The fuel system delivers fuel at the right pressure and in the right amount, and when any part of it drifts you get hard starting, hesitation, a misfire or a car that quits. AutoTech Clinic tests fuel pressure and volume, checks injector performance and repairs fuel system faults at our shop on Michigan Ave in Dearborn.
A fuel problem and an ignition problem feel very similar from the driver seat. Testing is what separates them, and it is why we measure pressure and volume rather than replacing a pump on a hunch.
- How Long
- From about 2 hours for injectors to most of a day for an in-tank fuel pump.
- Same Day
- Time frame confirmed before you leave the car.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Fuel System and Fuel Injection
- The engine cranks longer than usual before it starts
- Hesitation or a stumble when you accelerate
- The car loses power or stalls climbing a ramp or under load
- A whining noise from the fuel tank area
- A strong fuel smell around the vehicle
- Lean or rich codes and fuel trims pushed to their limits
What We Do
- 01
Test Pressure and Volume
We measure fuel pressure at the rail and volume over time. A pump can hold pressure at idle and still fail to deliver enough volume under load.
- 02
Read the Fuel Trims
Long and short term fuel trims tell us whether the engine is adding or removing fuel to compensate, and that points at the cause quickly.
- 03
Check the Injectors
We test injector resistance and watch injector pulse, and look at spray pattern where the engine design allows it.
- 04
Inspect the Supply Side
Filters, lines, the tank strainer and the pump wiring and ground all affect delivery. A corroded ground can look exactly like a failing pump.
- 05
Repair and Retest
After the repair we retest pressure and volume, confirm fuel trims return to normal and road test under load before the car goes back.
Direct Injection Needs Different Care
Most newer engines spray fuel straight into the cylinder at very high pressure. That is efficient, but it means no fuel washes over the back of the intake valves, so carbon builds up there over time. The symptoms are a rough cold idle, a misfire and a loss of power.
The fix is a carbon cleaning service rather than a fuel system part, and it is something we check for on direct injection engines before replacing anything.
Fuel Pumps Rarely Fail Without Warning
Most of the pumps we replace gave notice: a longer crank in the morning, a whine from the tank, a stumble under hard acceleration. Drivers often get used to those slowly until the day the car does not start.
If you are hearing a whine from the back of the car or cranking longer than you used to, it is worth a pressure test now rather than a tow later.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Whether the fault is the pump, the injectors, the filter or the wiring
- In-tank pumps, which often require dropping the tank on Michigan vehicles with rusted straps
- Direct injection systems, which have both a low and a high pressure pump
- How many injectors are affected
- Whether contaminated fuel has damaged multiple parts
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.