Is there any tool required to pull injectors from the cylinder bore once the hold down bolt is loose? I read some instructions indicating it's important to pull them straight out from the bore and not to pry them at any angle.

If that's the case, what's the best way to do it? Are the dual rear prongs of a hammer sufficient or is there some particular pry bar that is best?

 

The OTC 6067 is the tool I have for that purpose. Works well. But I have a small pry bar that have also used for removing injectors. You don't want to put too much pressure side to side. They pop out pretty easy really. The installation portion is where the OTC tool works real well.

 

Nope, not really... just a small prybar.

Remove the lower tie-down bolt and slide the hold-down up towards the valley so it drops down from around the upper tie-down bolt. The hold-down stays with the injector so don't think it has to come off. Then use your bar and get it wedged good... I use the top edge of the head as my "fulcrum". It's not just gonna come out... you gotta pop the bar with your palm to get it started, then you can pry it out. Watch what you pry on. The oil spout is definitely something you don't wanna pry on. The solenoid on top as well as the connector aren't things you wanna pry on either. I usually start on the bottom of the part of the injector that the solenoid screws into. Then when I pop it up a bit, I'll move to the bottom of the hold-down if I couldn't get it out all the way because my bar hit something else. I have pictures if you want them, just let me know and I'll throw them up on Photobucket.

 

That would be great if you don't mind. This will be my first time replacing injectors so any visuals would be a good help.

 

Ok, will do... my internet sucks right now so I'll give it a shot in the morning if that's alright.

 

Ill be looking for them pictures Jon!

Ive got a set of injectors Ive been meaning to plop into mine... I just havent had problems with the ones in there!

Pics would be wonderful though.

 

Alright, pictures as promised!

It's pretty straight forward... once you get the valve covers off and the gaskets and harnesses removed, you're ready to pull the injectors. A note on the harnesses: take the harnesses out with the gaskets... most of the time, you don't have to take the harnesses off of the gaskets . The clips on the harnesses can get brittle and are pretty easy to break when you take them off the gaskets. But that's just me... be careful if you do take them off. Use something to pry other than your hand so you have more control. But with that aside, here's the bolt I was talking about. Remove it:


Slide the hold-down collar up towards the valley so that it can slide over the head of the upper tie-down bolt when you remove the injector. The collar comes out with the injector so don't be sitting there thinking you have to take it off:


Here you can see what I slid... compare it to the injector on the right and you can see what I did to the left injector:


Now take your bar and get it under the injector really good using the head as your fulcrum. Don't get carried away because you'll mess up the gasket's sealing surface on the head. It's not hard, just "pop" it and then you'll be able to pry it out easy. I usually give it a blow with my palm. If you run outta room to lean on your bar, you can bite it again on the bottom edge of the hold-down collar. Watch what you pry on. The oil spout is definitely something you don't wanna pry on. The solenoid on top as well as the connector aren't things you wanna pry on either.


Now you can see I popped it out... compare it to the injector on the right. Also notice how the collar has slid over the head of the tie-down bolt:


Now pull it out! There's gonna be a good amount of oil and fuel drooling off of it so make sure you have a rag ready to grab it with on it's trip over to the bench:


When putting them back in, have a rubber mallet handy. You're going to want to make sure you've got new O-rings on your injectors before you put them back in. Something else that I've never done, but should've, is let the O-rings shrink after putting them on. They get stretched pretty good when you put them on so it just helps reduce the chance of them seating wrong when you go put them back in. Supposedly 30 minutes is good, then you're good to go. Also, a dab of grease is good for the copper washers at the tips and helps them stay put when you put the injectors in. Put a healthy amount of oil on the O-rings and then start putting them in.

Get them started by popping them a few times with your palm, then finish them off with the mallet. You will be able to tell when you "hit bottom" because the sound will distinctly change. On the OBS trucks, it's pretty tight on #5 and #7, especially #7... I've found it helps to remove the vacuum reservoir from the side of the heater box. Gives you just a little more room for your mallet. If I'm right, you can't get the injector out without removing it either, but I could be wrong. I removed it when I started just because it gave me more room for manipulating the valve covers.

Now, something I've always done outta habit is put everything back in the same place I got it from... like, if an injector came outta the #6 hole, I put it back in the #6 hole. I do the same with the gaskets, glow plugs, harnesses, etc. Not because it necessarily matters, but it's good habit to get into. I lust lay everything out on the table as if the table top was my motor. You don't have to, but it's good habit to get in to. If you wind up building motors, it's a must to do it this way, that's why it's good habit. Here's a picture (I did the same with the valve covers, gaskets, and harnesses, they're just not in this picture):


After you get them in, you have to purge the cylinders of oil or the motor will hydrolock when you try to start it. To do this, pull all your glow plugs and then put the valve cover gaskets and valve covers on. I would leave the harnesses off for this. Remember they can get brittle so I would use a screwdriver so you have more control. The key stays off for this and you don't have to worry about plugging anything in. Find the starter solenoid on the right fender and jump the terminals. I run it for 2 or 3 rounds at 30 seconds each. Keep in mind there's NO compression while it's turning off so it's not burning up your starter. It helps to keep a charger on your truck while you're working on it so that it'll be ready when it comes time to purge the cylinders. Once you've done that, pull off the covers and gaskets, put your plugs in and then seal it all up.

Make sure everything is torqued to spec... injector hold-downs are ONLY 10ft/lbs so don't get carried away.. Also, you want to retorque the rocker arm bolts. Back them off and then bring them back to 20ft/lbs. I HIGHLY recommend new glow plugs and valve cover gaskets... glow plugs because they're "cheap" and gaskets because I haven't had a whole lot of luck getting the old ones to reseal. The last one I did leaked pretty bad on the driver's side when I tried to reuse the gaskets. As far as starting it goes, make sure the truck's all buttoned up and then crank on it 15 seconds at a time. For me, I've had almost every one of them fire up on the 3rd or 4th shot.

It's gonna run like crap and smoke like crazy... if you don't want to fill up your shop/garage/house with white smoke, you might wanna push it out the door first. It'll also smoke alot out the tailpipe at first when you drive it around and you'll have a decent amount of oil blow out the tailpipe for awhile. That's from the oil that was in the motor that wound up going into the headers rather than out the glow plug holes. Don't worry, give it about 50 miles or so to work the air out of the oil and then you should be rocking again!

 

Great Mini-writeup!
Pics are helpful.

I believe you should get a list of tools... and maybe part numbers for o-rings and make it into a full-blown writeup!

Just my $.02.
Either way thanks a bundle!

 

One thing though. I have heard or read elsewhere that you want to siphon or suck out all that oil and junk from the cylinders before installing the new injectors...

Obviously you have done this and it just smokes and works itself out.
Does it hurt the engine not taking it out?
Im curious about long term damage. Or initial damage to the new injectors...

 

Nope, you can't suck it because the glow plug holes as well as the holes in the injector bores are too small. There's no junk that come out, or at least there shouldn't be... I'd imagine you'd have some serious issues before you pulled the injectors if you had issues. That's why I pulled the glow plugs and turned over the motor... a healthy 7.3L will build 350-400psi of compression. With the glow plugs removed, it's still a small hole. It blows it out VERY well and I've had no issues yet. Everyone I know who does this on a regular basis does is this way as well. Plus, it's alot easier than trying to suck oil out IMO.

I think I'll probably do a full writeup when I have the time to sit down... on the OBS trucks, it's pretty easy because you don't have as much to remove on the top end as you do on the Super Duties. I think you pull the intake and tubes off and shove a few wires around, but that's it. 13mm bolts for the valve covers and you're in. Tie-down bolts are 8mm and glow plugs are 10mm. Have to use a 1/4-drive deep socket for that. There's a trick... if you screw the glow plug all the way out, it'll get stuck inside the socket and bind when you try to pull it out. What you have to do is leave the plug screwed in 1 or 2 turns so you can get your socket out, then finger the glow plug out.

Oh... haha, and watch out that you put the glow plug in it's hole. I've missed it and dropped it in the push rod slots before. I was lucky, but that would NOT have been funny! Oh, and I'm gonna edit my post, but it's important to properly torque everything before you put it together.

 

Well I have a couple of additions.

Remove the oil spouts before you pull the injector.

Even though many have I wouldn't hit the injector with anything.

 

If you dont remove the oil and the oil in the cylinder doesn't get down past the rings from sitting, you will hydro-lock the engine and bend a rod if your not careful.

Leave the GPS out and pull some fuses to keep it from running and just crank the motor over quickly with the VC's on, it will blow the oil out the GP holes into the covers. Takes a few tries to get it all out.

If you dont use that method, you have to use a mighty vac or vacuum tube and a syringe or vacuum pump.

 

Ah thats what it was! Dont you remove fuse 22 or something so it wont fire?

I dont know which fuse exactly, just trying to recall.
I really need a fuse diagram that small little grey thing is too small n faded..

Thanks again man! Reps were sent.

 

I pull 2 relays and a fuse.

I always forget which ones though, I look them up.

 

Went and found my thread.

and pulled #1 and #2 relay, and 22 and 9 fuses.

They all have to do with the ignition system, so I went for overkill.