Know the Difference: 4 Types of Diesel Fuel Injectors on the Market and the Best Option for Your Vehicle

To ensure peak performance, you need to invest in proper care and maintenance. Give your vehicles a little TLC now and then. Not only does it help keep your vehicles in pristine condition, but it also keeps your wallet full. 

The most important parts of the vehicle to maintain for proper fuel efficiency and delivery is your engine, and maintenance goes beyond filling it up with the best fuel. You also need to ensure that you install good-quality fuel injectors to ensure fuel is delivered at the right time and with good efficiency. Check out quickbitz.

When you’re in the market for a diesel fuel injector, chances are you’ll come across various types as well as different conditions. It’s vital to keep yourself informed of the difference and the industry lingo, so you put your money on products that are of value and quality. 

For diesel car owners, you can choose between new, refurbished, remanufactured, and OEM. Which is good? Which promises quality and longevity? Which is affordable? Is it a must to buy new? These are all valid concerns and questions to have before you make a purchase. Which should you go for? Each option comes with its pros and cons, and it’s imperative to know the differences between these four options, as it helps you match the right fuel injector to the car’s needs. 

1. New injectors

As the name suggests, new injectors are injectors that are fresh off the manufacturing factory but, above all, never been used. It’s factory direct with all its newness and shininess. Some of the famous brands manufacturing injectors are Bosch, CAT, Cummins, GM, or Delphi. The benefit of purchasing a new injector is that it comes with a certificate of authentication and two to three years of manufacturer’s warranty. New injectors can only be purchased through specific dealers. 

2. OEM injectors

OEM injectors are injectors that are taken apart piece by piece and examined for quality control. Once done, they are reassembled back together. During the rebuilding process, completely updated and new components are used. OEM injectors’ purpose is to focus on the replacement of solenoids, plungers, injector nozzles, and valves. Everything is new except for the injector’s main body, which can be found in plastic, steel, or carbon fiber. 

When purchasing OEM manufacturers, if they aren’t a 3rd party rebuilder, test the newly rebuilt injector for wear. Manufacturers such as Bosch, Delphi, and even Cummins offer tests, and the rebuilding process follows strict guidelines to ensure that they meet OEM specifications. For OEM injectors, these usually come with a warranty of two-year unlimited mileage. 

3. Refurbished injectors

Refurbished injectors are the kinds of injectors removed from working diesel engines, cleaned thoroughly, and inspected again to ensure it meets or even exceeds all the original OEM requirements and recommendations. Provided they are still in good condition and meets the OEM quality standards after testing, these injectors are tagged as refurbished and sold at a much lower price because they are deemed used. These injectors come with a 1-year unlimited mileage warranty, making them a preferred choice for those looking for a bargain. If you’re looking for refurbished injectors, here‘s a great contractor you can use to get refurbished parts for your diesel engine. 

4. Remanufactured injectors

Plenty of diesel-engine enthusiasts or diesel-engine vehicle owners often get the terms remanufactured and refurbished confused. Most think it’s the same thing. Remanufactured diesel fuel injectors are different from refurbished ones due to the way they have been dismantled and used again. For remanufactured injectors, they are completely disassembled, they are inspected for wear, and they are rebuilt using new parts. 

If you’re looking for remanufactured engines, you need to be wary of the dealers you want to engage with or the shop you’re buying from. Some auto dealers don’t go through the guidelines for dismantling, inspecting, and rebuilding the right way. Once it’s rebuilt, these remanufactured injectors must be rigorously tested, so that they meet the OEM requirements and ensure they can withstand the vehicle’s operations daily. 

Now that you know the types and conditions of fuel injectors available, what kind is suitable for your vehicle? 

Which injector should you get for your vehicle?

While it does make sense to purchase a new diesel fuel injector, remanufactured, refurbished, and even OEM is actually good-quality, provided they come from good-quality dealers and manufacturers. Here are some points to consider:

1. The level of wear and tear

Of course, with brand-new injectors, they don’t have any wear and tear. If you have the budget and you prefer having everything brand-new, then new injectors are the way to go. Refurbished injectors are still added value, especially if your engine itself isn’t new and it has seen a few years of wear. Refurbished injectors are cheaper and still good for plenty of applications since they are tested to ensure they meet the OEM standards. 

2. The level of OEM quality standards

Remanufactured injectors are ideal for vehicle owners who have in-depth knowledge of car parts, and those who have industry connections to know that the parts used to reassemble a remanufactured injector are of OEM quality. Think of a remanufactured injector like a deconstructed dessert – you know what it’s supposed to look like and feel like as a brand-new item, so a ‘deconstructed’ version made up of OEM parts will perform equally well to a new injector, as long as these guidelines are met. Remanufactured injectors are excellent for those who know their vehicles in and out and can troubleshoot an engine problem in case it happens. 

3. The level of stress you can take on

Let’s face it – new parts come with fewer problems, and this is an ideal situation for first-time diesel engine vehicle owners. You need to know the state of performance of a brand-new engine with brand-new parts before you take the plunge to get a modified engine with modified parts. If you’re planning to get refurbished or remanufactured parts, you need to get them from reputable dealers. If you’re a diesel-engine junkie, tinkering with remanufactured or refurbished parts is part of the thrill of having a modified engine. But then, if you prefer a straightforward approach to your engine parts, stick with new injectors. 

Let’s get into the final part about fuel injectors – when to replace them. 

When should you replace your diesel fuel injectors?

As much as diesel engines are generally low-maintenance, their injectors, on the other hand, have a shorter lifespan. Diesel fuel injectors should be replaced at an adequate rate to ensure peak performance. Most fuel injectors come with a life expectancy of 100,000 miles. 

Once you hit this mark, it’s time to take your vehicle to a professional mechanic of the manufacturer’s garage to get your engine and injectors checked. That said, the life expectancy of these diesel fuel injectors also depends greatly on how you use your vehicle, the basic maintenance you do, and how often you use/drive your vehicle. The more often you use your vehicle, the sooner you’d have to get it checked for signs of wear. 

Check out this page where Roadcartel provides a strong analysis in an article titled Do fuel injector cleaners work? They discuss what does fuel injector cleaner do and how they may help your car.

Here are some signs of wear to look out for: 

• Your engine frequently stalls, or there’s rough idle.

A rough idle can occur when a vehicle isn’t getting enough or an uneven supply of fuel, or when the RPM is low while the car is idling, or when it stops below the required level. Another element to look out for is when the RPM does go even lower, the engine ends up stalling, and you’ll have to restart your car. 

• Your engine misfires

A clogged injector results in insufficient fuel dispersion. This will misfire your engine when driving. Your vehicle will struggle to achieve speed, and there may be times when you’ll need to give it a pause before you step on the gas pedal again. The fuel injection needs to be replaced as soon as possible when you experience this because the longer you delay, the higher the engine’s chances of overheating. 

• There’s a fuel leak.

There will be a fuel leak if your fuel injector is broken or cracked. This results in an inefficient fuel distribution to the engine, and the engine won’t run smoothly. With fuel leaks, you’ll also smell fuel odor from your vehicle.  

• You’ll experience terrible fuel efficiency.

When the engine doesn’t receive enough fuel for combustion, the burden will fall on the injectors to supply more fuel. This is already a bad fuel economy because the vehicle’s ECU thinks that it needs excess fuel. 

• You’ll notice exhaust smoke.

Another clear indication of a broken, damaged, clogged, or leaking fuel injector is the terrible amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. If you notice this, this is another clear sign that your fuel injectors need to go.