We love our engines
Rain lashed the shop windows that Tuesday morning when Dave rolled in with his 2012 Ford F-150—steam hissing from the hood like an angry cat. “Truck’s bucking like a rodeo bull since I filled up at Costco,” he grunted, wiping grease from his knuckles. I popped the hood to find oil splattered across the … Read more
Quick Answer: Clean your MAF sensor every 30,000 miles or when you notice rough idle, poor fuel economy, or hesitation on acceleration. Use only MAF-specific cleaner spray, never brake cleaner or carb cleaner. The 10-minute job costs $8-15 in supplies versus $150-300 at a shop. Tuesday morning, 7:45 AM. Mrs. Rodriguez pulls her 2018 Honda … Read more
Quick Answer: A carburetor rebuild kit typically costs $15–$60 and includes gaskets, jets, needles, seats, and O-rings needed to restore proper fuel delivery. Most DIYers can complete a rebuild in 2–4 hours with basic hand tools. Always match the kit to your exact carburetor model—Edelbrock, Holley, and Weber each require specific kits. It was a … Read more
Quick Answer Proper carburetor adjustment involves setting the idle speed, adjusting the air-fuel mixture screws, and tuning the accelerator pump. For most vehicles, start with a 1.5-2 turn out on the mixture screws, then fine-tune while listening to engine response and checking spark plug color. Always perform adjustments with the engine at operating temperature. A … Read more
It was a sweltering July afternoon in the shop when Old Man Jenkins rolled in with his 1967 Chevy Impala. The car was running rougher than a tractor, and the smell of raw gas hit me before he even popped the hood. “Fahim,” he said, wiping sweat off his brow, “she’s got the shakes … Read more
Last Tuesday, a regular customer rolled into my bay with his 2019 Honda Accord sputtering like it had asthma. Temperature gauge was climbing toward 90°F outside, and he’d already spent $340 at the dealership for “computer diagnostics” that found nothing. Misfires on cylinders 2 and 4, rough idle, and fuel economy had tanked … Read more
Quick Answer: DIY fuel injector cleaning can restore performance and fuel economy if the injectors are mildly clogged. The three methods that actually work are: using a quality fuel injector cleaner additive, performing on-car pressurized fuel rail cleaning, and off-car manual injector cleaning. The right method depends on mileage, symptoms, and how dirty … Read more
![How Much Does Fuel Injector Cleaning Cost? [DIY vs Pro]](https://vehiclebar.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/engine-repair-bg-04.webp)
Quick Answer: The average fuel injector cleaning cost ranges from $15–$40 for a DIY fuel additive, $40–$90 for an at-home pressurized cleaning kit, and $150–$350+ for professional on-car or ultrasonic injector cleaning. The right option depends on drivability symptoms, mileage, and how comfortable you are turning wrenches. That Cold Morning Misfire I’ll Never Forget It … Read more
It was a Tuesday morning, about 20 degrees outside, when Sarah rolled her 2016 Honda Civic into my bay with that unmistakable stumbling idle. She’d been dealing with it for three weeks, and now the check engine light had finally joined the party. “It feels like the car’s about to stall every time I stop … Read more
Opening: The Day Bad Gas Ruined a Perfectly Good Engine It was a sweltering Tuesday afternoon in July, the kind of heat that makes the pavement shimmer and turns your shop into a sauna. I was elbow-deep in a 2018 Toyota Camry’s fuel system when the phone rang. On the other end was a panicked … Read more