Changing injectors with a cracked head?

[burn_your_money]

I was planning on replacing my injectors but I was pressure washing my engine and noticed that the 4th injector boss is cracked. It is leaking a bit from this area. I know I should replace the head but I don't want to do that quite yet... that's a bit later. The crack is about 1 inch long.

Would it be safe to try and remove the injector and install a new one? The last thing I want to do is make the situation worse. I'll be using my impact BTW.

Will this cracked boss throw a compression test off alot? When I do get to replacing my head I'd like to do a compression test first to see if the bottom end needs some loving.

[Black Smokin' Diesel]

The head that was on my td before I replaced it was cracked too. Actually a whole part of the injector boss broke off. I was lucky enough to be able to torque down the new injector (one thread left) without any leaking.

Removing it will probably crack it even more.

[jimfoo]

Why not get it welded? I hear it is better to have a hot head rather than cold when trying to remove injectors also as there is less chance of cracking.

[burn_your_money]

To weld it I would need the injector removed right?
And I'd also need to all filled in and retapped since the crack has made the hole bigger?
If the head has to come off for re-welding then it definitly won't happen (right now anyways)

[jimfoo]

I wouldn't think it would have to come off the engine, and I think any welding is better than the shape it sounds like it is in now. If they didn't penetrate too deeply, the threads shouldn't need retapping. Maybe they can weld close, but not to the injector, then the head will be hot and you can remove it and install the new one. Now, I have never done any of this, so take it for what you will, but there have been several posts about welded bungs, and the heads seem to be fine. So does anyone ever use antisieze on the injectors?  I would think it would allow for easier removal.

[jimfoo]

Aside from what they say, I don't think welding aluminum was terribly hard to do, although thin stuff is much harder, at least with a MIG. I welded plates on the sides of my AL radiator, and they came out really well.  I did use a spool gun however.Sorry to get a bit off topic. Yeah, I guess the welder might not like to weld with fuel in the system, but where is it going to go? Only into the cylinder. The only thing I'd worry about is welding the injector into the head.  :shock:

[Black Smokin' Diesel]

The only thing I'd worry about is welding the injector into the head.  :shock:

Aluminum and steel don't weld together, I don't think it'll be an issue. The injectors are easier to remove when the head is hot but I wouldn't use an impact gun on the cracked injector.

There isn't much in front of cylinder #4 so you might be able to get it welded without removing much parts.

[jimfoo]

The only thing I'd worry about is welding the injector into the head.  :shock:

Aluminum and steel don't weld together, I don't think it'll be an issue. The injectors are easier to remove when the head is hot but I wouldn't use an impact gun on the cracked injector.

There isn't much in front of cylinder #4 so you might be able to get it welded without removing much parts.

Maybe not reliably, but they can still be stuck together enough to be hard to remove.

[Black Smokin' Diesel]

The only thing I'd worry about is welding the injector into the head.  :shock:

Aluminum and steel don't weld together, I don't think it'll be an issue. The injectors are easier to remove when the head is hot but I wouldn't use an impact gun on the cracked injector.

There isn't much in front of cylinder #4 so you might be able to get it welded without removing much parts.

Maybe not reliably, but they can still be stuck together enough to be hard to remove.

True. It could created pressure on the injector and make it very hard to remove and possibly break off a part of the injector boss.