Back to all

Restore Your Get-Up-and-Go (Fuel and Air Induction Cleaning)

May 26, 2024

You may have heard the old saying, "My get-up-and-go got up and went." If your vehicle's engine's fuel economy is noticeably worse, your engine is idling roughly or stalling or your vehicle's acceleration isn't what it used to be, ask your service advisor if you might need your vehicle's fuel and air induction systems cleaned.

As the hours pile up on your engine, carbon deposits can build up.  It's not unusual for some of the impurities and additives in fuel to leave behind a black residue that eventually will negatively affect your fuel economy and performance. Maybe you're noticing your engine is harder to start, you hear knocking or pinging in your engine and your vehicle just doesn't have the pep it used to.

While it's a sophisticated process with a lot of components, a gasoline engine essentially produces power by drawing in air from the outside and mixing it with fuel in the cylinders where this blend of fuel and air is ignited by spark plugs in synchronized explosions.

The fuel and air enter your engine through the fuel induction system and air induction system. Because of things like high operating temperatures and impurities, carbon in the fuel can leave behind dark, sooty deposits in the fuel induction system such as the fuel injectors and the throttle body. These and other residue reduce your engine's efficiency and performance. Our service center can use special fuel injector cleaners to remove those deposits from your engine.

The technician may manually clean some of the deposits and also put a fuel additive in the fuel tank that will get rid of other deposits that are still in the fuel system

Keeping the air induction system clean is also important.  A technician can use a liquid cleaner specially designed for the job. Not only can this improve your fuel economy, it may also reduce exhaust emissions and help your engine last longer.

Most gasoline now contains detergents that help reduce or prevent these problems, but direct injection is now being used in more vehicles that are more susceptible to clogging. Ask your service advisor if your vehicle could benefit from fuel and air induction cleaning. 

Spartan Tire Brighton
4880 Old U.S. 23
Brighton, MI 48114
8102277377

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Spartan Tire Brighton

Today’s Headlights: Brighter, Smarter… and Harder to Replace

June 21, 2026

Maybe youre old enough to remember when headlights were essentially all the same on every vehicle. They were so cheap and easy to replace, most people could do it themselves. Those days are gone. Now, headlights put out more and better light and are more efficient. Those all contribute to bet... More

Tread Carefully: What Normal Tire Wear Looks Like

June 14, 2026

Every day we get in our vehicle and drive, we are putting wear and tear on our tires. Some wear is, of course, normal, but its important to know whats NOT normal. Not only can that alert you to potential safety issues, I can also save you money and fuel. Your tires tread (the part that contacts t... More

The Untold Truth About Blinker Fluid: Why Your Car Desperately Needs It

May 10, 2026

If youve been ignoring your dashboard, your mechanic, and that one guy at the gas station who muttered bro your blinkers sound dry, then buckle up because today we dive into the critical world of blinker fluid maintenance. What Is Blinker Fluid? Blinker fluid is a high-viscosity, luminescent com... More