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Average rating for Fuel system clean
4.7 • based on 6 reviews of 6 businesses
Petrol and diesel vehicles can get a build-up of dirt, grime and carbon deposits inside the fuel system. A fuel system clean is similar to a fuel injector clean except it’s a more powerful clean for the system. A fuel system clean will remove water and fuel deposits, clean and lubricate injectors, valves, rings, cylinder heads and combustion chambers. The throttle body and throttle plate/butterfly valve will typically be cleaned of dirt and grime at the same time.
A fuel system clean is carried out as a maintenance task or when a vehicle is running rough. The chemicals in the fuel system cleaner have a way of vanishing the nasties that can cause fuel system problems, but it’s not a magical cure for all fuel system problems. It can also help in removing contaminants and carbon build up in the fuel tank, fuel pump and fuel filter however it doesn’t eliminate the need to replace the fuel filter which still needs to be done at the specified time and kilometre interval.
Petrol and diesel engines run on fuel, and need the correct air-fuel ratio to provide optimal engine combustion - known as a clean burn. If that fuel supply is contaminated or isn’t flowing at the correct rate then it can foul the spark plugs, provide the incorrect quantity of fuel to the engine, produce an unclean burn and worst-case scenario, lead to engine failure.
A clean fuel system is ideal for vehicle reliability and smoother driving.
Some mechanics will also add fuel system cleaner into the fuel tank and in some cases the engine oil, this is to get a more thorough clean throughout the system. It will depend on the type of cleaner they are using. Ideally, the mechanic will also clean the throttle body.
The vehicle may run rough after a fuel system clean and blow smoke out of the exhaust, this should right itself after a short drive. If it continues then take it back to the mechanic.
A professional mechanic may take 30 mins to 2 hours to carry out a fuel system clean. The time depends on how thorough the clean is and how long it takes to run the cleaner through the system.
If the fuel system clean is performed as a regular maintenance task then the cost won’t be too high, but if the vehicle has a history of performance issues, then more time may be needed to assess the fuel system. The cost can range from 10’s of dollars and move up into the hundreds to clean the fuel system.
If a vehicle has had the wrong fuel added to the fuel tank or someone vandalised the car by putting a foreign substance into the fuel tank and then driven, an entire fuel system clean will need to be carried out. The vehicle would need to be towed to a workshop and a mechanic would need to assess the damage and quote the repair based on the work involved.
A qualified mechanic can carry out a fuel system clean. They can do this in a workshop or a mobile mechanic can come to the car and carry out a fuel system clean. If you are looking for mechanics that do fuel system cleans AutoGuru offers a choice of mechanics with customer reviews to compare and book.
LUD Automotive & Performance
Tomi was very honest and straight up about the work that needed to be done. I appreciate the service and effort he put in. The car is now running as smoothly as ever, great work done quickly.
SAE Automotive
Great service from SAE. They were prompt, Professional and fixed my problem in a couple of hours. It was a complicated problem and over the Christmas period. They bent over backwards to solve my problem and cannot thank them enough for getting me back on the road. The cost was very reasonable comparing it with other quotes. I will be using Scott and Jay again for all my servicing and mechanical services.
THL Auto Service
Lube Mobile Sydney
On time, friendly and honest service. Corey was very professional.
Noel's Progress Road Pitstop
Great communication Always asked before fixing anything that the car was not in for in the first place, great guys.
