DIY Diesel Injector cleaning?

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Blue407

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119
Hi Guys

Have any of you attempted to clean your own diesel injectors?

Just seen this on youtube:-

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFJlTfHyrUk]DIY Fuel injectors cleaning - YouTube[/ame]



I am just diagnosing some problem on our TD4, and may consider doing this if I think the fuel injectors are at fault. (Would be cheaper to try than getting them all refurbished or replaced!)

Do the TD4 injectors run off 12v directly?
 
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I would not recommend it, you can damage the injectors if you don't get the pulse range correct. A much safer an more thorough cleaning option for the home is to purchase is an ultrasonic bath off ebay, I think they are about £25. The cleaning solution is safe for electrics so the injector can be imursed and cleaned over night. Any remaining crud will be ejected from the injector on startup once re-installed again. And a good injector cleaner will finish the job.

This method is by no means as good as having them properly cleaned on a jet bench. And if you are certain you know the correct pulse for the injectors then go for it as per the video. But holding the injector open on a constant voltage will damage it.

And you NEVER reverse flush an injector, that's just lunacy!!! Those injectors wont last long, and carb cleaner is FAR too abrasive for use like that.

Hope this helps
 
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Better bet than what the chap in the vid is doing. How wrong can you get, I have no doubt that it does clean them well, but at what expense.
 
To be honest there are loads of videos on YouTube showing similar methods, along with lots of post from people saying it worked for them.....
 
those in vid are petrol injectors not diesel and can benefit from a clean ,diesel injector is a different beast ,either stick your favourite additive through or get them checked properly, common injection pressure is about 20000 psi
 
Why not do a common rail purge ......... BG244 this is really powerful stuff. Take off filter...get a new one fill up with BG244 then refit. Startup let it idle for 2 mins .... this gets the cleaner right into injectors. Then switch off .... leave for 24 hours .... startup take it out for run and keep the revs fairly high about 3000 rpm .... a run on the dual carrageway would suffice. Good luck....
 
I have no doubt it works, but my point is that it will damage the injector, its true that diesel injectors are more robust, but I still would advise against it. I work with injectors and recon companys on a daily basis and they all echo my concerns.

Ultrasonic baths are a far better solution, and do a fantastic job, bought mine 3 years ago and wouldn't be without it. Its amazing what you find in the cleaning fluid after a night of cleaning lol
 
Bg2444 is good stuff, been using it for years, Millers is my cleaner of choice though, works a treat and peps up the cetane number of the diesel nicely.

Company I use charges £25 inc vat per injector to do a full flow test, clean and re-shim the injectors so they are perfectly balanced again. And if the spray patterns look worn or uneven then they can change the nozzles (subject to being purchased first) free with the balancing (subject to the actuators being in good order, td4 injectors dont need shimming)
 
Why not do a common rail purge ......... BG244 this is really powerful stuff. Take off filter...get a new one fill up with BG244 then refit. Startup let it idle for 2 mins .... this gets the cleaner right into injectors. Then switch off .... leave for 24 hours .... startup take it out for run and keep the revs fairly high about 3000 rpm .... a run on the dual carrageway would suffice. Good luck....
Hello

Could you please explain what do you mean by remove filter and replace new one in your post re cleaning td4 injectors with the purge..?

Many Thanks
Sasko74
 
He means remove and replace the fuel filter.

I use 90ml of Diesel Rhino with every fill up.

I blanked the EGR off, cleaned the inlet manifold and inlet ports out of all the carbon they where coated in, then fitted a Ronbox with a new MAF and started using the additive. My MPG went up from 34mpg to 41mpg after the aformentioned steps. I now average 520 miles to 57 litres (the point I usually fill up).

She pulls nice and smoothly through the rev range where as before she had slight hesitations as you progressed.
 
He means remove and replace the fuel filter.

I use 90ml of Diesel Rhino with every fill up.

I blanked the EGR off, cleaned the inlet manifold and inlet ports out of all the carbon they where coated in, then fitted a Ronbox with a new MAF and started using the additive. My MPG went up from 34mpg to 41mpg after the aformentioned steps. I now average 520 miles to 57 litres (the point I usually fill up).

She pulls nice and smoothly through the rev range where as before she had slight hesitations as you progressed.

Thanks for your post....
I have a smoke coming under the engine cover and suspect it might be leaky injector..!? Not sure if it smells of burnt fuel or oil.....had 2 turbo pipes replaced for silicone ones, EGR cleaned, new air filter and new crankcase breather filter....as soon as the engine warms up it starts smoking from right hand side under the emgine cover next to the battery...
 
as soon as the engine warms up it starts smoking from right hand side under the emgine cover next to the battery

check the exhaust feed to the egr
in that it's not leaking
 
check the exhaust feed to the egr
in that it's not leaking

Well, I think I found the cause of burning/smoke...! Fuel return pipes on top of the injectors are soaked with fuel, and looks like fuel is overflowing on the right hand side of the engine block straight on to EGR exhaust pipe and it might be making burning/smoke...does it make sense..?!

Also Freelander starts and pulls always as it should, sometimes a bit of vibration on idle, but it goes away pretty quick...I guess fuel pump should be fine if it starts without any problems?

I guess it must be then injectors, or at least one of them, but the fuel return injector pipe is soaked all over 4 of the injectors.... :doh:

Thanks!!!
 
Try forte engine cleaner ( I forget exact name) it's an aerosol sprayed in through the air intake takes half he or so engine needs to be at 2k rpm so 2 man job and then needs an oil and filters change...
 
Spraying anything into the intake isnt going to clean the injectors.


Generally speaking - dont screw around with injectors unless you really know what you are doing. The machined tolerances are down to tiny fractions of a millimeter and they have to work under incredibly high pressures. I have seen people poking mig wire down the nozzles and even taking them apart and scrubbing parts with steel wool and then wondering why their car wont start.

Run injector cleaner through the fuel system as directed on the bottle, otherwise get them tested and refurbished if needed by a specialist.
 
sasko - clean it up and watch for leaks with the injectors running. Perished rubber hoses on the return lines can and do leak like you describe. Just replace with suitable fuel hose. Be very careful removing them as the plastic nipples the pipes fit onto are very brittle.
 
sasko - clean it up and watch for leaks with the injectors running. Perished rubber hoses on the return lines can and do leak like you describe. Just replace with suitable fuel hose. Be very careful removing them as the plastic nipples the pipes fit onto are very brittle.

Thanks for that Dave. So you think return hose is possibly ready for replacement..? Is second hand one good from Ebay, or any other not too expensive..?
 
its just rubber fuel hose - dont mess with second hand stuff, any good motor factors will sell it by the meter.
 
Spraying anything into the intake isnt going to clean the injectors.


Generally speaking - dont screw around with injectors unless you really know what you are doing. The machined tolerances are down to tiny fractions of a millimeter and they have to work under incredibly high pressures. I have seen people poking mig wire down the nozzles and even taking them apart and scrubbing parts with steel wool and then wondering why their car wont start.

Run injector cleaner through the fuel system as directed on the bottle, otherwise get them tested and refurbished if needed by a specialist.

It's a bonified product I'm not making it up and comes highly recommended by peeps using doing 1000s of miles..... Taxi drives say it works and improved the mpg no end I'm guessing it creates a heat that would help clean the injectors or pay more and get it hooked up to the machine (forget its name) cost about 120 quid...
 
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