Author Topic: Injectors: Name this problem (pics inside) (Read 3979 times)

zagarus · « **on:** January 02, 2008, 06:34:20 pm »

Well i got around to taking out my injectors in preparation for sending my fuel pump and injectors to Giles for him to work his magic. Now can someone tell me why injector #3 (second one from driver side) is all black and oily? Is there some unknown issue within the engine head that im not aware of or is it just a faulty heat shield with that particular injector?

Hopefully its nothing serious and is an easy fix but here are the pictures of the injectors as they came out.

jimfoo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 02, 2008, 06:46:08 pm »

Could the head be cracked from the injector hole over to the oil return?

subsonic · « **Reply #2 on:** January 02, 2008, 06:46:20 pm »

How was it running beforhand? Leaky injector? If it is a leaky injector it would be interesting to see what that cyl / piston looks like. If you have or know someone with a pop tester, see if it holds with out leaking just below the pop preasure.

zagarus · « **Reply #3 on:** January 02, 2008, 07:05:09 pm »

Quote from: "jimfoo"

Could the head be cracked from the injector hole over to the oil return?

ID have to take off the head to see that wouldnt i?

Quote from: "subsonic"

How was it running beforhand? Leaky injector? If it is a leaky injector it would be interesting to see what that cyl / piston looks like. If you have or know someone with a pop tester, see if it holds with out leaking just below the pop preasure.

As for how it was running beforehand...Heres a video clip of how it idled before it went to sleep for good this winter.

im hoping its just a sticky injector. I had the nozzles replaced with AAZ nozzles last feb and for some reason in the back of my mind i dont think they tested or calibrated anything, just plunked them in and took my money.

subsonic · « **Reply #4 on:** January 02, 2008, 07:54:25 pm »

White smoke, sounded like it was skipping a bit, sounds like an injector. If they where not pop tested after replacement, you could have had a bad nozzle, it can happen. Part of the pop testing checks that, it will also checks holding preassure without leaking.

blkboostedtruck · « **Reply #5 on:** January 02, 2008, 08:04:12 pm »

maybe do a compression test and leak down test? might tell you something?
thanks Duane

zagarus · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2008, 08:08:30 pm »

well thats why they are out, sending them to Giles as mentioned before so they will get the treatment there.

Thanks for the help guys. I cant wait to get this car back on the road :twisted: I miss it sooooooooooo much

bigblockchev · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2008, 08:15:49 pm »

The bit of a miss sure sounds like a leaking injector. If you can do a compression test it would be helpful Im sure. Cheers Dan

zagarus · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2008, 08:28:38 pm »

thanks for the help guys.

Mark(The Miser)UK · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2008, 08:34:03 pm »

A quick test before sending them away would be to swap the injectors over and see if the oil-up follows the injector. :idea:

zagarus · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2008, 09:14:25 pm »

wish i could, but the fuel pumps out already.

zagarus · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2008, 09:34:27 pm »

doesnt smell like oil, has more of a melting plastic smell to it.

the composition of it seems to be that of very thin oil but wipes off the fingers really easy with no residue.

Still smells like melting plastic though lol

zagarus · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2008, 09:40:17 pm »

id put in about 4.7liters

after 5,000km (thats when i did my intervals) i would have about 3.5-3.8 liters poor out. And thats without topping up in between. Car didnt really smoke unless i took off hard in first and second. Sounds about normal to me,

Quantum TD · « **Reply #13 on:** January 03, 2008, 01:14:09 am »

Your white smoke at startup is not too bad. About normal for a cold day. The fact that it lingers is surely due to the fact that it sounds like you're sucking air for the first 1 min after the car starts up. It could be a bad injector, but if that video is from an initial morning start-up, I'd say that you've lost some prime overnight. It really sounds like mis-firing due to air in the lines, rather than a really bad injector.

If the car seems to run fine, but has excessive white smoke upon start-up and deceleration (like coming to a stop, taking off, and then seeing white smoke), then your valve seals are likely bad. They dribble oil into the cylinders, and it builds up overnite, and when the car slows down. It may also explain the oil on the injector, but probably not.

To your oily injector: I've seen that happen sometimes. It can be anything, but what I usually see is a bad valve-cover gasket that runs oil down the front of the head. It will follow the threads of the injector, and collect on the threads and tip of the injector. I've washed the injectors off with brake cleaner, put them back in, run them for a while, and the problem does not reappear.

You oil consumption (about 1/2-1 liter every 5000 km), is about normal for a TD, assuming you're using Dino-oil, since vaporized oil gets sent into the intake thru the PCV valve and gets burned in the compression chambers. If you're running synthetic oil, your consumption should be a bit less (say, closer to 1/2-3/4 liter every 5000km). Nothing out of the ordinary though for an older diesel.

I'd look to the VG gasket. Maybe, run a compression test when you get the pump back to confirm the compression is good on all 4, then pop-test the injectors. Either way, I wouldn't worry about it too much, if the car runs fine otherwise. It really sounds like the missing/smoke is due to air in the lines/pump. It could be possible (as others have already noted) that your return lines are leaking fuel over the #3 injector, its running down the injector, and loosening up the soot/carbon down the threads, etc. This would explain both the goo on the injector, and the loss of prime (i.e. air in the lines), that you car seems to have.

Good luck, and let us know what you figure out.

Mark(The Miser)UK · « **Reply #14 on:** January 03, 2008, 03:55:32 am »

External oil/diesel runing down the threads could be a good call... except I'd expect to see 'something'cooked on the threads and side of nozzle; but not a sausage can I see :lol: