An intermitting vehicle, poor fuel consumption, trouble starting the engine and general poor performance all point to a potential need for an EFI service.

Electronic Fuel Injection systems (EFI) in modern vehicles consist of a high pressure fuel delivery system controlled by a specialised electronic control unit, or ECU.

As many as thirty or more sensors constantly update the data available to the ECU at any given time. The ECU uses this data to determine the correct mixture of air and fuel the engine requires in order for it to perform most efficiently. This can help reduce fuel costs and minimise exhaust emissions, making regular checks of the EFI system well worth the effort even if there are no apparent problems.

If you are experiencing unusually poor fuel economy, it seems the car ‘runs rough' when idling or has developed a classic backfire there is a very good chance that there could be a problem with your EFI, or Electronic Fuel Injection System.

Another classic sign that your electronic fuel injection may need a service is when the engine runs for a short while after switching off the ignition. An apparent increase in fuel use or noticeable decrease in performance may also be related to an EFI issue.

EFI Service is required whenever a car does not seem to be running at its peak efficiency or when you feel it's fuel economy seems to have dropped. Carbon deposits can form on the engine valves, and their reduced performance ability leads to increased fuel consumption.

Fuel additive type cleaners do not effectively fix the problem as they only clean the injectors and do remove the carbon build which can build up in the more crucial areas of the fuel system. Any benefit you do get from such products is usually marginal and generally short lived.

A good Electronic Fuel Injection service, carried out by qualified mechanics, will ensure that the catalytic converter, the fuel and intake systems, engine valves and combustion chambers are all properly cleaned and are in good condition.

• Thompsons Auto Repairs use special computer diagnostic equipment to test your car's ECU (electronic control unit). The ECU is essentially a central computer which controls (amongst other things) the fuel injection process by taking information from the many sensors spread throughout the vehicle and making “decisions” based on pre-programmed inputs. The ECU can ‘self-diagnose' faults and send out special fault codes which our diagnostic scan equipment is then able to extract and interpret.
• Quite often, the ECU is being given ‘wrong' information by faulty sensors or other environmental factors and this is when we have to call upon our expert knowledge and advanced diagnostic training to correctly identify the problem.
• Electronic probe testing and visual inspections can be made of your car's sensors, throttle valve, fuel filter, fuel pump and fuel injectors to make sure they are working correctly
• Any leaks must be identified and repaired without delay - Air leaks will seriously affect performance and fuel economy and can cause severe damage to engine components. It goes without saying you don't want fuel leaking out either!
• Over time, Fuel lines, filters and valves can become clogged with contaminants or tank sediments so they'll need to be cleaned and on occasion replaced. Where necessary, some components can be unclogged using special flushing compounds.
• Sensors (or the lines connecting them to the ECU) which are faulty or damaged may need to be fixed or replaced. While your car technically might be able to function without some of these sensors, they all keep track of information that is vital to the efficiency, performance and safety of your vehicle. Your engines ECU may prevent running of the vehicle until they are functioning correctly or it may trigger the vehicle into a state of basic operation known as ‘limp mode'

When your cars electronic control unit (ECU) encounters data which is incorrect (or outside of known value ranges) or which it cannot process, it will set a fault code and initiate some form of warning. When such problems occur in major vehicle systems it can trigger what is known as 'Limp Mode'. As the Fuel system of a car is considered a major system, faulty or failing sensor or lines may trigger this safety function.

Limp Mode is designed to allow you to get a car to a safe location (off the road) and can protect both you and the car from serious problems that could arise from continued 'normal' operation of the vehicle. If you find your car enters limp mode you should pull over immediately and get it checked over by a qualified mechanic asap, even if the computer 'resets' itself. Cars can act quite erratically in Limp Mode.

Thompsons Auto Repairs can help diagnose if the issue is an EFI related problem or if you need to look elsewhere for the cause of the cars behaviour.

Thompsons Auto Repairs mechanics are Auto-Tech trained and use the right equipment to ensure the best results for your car.

For Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) service in the Port Pirie area, bring your car into Thompsons Auto Repairs. We provide high quality EFI servicing and can help you sort out many fuel and electronic fuel injector related problems.