How Many Miles before injectors need replacing?

[Bugsy_malone 666]

Well I think the pump is original to the engine, which was new in 1987 155k miles ago! I havent had the pump apart as I bought a spare off ebay to tinker with, but havent touched that yet either and currently based on what your saying I am tempted to stick that in just to see what happens!

At the moment due to so many wheels and brakes in my workshop I have no space to strip down the pump sensibly. I suppose the options I have is stick a N/A set of injectors in, use the N/A pump as well giving me an ecodiesel, or just swapping my current pump with an ebay one which I wanted to rebuild first.

One problem I do have is actually timing the pump up because I cant get a DTi in the timing hole of the back of this pump. and its a hell of a job even getting to it all as its a bit tight in my bus. I have been wondering if maybe the fuel pump is leaking from somewhere I cant see.

I guess maybe I could swap pumps and mark everything right up best I can, matched pump to pump and see what the difference is in the way it runs, if nothing its either really bad timing, knackered injectors or 2 knackered pumps.

I think maybe my plan c/D should be to put both N/A injectors and pump in as I Know they are all ok, might lose a little power mind.

[Bugsy_malone 666]

Ok a bit of an update, I pulled my injectors and then replaced them with ones from my spare N/A, seems they are actually all 130bar! The ones in the TD were definately slightly more black/crusty than the ones from my NA I am begining to think my NA was a good engine before the core plugs fell out during the frost (need to do an engine rebuild now to make sure it didnt crack anything).

Anyway looks like the injectors may have been slightly more worn or something, because after putting the NA injectors in it ran a shed load worse. When I say a shed load worse as in it was hunting and I couldnt get it to idle at all anymore, which makes me think the injectors I put in are better spec and closer the 130bar they should be and maybe the pump could be my problem.

Something I was a little confused by is injector to head seals, I couldnt see anything ( I admit its difficult) and wondered if they have them? It maybe there were seals in there but was hard to see. What are the seals made from (eg can I reused them)?

[TylerDurden]

Something I was a little confused by is injector to head seals, I couldnt see anything ( I admit its difficult) and wondered if they have them? It maybe there were seals in there but was hard to see. What are the seals made from (eg can I reused them)?

This is showing the bottom, that sits in the injector bore.


Close-up of other side (that mates with injector) here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/216/imgp6405ul6.jpg/


A lotta info here: http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8764&p=57164&#p57164

[Bugsy_malone 666]

I did wonder!

Doh.

Its a royal pain in the arse to get the injectors out, I much prefer the tractors injector seals, copper washers! You can just heat coppers ones and dip em in water to reuse!

So basically part of my running problems now could be because of crap washers. Hmm. Guess I'll go on ebay and look for some replacements then ring vw tomorrow to see if they have them in stock or maybe another motorfactors, they best not be too expensive!

[vanbcguy]

They are cheaply available through lots of parts stores, they are usually only a few dollars each.  They should be even more common in the UK than they are here!!  I'd post some links but I don't know any for your neck of the woods.

Note that they CAN be reused IF you can find a way to "uncrush" them.  There are folks who have successfully reused them quite a few times after crafting a tool to pop the center back out first each time.  For what they cost I just buy new ones every time I order any other parts so I always have a few on hand.

[Bugsy_malone 666]

Well VW is only about 3 miles down the road from me, but whether they stock them is a different matter as its not exactly new technology anymore so probably not something they keep on the shelf.

Where ever I find some today price permitting I'll order a couple of sets, just in case I need to whip the injectors out again (I am hoping not!)

[ORCoaster]

I keep the best ones for reforming as spares.  Then swap and reform them as time allows.  Easy to do with a proper sized socket, maybe 14 mm, a ball bearing of the right size 10 mm, and a big pair of vice grip pliers.  I think you folks have a different name for them.

Set the squeeze to the right amount and you are done with a set of 4 in a minute.  Just don't pinch yer fingers.  You come away with blood blisters. Don't ask how I know.