Lookout, I finally got a half decent digital camera... (all the better to torment you with)

For all you fellow PEFI (megasquirt, SDS, whatever) converters as well as D/L-jetters out there, here's a mega-cheap setup for checking injectors in the car or on the bench. It's Ben's amazing Gerber injector bottle.

You will need:
(4) Gerber baby food jars
(4) 3/8" rubber grommets (FLAPS or Radio Shack)
Drill
Drill bit (the one that's missing)

My process is more red-neck oriented...

I just fire them into a glass jar while I hold them in my hand...LOL


B

Here's what it looks like with the injector snugly inserted. The gromet is the perfect size. Fit's nice and snug.

Here was the point of the whole excersize - I wanted to do a comparison check. Since the jars are small you can plug the injectors onto them in the car - run the injectors, and compare flow. I had a bad one I tossed out. Here are four good ones.

Daddy's helper (sitting in doll stroller being silly)

Thanks for the write-up and the pics Ben. I've done something very similar myself in the past, but having this on the board so new folks that need it can find it is a "gud thing".

Mike

P.S. - What a cutey.

HEY!! did you steal my kid! Oh-no wait... mines right here...never mind.

Same hair, same doll stroller, just as cute and a helper...but I think mine just a bit bigger.

Good tip!

And for those of you who may not have a young one to eat the baby food, I suggest Hawaiian Delight.

Thanks for the pictures, Ben. They reminded me I have to get my "sample" to the lab.

To make this thread complete, how about go through the process of testing them while in the car...you know, this is how you disable the ignition..crank engine over for x amount of time, etc...

I've actually got baby food jars now!

Hmmm... Well like you said, disconnect the coil and crank the engine.

My PEFI has cold-start prime injection so I just turn the ignition on and off a dozen times or so without engaging the starter.

Hopefully Anders will jump in now and write some stuff. He's always got good FI advice/tips.

-Ben M.

What is the best way to make sure the injectors are free of crap on the inside? Can you just yank them, spray some brake cleaner in them and blow them out with air? Is there a better way?

Chris

If you really want to get the crud out you have to cycle the injector solenoid while pushing a cleaning solvent through the injector.

I backflushed an old set by wiring the injector up to a battery and momentary-on switch. Then I could push the button to open the injector (click!). I've been going to build a nice injector cleaning fixture but what I did last time was just wire up the injector like this, then lightly clamped a length of 3/8" fuel hose over the injector nipple (careful! Don't break the plastic nipple). Then I filled the hose with carb/choke cleaner and pressurized the hose with 10psi regulated air from a rubber tipped air nozzle. Now with the line full of solvent and pressurized I give the battery switch little taps (click, click, click) to backflush solvent through the injector. Stop when only air comes out. I caught the solvent in a clean bottle to see what came out. All of them spit out some debris - one spit out a lot.

I'm embarrased to even describe the technique because it's so Rube Goldberg, but it worked. Next time I need to clean injectors I'll make a nice little rack with a fuel rail and o-ringed bungs etc. etc. Or better yet maybe I can find or borrow a real injector cleaner for cheap. We'll see.

-Ben M.

ps - I don't want to underemphasise that if you do this be careful not to break the injector nipples. They are sheathed in plastic and if you crank down on a hose clamp on one I'm sure it will break. I haven't broken any, but I've seen injectors with broken nipples and they don't look all that sturdy.