injector rebuild

[danix]

Sent my injectors up to Oregon Fuel Injection Service in Eugene OR along with a set of new Bosch nozzles I ordered from Europe.
They came back very quickly, clean and ready to install.
Injectors are in, car runs better, zero smoke.
Just a recommendation if you're looking for a place to send yours to.

[grievousman]

Great to hear everything is running well and they did a good job on your injectors. I am curious if you replaced the copper washers on the injectors where they thread into the cylinder head and if so, where did you source the replacements. Thanks!

[danix]

Yes, they supplied new washers, fuel line, etc. I had ordered viton line but the cloth braided hose is much stiffer and so easier to install on the injectors since there is limited access.

[danix]

My "special" injector is leaking, the one with the wires (start of injection). Trying to figure out how/why...

[gadget73]

The place that tested mine told me they would not rebuild that one because it was likely to be damaged. I wonder if the seal on yours got damaged when it was rebuilt.

[danix]

Yeah I'm sending it back to find out. I've read that you can swap in a normal injector without the wires but the car has to be recalibrated.

[danix]

Shop confirmed (sort of) that it's leaking and they cannot get the replacement body for this injector.
I asked why it didn't leak when they tested and the theory is that they only test opening pressure, not complete end to end with return as it would be in the car (I'm not sure if other shops do this or not, seems like it would be a good idea though?)

It's possible that my injector was already leaking and I hadn't noticed, or that the rebuild process caused the leak. Either way, I have a line on a new injector with the wires in Europe and I'm pricing that out.

[gadget73]

Its kind of hard to run them beyond pop pressure. Unless you can provide more fuel to the injector than the pintle can flow out of it, pressure will stop increasing at whatever point it opens. Unless the IP has been modified, it shouldn't be able to provide more fuel than the injector can flow either.

Possible its just a volume thing. The injector fires something like 400 times per minute at idle, they aren't going to pop test the injector at that kind of speed or move that much fuel through them. Leaks tend to be fairly small so it takes a bit to notice there is actually something going on there.

[danix]

Shop called again. They put it on the pop tester overnight and saw no leakage anywhere, just a normal pressure drop for the amount of time it was on.
It's either that the pressure (or #cycles) is not enough to highlight the leak, or then my leak is something else, which could be what?
I replaced the return lines twice, the only other thought is that I have a burr or something in the top feed but I don't think so.

They're sending the injector back to me. I'm still searching for a new replacement.

[gadget73]

any damage to the flare on the line, or to the sealing surface on the injector could cause a leak. Dirt in there could also do it.

[danix]

I was lucky enough to find a 524td at Pick & Pull (junkyard). Yanked all 6 injectors and the one with the wires looks good.
For a car with 220k miles, the injectors looked better than my 49k mile injectors, but I'm still having the "special" one rebuilt with a new nozzle.
I'm tempted to try epoxy on the old one to see if it seals the leak but we'll see.
Oh, I also got the injection pump and ECU out of it.

[gadget73]

Any chance I could talk you into selling me the wastegate actuator and rod end from that thing? Mine is slightly buggered.

[danix]

I want to keep the pump intact, but those are on the turbo side right?
It's a good hour drive from me but I might be able to get back there on Saturday. Never a guarantee that anything will still be there but it's such an oddball I don't think anyone will have touched it.

[gadget73]

yeah its on the turbo. The small can looking thing with a short rubber hose. There is a clip holding the rod end to the turbo wastegate, and the actuator itself should unbolt from the turbo housing with I think 2 bolts.


Don't go out of your way but if you happen to be there pulling stuff, I'd muchly appreciate if you keep me in mind. I'm not in desperate need by any stretch since mine is working but I did have to make some repairs and having one that is undamaged wouldn't upset me. Its a weird enough car that having some spares of hard to find items doesn't upset me.

[danix]

I'll see if I can get back there tomorrow. There's a complete turbo on eBay for $150, which is about 2x the price at the junkyard (so not bad).

[danix]

Got my used injector rebuilt with the new nozzles - OFI were kind enough to not charge me for the extra work.
Installed and drove a bit today, so far so good.