One cylinder poppin', Help me D-Jet gods!! Options

[BiG bOgGs]

Should I soak the injectors in anything to loosen any thing that has gotten stuck while I have been putting things back together? Or, should I try pulsing them with a stronger pulse to free them up?

[Bleyseng]

You can just send them out to be cleaned and tested. Don't apply 12v to them!!

I test them using by pulling em one at a time and sticking the injector into a glass jar to see if it sprays right. I pull the + wire off the coil so there is no spark to ignite the gas spray.
Using a remote starter button I watch the injector inside the glass jar...

If you aren't having any injectors firing check the trigger points inside the dizzy and the connector to it.

as noted its usually a grounds issue for injector not firing.

[nola914]

I suggest that you pull all four of the injectors and put them into similar size glass jars. Crank the engine for 10 - 15 seconds. Check the amount of glass in each jar. The amounts should be within 10% of each other. I use small Mason "canning" jars because they are very sturdy, and I tape them to various components on the engine to keep them from moving. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher handy, since you will be pumping raw gas into open containers on top of your engine.

If one (or more) of the injectors are clogged, you should have them commercially cleaned. I seem to recall that there is a small screen filter inside of the injector. If its clogged by rust, no standard solvent will clean it. The injector place will also be able to tell you if the windings inside the injector meets spec. If your windings are failing, you need to find replacement injectors.

I'm assuming that you have verified the electrical continuity of the injectors back to ground at the back of the engine and the energizing wiring from the ECU, as the evil Doctor suggested. The injectors wires are pins 3 thru 6 in the ECU plug.

[BiG bOgGs]

I suggest that you pull all four of the injectors and put them into similar size glass jars. Crank the engine for 10 - 15 seconds. Check the amount of glass in each jar. The amounts should be within 10% of each other. I use small Mason "canning" jars because they are very sturdy, and I tape them to various components on the engine to keep them from moving. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher handy, since you will be pumping raw gas into open containers on top of your engine.

If one (or more) of the injectors are clogged, you should have them commercially cleaned. I seem to recall that there is a small screen filter inside of the injector. If its clogged by rust, no standard solvent will clean it. The injector place will also be able to tell you if the windings inside the injector meets spec. If your windings are failing, you need to find replacement injectors.

I'm assuming that you have verified the electrical continuity of the injectors back to ground at the back of the engine and the energizing wiring from the ECU, as the evil Doctor suggested. The injectors wires are pins 3 thru 6 in the ECU plug.

Had the injectors serviced by Cruzin a few months back. They were kept in the plastic they were shipped in until I got around to installing them.

I did pull the Driver side injectors and I am not getting even a single drop out of either injector.

I will check the wiring continuity this weekend. I am also going to see if any of the injectors fire when hooked up to my know firing cylinder (#3)

With this long T-Day weekend, I hope to get all of this worked out.

[Tom]

Make double sure you have the gas lines hooked up correctly. Check that diagram on the pelican site closely. If you have the pressure relief valve in the wrong part of the hose lay out, you won't get the propper pressure to all injectors.
Good luck,
Tom

[nola914]

Tom reminded me of the fuel line issue. I forgot (probably because I don't want to admit that I did this), but I once connected the lines to the pressure regulator backwards. The motor would sputter on starting some times; and it would run great for a few seconds when manually primed, but shut down quick.

Like Tom says: be sure to check the fuel line hookups.

[BiG bOgGs]

OK! Some progress has been made in the diagnostic process. I switched the injectors around to other cylinders on the engine. The injector that was in my #3 cylinder is now in the #1 cylinder and now I am (when it does run) just running on the #1 cylinder. I know this because as I go around the running engine pulling the injector wires the engine keeps sputtering on except for when I pull the wires on the #1 cylinder at which point the engine dies. So I guess this points to my injectors being stuck. I just sent them out for cleaning and servicing from Cruzin Performance. And I kept them bagged until I was ready to install them. They did sit in their bags for a few months because I was moving into a new house, but I don't know why that would have caused a problem.

ANY ANY ANY thing else that I should do/try to test the injectors individually, please let me know. I am at the thread bare end of my sanity. I heard about the guy that used a shot gun to remove a stubborn lug nut. I am about ready to see if his technique will work to fix my FI system.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif)

[swl]

sounds like a set of known good injectors would be useful for trouble shooting. Cruzin is really good with their service - you probably got back some numbers before and after cleaning - did they indicate there was a significant problem before cleaning? I'm wondering if you have fuel filter problems that is letting crap through that has reclogged your newly cleaned injectors. Perhaps take an injector and hook it up to a couple of D cells - listen for the click. You should be able to easily blow through them with the solenoid open. Don't leave the power applied too long.

[BiG bOgGs]

sounds like a set of known good injectors would be useful for trouble shooting. Cruzin is really good with their service - you probably got back some numbers before and after cleaning - did they indicate there was a significant problem before cleaning? I'm wondering if you have fuel filter problems that is letting crap through that has reclogged your newly cleaned injectors. Perhaps take an injector and hook it up to a couple of D cells - listen for the click. You should be able to easily blow through them with the solenoid open. Don't leave the power applied too long.

Cruzin's report said that one injector was flowing much lower than the other 3. (and I did have one cylinder running leaner than the others) and after their servicing the flow rates were much closer. I will try a couple Ds and see what I hear. If I don't hear anything should I up the voltage to get them unstuck?

[swl]

I've heard a lot of people say not to use 12 although I'm pretty sure that is what everything runs at more or less. Never the less you want to keep the voltage as low as possible. To tell the truth I used a 6 volt lantern battery and 'got away' with it. I wouldn't really suspect the solenoid is stuck - more likely the pintle or the little filter inside the injector. You are not so much listening for the click - true test is whether you can blow through it.

[BiG bOgGs]

Well everyone, I have to first of all say thanks for all of your input. When I started this process, I never expected the result to be three bad injectors. With all of the wiring problems I have encountered when working with older systems I figured I just had a bad ground or improperly connected set of wires.

I have been soaking the three bad injectors in cleaner for most of the day now and have tested all four with my compressor and an old 9v battery. the good injector clicks strong and sprays well (at least from my eyeball view) and the other three make no sound at all. Boy on the positive side I din't encounter any leaking. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

So, as of now, I am in the market for a set of injectors. I am looking into stock replacement injectors, but am also considering some other newer alternatives like the injectors from a MB 450SE, that I heard one of our other board members has had some early success with. Any other new alternative suggestions are appreciated.


Again, Thanks!
Jim

[Dr Evil]

That sucks considering you had them cleaned (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) I have used ones if you are interested. Cheap and easy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumb3d.gif)

[swl]

That is most bizzarre. You have to ask the question why they failed and is that condition still present? First thing I would be doing is checking the impedence to see if it is an electrical failure. If they are all the same then I would have a look at fuel delivery to see if there is a bunch of crap floating around in your lines. Not sure how to check for crap but I would somehow want to be sure this was just plain dumb luck before I put another set in.

[BiG bOgGs]

Dr Evil and I PMed a little about getting me some used injectors from his stash. After things seemed settled with our plan, I went out to my garage and decided that since I had replacements lined up I didn't have anything to loose if I damaged the little buggers. I pulled one out of the injector cleaner that I had it soaking in and, using the hose end like a whip, I beat it against the wooden edge of my workbench. Applied some air pressure and after a couple shots of electrons, it sprayed. I followed suit on the other two who were a little more reluctant to see things my way but eventually they came around to see the light. I don't know how they got stuck or what could have gummed them up after being cleaned, but I am happy that I can move forward now.

swl, I have purged my lines and I have inspected the screens, and found no gunk of any size. Your advise on the pressure flowing through the injectors, and the approx. voltage I should use was a helpful starting place.

Dr.Evil, thanks for all of your help in many ways, and I hope I will be able to return the favor someday for all of you here that lend a hand to others.

Jim (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumb3d.gif)