuel demand increases.
Because TuningWorx also carries out ECU calibration and rolling-road development, injector performance can be considered as part of the complete engine calibration rather than as an isolated component.
Where fuel delivery is insufficient for the required engine output, the correct solution may be injector replacement or upgrading rather than attempting to compensate for inadequate hardware through ECU calibration.
Mail-In Injector Testing
Injectors can be sent directly to us for testing and servicing.
When sending injectors, include:
- Your name and contact details
- Vehicle registration
- Vehicle make and model
- Engine details
- Reason for testing
- Details of any known running problem
For unusual injectors, contact us first with the injector part number and clear photographs so that we can confirm whether we have the appropriate test equipment and procedure.
Injector Testing Enquiries
If you're experiencing poor running, injector imbalance or suspect fuel-delivery problems, contact us with the vehicle registration and details of the symptoms.
For performance applications, also tell us about any engine modifications and the intended power level.
We can then determine the appropriate injector testing procedure.