Lumpy running, dead injector

Hi all, looking for a wee bit of advice.

My freelander(td4 56plate sport, 81 thousand miles) has been running very lumpy when idling for the last week, and getting worse. Its getting so bad I thought I had a defender, but then I have heating.....

Anyway, traced it to a dodgy injector. So my options are.

1. Replace fuel filter, fill with expensive diesel, ram tons of injector cleaner through it and pump it down the motorway for an hour or so?
2. Strip offending injector out and clean?
3. Strip injector and replace it?
4. Replace all 4 injectors?

Now I'm kinda leaning towards option 1 or 2 as this would keep costs down, not just cos I'm Scottish!! Haha just found out the Mrs has a bun in the oven.

Many thanks for any advice

Cheers

I'd try option 1 first easiest to do then go straight to option 3 if it doesn't work do you know which number injector it is

Yea, second from the left. Which I assume is injector 2.

Gary j said:

Yea, second from the left. Which I assume is injector 2.

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That is No2. Use a dose of Comma Diesel Magic and you should only be using decent fuel. The TD4 doesn't like cheap supermarket brand fuel, as it seems to cause premature injector, pump problems.
So BP, Shell, Texaco or Esso are the brands to fill with.

Fill with a premium fuel, use either comma or miller's cleaner, lots of it and put a big glug 500ml or so of mineral 2 stroke in, then thrash the boll*cks off it.
If that doesn't work, replace the injector.
Mike

Option 1 worth doing anyway.

As for option 2, I'm not sure how successful cleaning these fancy injectors will be - they're quite precise little devices.

If you're on a budget, why not take a punt on a scrap one from eBay? Did this on my mate's FL two years ago and it sorted the problem. £40 delivered, I think it was.

I'll await your thread about how you're having trouble removing the injector...

guineafowl21 said:

I'll await your thread about how you're having trouble removing the injector...

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Motor maintenance, such fun

Hi, thanks for all the suggestions.

I replaced the fuel filter and filled it with injector cleaner before I connected it up, filled up tank with the good stuff plus even more injector cleaner and a bit two stroke to lubricate everything.
I've been driving like I was 17 again, hahah. But no change.
Just ordered a secondhand injector from epray, so will hopefully arrive in a couple of days.

Hope their isn't a new thread about stuck injector from me

So when taking the injector out is it best to warm the engine first? Then work fast to whip it oot?

If it doesn't budge, is cranking the engine to pop it out fecking mental? Or best using some sort of puller ?

Yet again thanks for any help/suggestions

Gary.

Engine warm, remove fuel pump relay to prevent starting, loosen the injector clamp nuts 1/2 turn, crank, loosen 1/2 turn more...

You can also give them a good spray with some Plusgas for few days before letting them soak.
It will help

Injector came today and it looks in half decent condition for second hand part.

I will update with photos and progress in the next couple of days.

All fixed now, thank for all ideas/suggestions

guineafowl21 said:

Engine warm, remove fuel pump relay to prevent starting, loosen the injector clamp nuts 1/2 turn, crank, loosen 1/2 turn more...

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This was a cracking tip!!! Cheers dude

After I swapped the injector and put it all back together it took a good couple of cranks to get fuel back through the system, then happy days!!!!

Might invest in a 20quid ultrasonic bath from eBay and try cleaning old injector up. Anyone had any experience of this?

I see the new injector has a washer but the old doesn't. You didn't double-washer, did you?

Nope, fished the old one out the block before I put new ish injector back in.

Glad you got it sorted
Mike

It's the first diesel I've done any engine work on. Once you get the covers/boost hoses/manifold off you get a good view of the engine, and it's pretty straight forward. Took me about 2 1/2 hours, and its standing up for a change!!! Usually underneath the fecking thing

If you are feeling realy brave now you have an old/spare injector you can split it and give it a good scrape to remove any large carbon deposits from the head with a wood tooth pick. Be extra carfull you dont lose the minute shim. Re fit and then lob plenty of cleaner in the tank and give it a good ragin round the block a fhew times. Worked for me. Work on the back of some old wall paper then you wont lose nowt.

P. S. I found the best way to loosen them was WD40 every night for at least 4 days. Dont force them you might crack the head

Aye the head is a ****ty hardened plastic type thing me thinks!! I put a bit of wood over the engine and levered from there.
Might have a go striping the old injector down as it's buggered anyways, so nothing to lose.

Gary j said:

Aye the head is a ****ty hardened plastic type thing me thinks!! I put a bit of wood over the engine and levered from there.
Might have a go striping the old injector down as it's buggered anyways, so nothing to lose.

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Go for it you know you want to