What Happens When You Don't Code Injectors? Problems and Solutions

If your vehicle has a fuel injector, you already know how crucial this car part is in the running of the engine. Your vehicle has probably stalled, and the mechanic comes from below the hood wiping his hands and proclaiming the injector is dead or faulty. If you have yet to learn what an injector is and how it operates, you will need to acquire some basic information on the same.

Engine repair mistakes highlights

• Level of importance:extremely important
• When done:DIY repairs or diagnostics
• Cost of mistake:$250 - $4,000
• How to avoid:professional inspections, getting help from mechanics
• Consequences:broken engine, need for engine replacement
• DIY solutions:not many

An overview of a fuel injector

An injector is a device commonly found in combustion engines. It is found in both diesel and gasoline engines, but the mechanism is a little different. The injector takes in fuel and atomizes it before ejecting it into the combustion chamber.

The injector has to spray a definite amount of fuel into the combustion chamber at a precise moment. It is found at the top of the engine head, but the tip is inside the combustion chamber. The ejecting of fuel by the injector works in harmony with the piston's downward stroke, which creates a vacuum.

In earlier days, the injector was simply a plug-and-play device that didn't require much work or expertise to install in a vehicle. Today, the engine Control Module (ECM) controls the fuel injector. With the increase in ECU-controlled injectors, the term injector coding has become more common.

What is injector coding?

Injector coding is also referred to as injector programming. Injector coding is when the ECM requires programming to recognize and operate newly installed injectors in your car. Injector coding involves adjusting injector pulse width, timing, and other parameters to ensure the injector performs at its most optimal capacity. Injector coding also ensures the engine's smooth running and superior fuel consumption efficiency.

Injector coding provides a direct connection between the physical injector itself and the ECM of the vehicle. The coding identifies the injector's operating tolerances and generates a series of digits that the ECM can understand. The ECM will thereafter deliver fuel to the injector in the exact amount required and at the precise moment such fuel is needed.

Injector coding is now common in the now-growing common rail technology. This coding has helped push the popularity of high-performance injectors in the market. It is worth noting that injector coding has played a significant role in helping vehicle manufacturers make vehicles that adhere to modern emissions regulations.

Is it really necessary to do injector coding?

Injector coding is a process that involves picking data in the ECM and using such data to calibrate the injector to enhance the injector's performance. The information from the ECM includes things such as the opening and closing time or the fuel flow rate to the injector. The ECM will thereafter control, to precision, the flow of fuel and the amount going into the injector. It is necessary to have injectors coded today because;

• The modern fuel injector in vehicles come equipped with sensors. Coding is necessary because these sensors communicate with the ECM to help the latter monitor the injector's performance and general status. The ECM is also capable of detecting any defect that may happen on the injector, and it will be able to take immediate action. This measure helps prevent any serious engine damage.
• The second reason is that the injector must deliver an exact amount of fuel into the combustion chamber at the right time. The programming of the injectors is necessary to ensure that the engine doesn't receive excess or less fuel for its operation. Only by coding can the ECM properly control the whole operation.

What happens when you don't code injectors?

Injector programming or coding needs to be done by a professional. Failure to code the injectors or doing it wrong comes with a number of repercussions. In many cases, the damage done is severe, but you might be lucky and get away with relatively cheaper consequences. Here is what will happen if you program the injectors wrong or skip doing it at all;

1) Engine misfire

Injector coding means the injector will deliver the exact quantity of fuel when required. If coding has yet to be done, the injector will deliver the wrong amount of fuel at the wrong time, and this will cause the engine to misfire. The misfire happens because the air-fuel mixture is unbalanced.

2) Engine overheating

An insufficient supply of fuel to the engine can cause it to overheat. An incorrectly coded injector is likely to deliver less fuel than needed by the engine, and this will cause the engine to strain. When the injector sends less fuel to the combustion chamber, it will be forced to overwork. The shortage of fuel in the engine means some of the pistons will not be working or will be misfiring, leaving the rest to work twice as hard to compensate for the nonperforming pistons. The overworking of the pistons will cause the engine to overheat.

3) Poor fuel efficiency

The injector can send more fuel to the combustion chamber leading to lower than the optimal fuel efficiency. This problem will be noted over time. In some cases, a driver might not notice the poor fuel economy, especially if they are unaware that injectors need coding. They may, however, notice poor engine performance combined with a thirst for fuel. You will likely notice the anomaly if you recently replaced your vehicle's injector.

4) Engine damage

Too much fuel in the combustion chamber can result in a damaged engine. Failure to program the injector or coding it wrong can cause some costly damage to the engine. Too much fuel in the engine can cause a sudden surge in the engine, and this causes the accelerator to be much slower than normal. Another symptom of this problem is a noticeable change in RPM when the vehicle is with a load. 

5) The engine won't start

By not coding the injector, you risk having an unresponsive engine. The ECU may fail to recognize the newly installed injector, which can cause it to shut down the fuel supply. This is a risky problem if you are unaware that injectors require coding. This is because you will likely start all manner of diagnostic tests before you pinpoint where the problem is.

6) Excessive emissions

A bad injector will likely cause the combustion process to be less than efficient, leading to excessive harmful emissions. If your vehicle is subjected to a mandatory government emissions test, you will likely end up with a monumental fine on your hands.

What to do when your car's injector is not coded?

A bad injector should throw a code in the Diagnostic Control Module (DTC). This will then trigger a warning light on the dashboard. Usually, the check engine light will appear on the dashboard. It is, therefore, unwise to ignore the check engine warning light. Continued usage of the vehicle, even when the warning light is illuminated, may lead to you incurring a monumental repair bill or even a government fine.

The trick to diagnosing a coding injector problem is using a diagnostic scanner compatible with your vehicle. Some OBDII scanners might not be able to read the codes sent by your car's DTC. For this reason, you should seek a professional mechanic's help.

With the right scanner, though, you will be able to read the injector codes. However, you may not have the expertise or the specifics of what is required to be done to program your car's injector.

What injectors require coding?

Technology is at such an advanced stage that modern cars are equipped with a plethora of sensors to enhance vehicle performance. The ECU or the ECM is designed to pick these readings and data to enable it to send control signals to the various systems. This means modern vehicles with increasing AI technology features have injectors that require coding. New injectors have to be coded.

Secondhand or aftermarket injectors can be coded or plug-and-play, depending on your vehicle's ECM. Older cars don't require any calibration to be compatible with an injector. Many of the older cars only require you to install the injector right, and everything is set. For newer vehicles, however, you will need to confirm with a professional whether injector coding is necessary.

Conclusion

An injector plays a crucial role in the running of the engine and the overall performance and operation of the vehicle. Coding the injector ensures that your vehicle performs at an optimal level. After coding, you will frequent the gas station less, the engine will be alive, and you will most certainly be happy with the vehicle's performance.