Injectors misbehaving but trying to understand the numbers

[MattBLancs]

Future heirlooms!

[darbuck]

That's what I will tell the wife

[darbuck]

Just finished an hour of beating the crap out of the injector with a 4kg slide hammer and 18 stone of me. Not budging I am a strong bloke but this thing won't budge. Engine hot soaked with WD40 and brake cleaner neither of them did anything. I tried twisting it but it won't budge actually slipped and broke the nipple so I can't run it to try and warm back up..I'm going to have to get a hydraulic puller as a last resort.

[MattBLancs]

Oh dear! Sorry to hear it's not succumbed to your persuasions as yet!

Would it be worth seeking out one of these type companies:

https://www.injector-removal-service.co.uk/

Just an idea, I prefer doing stuff myself, but sometimes it's better to cut your losses and get help.

Fingers crossed whatever you go for

[darbuck]

Thanks Matt, I like you don't like anyone else at my cars if I break it so be it. they break I have to pay them for the pleasure, that doesn't sit well with me. Ill have to either borrow or buy a hydraulic puller. I think a mate had one I'll be talking to him Monday. Can't hire them here.if I have to I will get one of these guys out as a last resort.

[MattBLancs]

Yes, agree and understand your feelings about getting help, just if you reach a stage like

"I'll get this damn injector out if it kills me!!!"

Just see that it doesn't do the latter!

Most jobs are ten times easier the second time round, in theory it should be a walk in the park for someone who specialises in this day in day out. I suppose equally, those same experts equally should be in a good position to tell you if it's a literal no hope, lost cause, and at least then it's not a slow painful and exhausting dawning working that out yourself!

Good luck with it, and if you get chance stick some photos up (whether good news or bad, is an interesting problem)

[darbuck]

Yeah I decided swinging out of the slide hammer was futile. I intend to stay this side of the turf for a long time to come, thanks for the concern. I will take a few photos as this evolves. Ill post up a few tomorrow and then more when It is attacked with hydraulics. Whether it be me or someone else.

[darbuck]

Hi Lads, not going to get near car today, it's bucketing down here, but I decided to buy one of these and make a puller up. I will probably have to pull injectors again so I think it's the best way forward with this.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/291759248301?mk ... media=COPY

[darbuck]

So just pulled the plenum and rocker pain in the a*** but it will allow me to make up something to protect the engine while I pull the injector with a hydraulic puller. I did however discover considerable carbon build up. has anyone any suggestions on decarbonising the ports without removing the lower valve cover

[quintet]

Brake fluid makes for quite a good penetrating oil, obviously it's not the perfect solution due to the nature of the fluid being somewhat harmful to other materials but might be worth a try.

Something that i've seen tried before (but failed tbh causing 2.2hdi's to be scrapped) is cobbling something together and attach to the injector which in turn is connected to an engine hoist, then lift the vehicle off the ground using the vehicles own weight to pull on the injector and leave for as long as you can/dare, drastic measures/last resort is how i'd describe that process though. I suppose you could try using the type of engine support that sits on a car's inner wings but i don't think a C5 can take that strain...or even has suitable mount points...and of course you will need whatever type of engine hoist you want to try.

As for the carbon the first thing thats springs to mind isn't very practical but im thinking something like a Dremel with a small grinder and a powerful vacuum cleaner at the same time

[MattBLancs]

I took the head off on mine (as snapped two glow plugs) but used small hand wire brushes, tooth brushes, Dremel type wire wheels, flat screwdrivers. Difficult reaching in very far and would be loads missed if only accessed from above (took valves out in mine, good access from below, also relapped valves in and new valve stem seals)

Tooth brushes can have handles bent with a bit of heat gun application, work round corners etc. Plastic inlet manifold also horrible to clean out

[Steve Walsh]

Brake fluid makes for quite a good penetrating oil, obviously it's not the perfect solution due to the nature of the fluid being somewhat harmful to other materials but might be worth a try.

Something that i've seen tried before (but failed tbh causing 2.2hdi's to be scrapped) is cobbling something together and attach to the injector which in turn is connected to an engine hoist, then lift the vehicle off the ground using the vehicles own weight to pull on the injector and leave for as long as you can/dare, drastic measures/last resort is how i'd describe that process though. I suppose you could try using the type of engine support that sits on a car's inner wings but i don't think a C5 can take that strain...or even has suitable mount points...and of course you will need whatever type of engine hoist you want to try.

As for the carbon the first thing thats springs to mind isn't very practical but im thinking something like a Dremel with a small grinder and a powerful vacuum cleaner at the same time

Cleaned mine out a while ago due to excessive carbon. Do 1 cyl at a time, turn engine until valves closed on the cylinder to be cleaned, use a long thin scraper and brushes along with a vacuum cleaner and air line. With the valves shut the carbon should blow out, make sure you cover everything else up with a cloth.

[darbuck]

In regards to the injectors I am going to make up a false rocker cover and a plate for the ports to extract the injector.

On the carbon
The plenum is full of crap. On further inspection the carbon is extremely sticky like thick grease so I think I will need to scrape it out first and then clean it with brushes as Steve suggested I think I found a new use for my old plastering small tools from another life. I can't vacuum this obviously because the vacuum would probably die and then I would when the wife saw it
So I need to think about extraction of this goo. I am at the stage now where I am thinking put down the shovel but I am too far in to stop now. The EGR pipe is very clean go figure.
The MK1 I had, had this problem aswell which turned out to be the turbo so as you can imagine I am beginning to worry. Before you say it, no I am not going near the turbo unless it blows up when I finally get this thing on the road. I have to say when the engine was running there is very little blowby hence why I think it's worth saving.
Never buy a car in the rain by the way.
Quintet in regards to your suggestions I think a hydraulic puller is more controlled and the idea of hanging the car off an injector no thanks. I have seen it done the safety implications are concerning never mind the risk of other possible damage to other parts. An eight tonne puller will achieve greater force with less risk. If it can't pull it the head will have to come off which for me will be an engine out job hopefully it won't come to that.brake fluid probably damage internals. I did see an interesting video after I had bought the hydraulic unit of course where the chap used two bottle jack's and a bit of box to pull an injector from a Merc.

[Paul-R]

An eight tonne puller will achieve greater force with less risk. If it can't pull it the head will have to come off which for me will be an engine out job ...

Last year I was looking at removing a well stuck injector from the Renault diesel engine in my daughter's Vauxhall Vivarro camper van. I forget the exact figures now but when I was asking a professional about prices to come and remove it he said that ones on Ebay just weren't up to the job and what he used could exert twice the pull.

If pushed I think the Ebay one was 20 tonne and his was 40 tonne. Currently on Ebay the strongest is 17 tonne so I don't think an 8 tonne will cut the mustard.

[darbuck]

Thanks Paul I'll give it a go and see what happens. If not I'll have to borrow one off a mate I suppose hopefully I will get to it this week and I will post up result. I have a few other uses for it so not the end of the world if it doesn't work. It just means I might have to rethink.