Injector Question... Is this normal?
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Gainesville, GA
Injector Question... Is this normal?
I just pulled my #7 injector. It was very difficult to pry out. When it did come out I was surprised at how bad the tip looked. The whole end of the injector, up to the first o-ring, was covered (caked) in a black gritty substance that I could scrape off with my finger nail. The substance felt like sand when I rubbed it between my fingers. This is the first injector I have pulled so I don't know if this is normal? I just thought it would have been cleaner than that. Do I need to worry about the gritty substance that may have fallen back into the hole when I pried out the injector?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2007
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What does your turbo wheel look like.... It usually takes some prying to get the injector out. As for the injector tip being soo dirty i would be worried about your cylinder walls. Why are you pulling your injectors?
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Gainesville, GA
Please see this link for what my original problem has been. I started a new thread about the injector since it was a new issue:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...need-help.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...need-help.html
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Gainesville, GA
Yes, I expected that. I just did not expect it to be so much. There was so much, it had pushed into the groove on the first o-ring and had deformed the o-ring. It literally flakes off in chunks when I push on it with my finger nail. Do I need to try and clean out the injector hole? Also, I see copper on the end of the injector, but I can also see copper when looking into the hole. Is the copper in the hole what is known as the injector cup?
Elder User
Joined: May 2008
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From: Liberty Lake, WA
Yes, I expected that. I just did not expect it to be so much. There was so much, it had pushed into the groove on the first o-ring and had deformed the o-ring. It literally flakes off in chunks when I push on it with my finger nail. Do I need to try and clean out the injector hole? Also, I see copper on the end of the injector, but I can also see copper when looking into the hole. Is the copper in the hole what is known as the injector cup?
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Gainesville, GA
Well, that would be a good question. I am already convinced the guy the dealer had working on my truck was a complete idiot. It is a pretty good bet he changed the injector and left copper gasket in and put a second one right down in there with the replacement. Any suggestions on getting out the other copper washer and cleaning the hole out?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
There should only be one copper washer on the injector tip, and mine were really sooty when I pulled mine last week too.
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Gainesville, GA
I have looked with a mirror and a flashlight several times now. It does not look like a second washer in the bottom. It does have a shiny copper color. I am thinking that I am seeing the injector cup. Aren't the cups copper? I can't figure how anything could be shiny in the bottom after seeing how dirty everything was. I don't have the new injector yet. How thick are the washers?
I'm trying to include a pic but can't figure out how to get it to insert it.
I'm trying to include a pic but can't figure out how to get it to insert it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
Yeah, that's MUCH worse than mine were. I shoulda took some pics of them. The copper down in the hole is the injector cup. There is just the one copper ring there on the tip, so that's fine. But if that one was indeed sticking, then I would expect it to look like that. Replace it. It wouldn't hurt to pull the others out to have a look at them. Not that much more trouble since you're right there.
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Gainesville, GA
Yeah, that's MUCH worse than mine were. I shoulda took some pics of them. The copper down in the hole is the injector cup. There is just the one copper ring there on the tip, so that's fine. But if that one was indeed sticking, then I would expect it to look like that. Replace it. It wouldn't hurt to pull the others out to have a look at them. Not that much more trouble since you're right there.
Yes, that is what I was thinking, but being my first time (injector virgin), I wanted a second opinion. Without a doubt, it was leaking fuel, because it hydrolocked my engine. I just was worried I had something more sinister going on here besides a sticking injector. Can anyone tell me how to get all this crap out of the injector bore? I am worried if I try to wipe it out with a cloth, I am just going to push it down into the cylinder.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,541
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From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
I would imagine there's a bunch of stuff down in there already. If it makes you feel better, wipe it out. You know to pull the glow plug once the injector is back in there & crank the engine to clear out the cylinder, right? There will be a lot of oil & fuel down in there. You can try to suck it out if you have something that will work, but it's just as easy to put the VC back on with a couple bolts and crank it. Disconnect the injector harness by the driver's side VC (I think you're working the passenger side, right?), disconnect the CPS, and bump the starter a couple times. You'll get a little fuel in the oil, but one cylinder shouldn't be too bad. I did all 8 of mine, so I went ahead and changed my oil since it was about due anyway. You could leave the VC off and watch it shoot out the GP hole if you don't mind the mess... 
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
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From: Texas
Can you describe the shape of the copper you see down in the hole? If you look at the picture you posted of your injector, you can see black crud covering part of the copper. I'm guessing the shiny copper on the injector kind of matches the shiny copper down in the hole, and instead of it being a shiny circle down there, you have some black streaks across it?
I wish you would have thought to check the torque on the injector hold down bolt before pulling it, but I would have not guessed this. On a brighter note, if it was just a loose injector it could explain fuel in the oil, or oil in the cylinder, and the fact that it's loose would mean leaking compression so less chance of bending that rod.
I agree with Joe on the cleaning. Just do the best you can and don't worry about it. You've already got a surprising amount of oil down there. You'll want to remove the glow plug and turn the crank by hand a couple of times, then disable the engine and bump the starter (with glow plug removed and the hole covered) to blow the rest of the oil / crud out of the cylinder.
I wish you would have thought to check the torque on the injector hold down bolt before pulling it, but I would have not guessed this. On a brighter note, if it was just a loose injector it could explain fuel in the oil, or oil in the cylinder, and the fact that it's loose would mean leaking compression so less chance of bending that rod.
I agree with Joe on the cleaning. Just do the best you can and don't worry about it. You've already got a surprising amount of oil down there. You'll want to remove the glow plug and turn the crank by hand a couple of times, then disable the engine and bump the starter (with glow plug removed and the hole covered) to blow the rest of the oil / crud out of the cylinder.