Your car’s fuel system works with the rest of the engine control system to deliver the best performance with the lowest emissions. Check your car’s fuel system regularly or immediately if you smell gas or suspect a problem.

What does it do? - The fuel system transfers fuel from the fuel tank and passes it through a fuel filter for straining before it arrives at the injectors. A pressure regulator controls fuel pressure to ensure good engine performance under a variety of speed and load conditions. Fuel injectors, when activated, spray a metered amount of fuel into the engine. Some vehicles use a return line system to return unused fuel back to the tank.

No matter what type of fleet vehicles or commercial trucks you maintain, the fuel system on your diesel is an integral part of keeping you on the road. Gas systems are pretty simple - there’s basically just a pump that pushes gasoline to the injectors. Diesels are a bit more complicated.

Obviously, the dirtier your fuel system is, the bigger the improvement you will see in performance and fuel economy after a fuel system cleaning. But it is important not to wait until your system is running poorly. If you do, by the time you get a cleaning, you’ve wasted hundreds of dollars in gas or even possibly damaged your fuel injectors and catalytic converter.

At Glenn's Auto & Truck Repair in Petaluma, CA, we are here to maintain and repair your vehicle. We’re also here to help you keep your car, truck, or SUV in good shape and running strong. “Bad gas” is often cited as the cause for a variety of issues - but what does that mean, and what can you do?