Injector Click Test (outside of motor) Options

[pcar916]

My 993 injectors were all frozen when I got the engine. 9v battery after a good soakin' in gasoline overnight worked only after I tapped the bases with vigor on a piece of wood while they were electrified. Then all worked fine. 9 volts is too much though so don't do it long. The longest I energized them was about five seconds at a time.

Good luck!

[lsintampa]

did you soak them?
If so, what did you soak them in and for how long?

Did you soak just the tips or did you submerse them completely?

Rich

Been soaking in Techtron - fully submersed since yesterday about 5PM - so call it 20 hours. I'm in no major rush, I can let the soak the rest of the week for that matter.

I made sure to shake them to get bubbles out.

Take any of them out, dry them off, hit them with a quick 9V current and nothing.

I've tried banging the sides and sort of trying to shock them up / down sideways, but for fear of breaking something I'm not being too forceful. Like I'll use the butt end of a screwdriver to tap them with... then hook em back up - touch them up to 9V for a spirt - and nothing.

Maybe Jeff can chime in about why when I touch them up to power - by attaching one wire to positive, then taking the other wire and slapping the negative side, all I get is sparks from the slapping - but for sure not clicking the silly solenoid.

[lsintampa]

My 993 injectors were all frozen when I got the engine. 9v battery after a good soakin' in gasoline overnight worked only after I tapped the bases with vigor on a piece of wood while they were electrified. Then all worked fine. 9 volts is too much though so don't do it long. The longest I energized them was about five seconds at a time.

Good luck!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

OK, so that has to be hard to do, how do you apply power and tap them with vigor at the same time?

And how much vigor are you talking about?

[JeffBowlsby]

They are obviously stuck closed. Send them in for pro cleaning.

[timothy_nd28]

You should try installing a grease zerk on each injector and pump them up with grease till they free up! Kidding!!! You should send them off to the injector specialists like Witch Hunters.

[lsintampa]

They are obviously stuck closed. Send them in for pro cleaning.

German Car + German Owner = Stubborn Situation (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The part I'm hung up on is they were just cleaned six months ago - so I would think that soaking them in decent cleaner would be an easy fix.

I most likely will end up sending them in for professional cleaning. I already contacted Rich at Cruzin Performance - he's out all week, so it don't matter if I ship them today or Friday...

Until then, can't hurt to keep trying.

[luskesq]

They are obviously stuck closed. Send them in for pro cleaning.

German Car + German Owner = Stubborn Situation (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The part I'm hung up on is they were just cleaned six months ago - so I would think that soaking them in decent cleaner would be an easy fix.

I most likely will end up sending them in for professional cleaning. I already contacted Rich at Cruzin Performance - he's out all week, so it don't matter if I ship them today or Friday...

Until then, can't hurt to keep trying.

I had a very similar problem with two of my injectors. Car had been sitting idle for about 8 years before I got it. I removed the mesh screen in the inlet and soaked in Techtron for probably 4-5 days. Also probably an hour of so in an ultrasonic bath of Techtron. Used a 9v battery similar to you and they finally started working (and still do). I also use Techton in my gas tank periodically and have had no problems since.

Good luck,

Keith

[r_towle]

All a professional will do is soak them.
If they won't budge, he will make you buy new ones.


The unit is an electro magnet....so when the inner piston shaped magnet stays in the same position and does not move, it create a huge draw on the circuit, then you get a spark
Once it moves, the spark will stop or get a whole lot smaller.


While you wait, you could go to RadioShack and get two small spade bits to make a pig tail that will stay on while you smack them.
Get the transistor battery plug end also.

I use an AA battery cause I really don't keep transisitor batteries around anymore and I believe it may be too much voltage for the injector.

Rich

[Valy]

I'm not sure Techtron will work.
I used an ultrasonic bath with degreaser for about 10 minutes. It worked most of the time. I think the ultrasonic bath is the key.

[lsintampa]

They are obviously stuck closed. Send them in for pro cleaning.

German Car + German Owner = Stubborn Situation (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The part I'm hung up on is they were just cleaned six months ago - so I would think that soaking them in decent cleaner would be an easy fix.

I most likely will end up sending them in for professional cleaning. I already contacted Rich at Cruzin Performance - he's out all week, so it don't matter if I ship them today or Friday...

Until then, can't hurt to keep trying.

I had a very similar problem with two of my injectors. Car had been sitting idle for about 8 years before I got it. I removed the mesh screen in the inlet and soaked in Techtron for probably 4-5 days. Also probably an hour of so in an ultrasonic bath of Techtron. Used a 9v battery similar to you and they finally started working (and still do). I also use Techton in my gas tank periodically and have had no problems since.

Good luck,

Keith

Mesh screen?? I don't see a screen anywhere. The only part that I can see that comes off the injector is the plastic tip. The top side - where the fuel hose connects, just looks like a black hole to me - there's no screen in there and it is only about 1/4 inch opening.

If there is a screen, I don't see it.

[SLITS]

Inside the fuel inlet, there is a micro-screen to filter the fuel. It is replaced when the injector is "rebuilt".

[lsintampa]

Let's end this...

I'm beyond guessing what the deal is and I'm moving forward.

I went to a BMW club meeting last night (I'm one of the directors) and one of the Motor Sports members told me about a local shop that does turbo's and FI systems, so I took my injectors to them this morning.

There were no screens in any of them. They all tested OK for resistance, so they're fairly sure they can get them working for me. I'll know later this afternoon.

They will put new screens in and I'll get a report. When I get them back they are sealed in a vacuum pouch and lubed with wd-40 for storage.

Thanks for all the insights and help!

[worn]

Let's end this...

I'm beyond guessing what the deal is and I'm moving forward.

I went to a BMW club meeting last night (I'm one of the directors) and one of the Motor Sports members told me about a local shop that does turbo's and FI systems, so I took my injectors to them this morning.

There were no screens in any of them. They all tested OK for resistance, so they're fairly sure they can get them working for me. I'll know later this afternoon.

They will put new screens in and I'll get a report. When I get them back they are sealed in a vacuum pouch and lubed with wd-40 for storage.

Thanks for all the insights and help!

FWIW I had two experiences or ideas. First, you don't want to leave them hooked up for more than a moment - they don't normally see a sustained 9v so I would worry about overheating a wire before you ever new it.

Second, backflushing with compressed air and cleaner worked well for me - while activating the injector. The junk tends to get pushed in from the inlet and has an easier time going back out that way. I never did hear a click, but you can certainly feel it. Maybe my ears aren't as sensitive as they oughta be. No screens on a car this old can't be good, so the shop should at least get you that.

[lsintampa]

Yeah, the shop just called.

Two ultrasonic baths and they can't get them to pulse either. They are going to bathe them overnight and see what the deal is tomorrow.

Assuming they were cleaned six months ago (really), I think just keeping them in a baggie with other parts and without screens, well you fill in the blanks.

From what I've learned (thanks to all your replies and insights), it is SOP for any cleaning service to put new screens on after cleaning. No clue why the screens were missing from these, or why they were just tossed in a baggie with other parts.

My first FI car... and so far it has been a real education. I think once I get over this and get that FI running, I'm gonna never go back to carbs. Just wish I had a better hand dealt to me (as far as the FI system goes). Oh well, its all fixable.

[JeffBowlsby]

Great way of looking at it Len. Lemonade from lemons. You will like the D-Jet once it all comes together. I rarely have to fiddle with mine, and its very reliable.

[Bob L.]

Have you licked that 9v battery lately? You sure it's good?

[stugray]

Have you licked that 9v battery lately? You sure it's good?

my thoughts exactly.

We have similar "valves" in my business.
Our systems usually "Hit" the valve with full bus voltage (in the case of our cars that is ~13 Volts running), to open it.
Then the voltage drops to just a few volts to hold it open for extended periods.

I would not be surprised if these systems hit the injector with 12V at the start of the "fire" then backed it down to 3V for the duration.

I cannot see any captured waveforms of our injector pulses with an oscope online to be sure.

The rated coil resistance of these is 2-3 Ohms so "hitting" them with 12V from a reputable "source" :-) for a "touch test" should not hurt them. ("touch" meaning long enough to see the spark and no more)

I would try a nice stiff12V battery and a quick "touch" to see if you can free them after a good soaking.

Stu

[Valy]

Oh... I got some captures.
Ping me if I forget to upload them tonight.

[lsintampa]

For those following the drama.

The shop couldn't get them to fire, so they bathed them overnight and called me this morning.

Bottom line - they can't get them to work either. They still pass resistance testing, but they are most likely rusted shut.

Odd for injectors cleaned just six months ago.

SO - anyone have a WORKING set of 2.0 injectors? I'm in the hunt.

Len

[aircooledtechguy]

I just went through this on a friends car that uses the same injectors. We cleaned them about 6 weeks ago in my ultrasonic cleaner and bagged them. Last week we went to fire up the motor and only had 2 working inectors. So I pulled the offending injectors and bench tested them just like you had done. No click, but passed electrical test. They were just stuck.

I simply banged them against the corner of my vise on the work bench a couple times and that was all it took. They began to click and the car was soon running on all 4 cylinders again. The moral of the story is this: If they don't work now, what's it gonna hurt them to get bashed a bit on the vise and see if that un-freezes them?? If they break,. . . well,. . . they're already broken so you have nothing to loose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)