what tool to remove injectors?

[Diesel_Rabbit]

what tool can be used to remove the injectors from 1.6 diesel engine? I have tried using sockets and even a deep socket, but does not sit deep enough and/or does not get around the fuel ports on top..if i remember correctly..picking up a project i from a year ago.


84 diesel rabbit, 1.6 non turbo.

[bscutt]

Craftsman 12pt 1 1/16 deep socket. 1 1/16 = 27mm (brand isn't important but that's what I have) Works every time.


the 12pt allows enough clearance for the two fuel barbs.

[82vdub]

As you've found out, not all sockets are created equally (inside). Some hit the barbs and some don't. I have a socket here that works, but I have no idea who the manufacturer is. Try the Sears 12 point that bscutt mentioned. Also make sure you push or pull on the injector towards the head, not away from the head. You could crack the injector boss on the head, making you replace a head while you're working on your injectors. Don't forget the new heat shields.

[Diesel_Rabbit]

Not sure what you mean by "make sure you push or pull on the injector towards the head, not away from the head."

do you mean to keep pressure down on the socket or press up toward the hood. i have never replaced injectors so want to make sure i understand this prior to doing and not crack the head as you mention.

[UB3RATL4Sf00]

Not sure what you mean by "make sure you push or pull on the injector towards the head, not away from the head."

do you mean to keep pressure down on the socket or press up toward the hood. i have never replaced injectors so want to make sure i understand this prior to doing and not crack the head as you mention.

The idea is that you want to avoid damaging the threads, and from high pressure of being the injection site, this is a major concern

[Vincent Waldon]

The trick is to always have your wrench parallel to the head and moving towards the head. This causes force to be placed on the inside part of the injector hole... which is plenty beefy... rather than the outside...which is thin and known to crack now and then.

In addition to this, another suggestion is to treat the injector like a tap... back it out a 1/2 turn, rotate it back 1/4 turn, back it out another 1/2 turn, rotate it in 1/4 turn, etc. This helps break up any buildup of rust, soot, etc. and prevent the gunk from gumming the threads tighter as the injector is removed.

Final tip: don't forget that the heat shields are designed for a single use only when you go to put the injectors back in.

[82vdub]

Not sure what you mean by "make sure you push or pull on the injector towards the head, not away from the head."

See the pic about 2/3 down the page. viewtopic.php?t=7730

[Fatmobile]

Great link,
that explains it all.

[Quantum-man]

For undoing don't use a single arm wrench. I cannot see that pushing towards the engine is much better than pulling away from engine.
Better to stand [for transverse engines to the side of the car] and do any push/pulling along engine.
However I don't like to rely purely on that, I use a 'T' bar That restricts the push and pull to equal[ish] amounts of both.
Still better is to add on a pair of VW wheel wrenches which will give you more power and more control.
Best of all to completely overcome leverage, is to add to the bottom of your extenssion bar, a flexi-joint.
Set it so that it is square on with your body, so that you will not find the 'only' way to lever with a flexi joint

When replacing injectors do not over tighten injectors.
With a heatshield you can feel it 'give', and then stiffen up. That is the nozzle pushing the heatshield out of shape, and the outer part of the injector taking up the slack and sealing nozzle and injector case.
If you have to go much beyond that ,then there is something wrong with the heatshield, or sealing shoulder of the head, or you have some crud in between.

You CAN reuse old heat shields if you want to. Especially if you don't have any to hand. [Order a new set for reserve]
Press back into shape with a 3/8" ball bearing aa M12 nut and a set of Mole grips [vice grips] Reuse can go on for many times, and keeping the same shield in the same hole is good too as each shield is like a finger print. The vice grips give a 'metered' distortion. Do not distort beyond the dimensions of a brand new shield. Best to go slightly less, as the sharp edge has been shaped into a sealing ring. Placing old shield on injector will help to see when you have a gap of about 0.5mm.

I would suggest for all those doubters, then let's do a world wide experiment. Take a heat shield , new or one use old, and using the above method reshape and clamp back down in a spare head. Repeat until shield dies. I bet we will get 15+ out of them. This is an Urban Myth that I want to quash, that they are one use only.

Just because the Bentley says so doesn't make it right. The 'B' says what VAG says... and VAG was on the same learning curve as the rest of us

If several of us do the same experiment then we will get the answer for sure, just like the Injector shim needing to be special, and with a hole in the middle and only available by special order etc etc. They just need to be hard, for resistance to spread purposes; the nozzle tip does that in any event
Use $2 tape measure springs and make little disks out of them to add into weak injectors. They in turn can be heated up and hit for fine adjustment.

[hagar]

Diesel_Rabbit : here at hagar's we use impact tools on stubborn Injectors..

Then lots of metal lube on installation.

Read Vincent carefully.

hagar.

[Quantum-man]

Impact tool good, but just be careful not to over torque and rip the threads out, this can happen if threads are gummed badly.
I wonder if anyone has accidentally overtightened when intending to undo?

It would only take one nagging partner...

[hagar]

Mark Shepperd , Yes stripping is a valid concern. BUT a long time ago coke mentioned PB blaster and let it soak in.

It works , read my lips. BUT a bit of horsing around is a good thing..

A stubborn one is hard to do. , and Mark is right DO NOT STRIP THE THREAD..

hagar.

[vwtyp133]

Completely agree with Hagar's suggestion to lube threads prior to installing injectors; 50 ft/lbs torque reading won't be accurate any other way. Personal favorite is the bronze dust-looking anti-seize grease. Brand... maybe Loctite? Conservatively applied it also works on spark plugs for gassers, as well as oxygen sensors, thermal fan switches, etc.

[Diesel_Rabbit]

with all your help, go the injectors swapped out tonight with new heat shields. I did forget the anti-sieze, so will remove and apply before firing up.

thank you!!

[82vdub]

with all your help, go the injectors swapped out tonight with new heat shields. I did forget the anti-sieze, so will remove and apply before firing up.

You'll need to use another set of heat shields then. They're a use only once (unless reshaped). If it were me, I'd leave them in for now and when the next time you pull them out, then anti-sieze them.