Problems with fuel injector swap

Coelacanth

Coelacanth

Active Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
I'm replacing my stock injectors with 60# units. I didn't even get my first nut removed before running into a problem. I got the fuel rail return line disconnected and went to unscrew the lock-nut holding down the rear-most vacuum line, but the nut is bit into the bracket really good and I'm at risk of kinking the rear-most line. As I start twisting counter-clockwise, the line and line bracket both twist along with it. How the eff do you remove that lock-nut without damaging that vacuum line?

And while I'm at it, what is the trick to pulling off the rubber lines at the vacuum block?

VacuumLineHold-Down.jpg
 
Well, here's my solution, in case anybody else runs into this problem. I used 2 Vise-Grips to clamp around the vacuum line and onto the fuel rail, which fortunately prevented the bracket from twisting and putting a kink in the vacuum line with removal of the bracket nut.

Now I'm at the part everyone says is a pain--removing the fuel rail. I've tried prying up under each injector with a 16mm open-end wrench but so far, it's resisting my efforts to pop it off...any other tips & tricks?

VacuumLineBracket_Solution.jpg
 
A hammers' wood handle can be used to pry up on the fuel rail. I've used it before and it will eventually work. Once you get one side to start to lift, move to the other side and pry up until it starts to move. Back and forth until it's ready to break free. Also, you're making it hard with keeping the coil pack/ignition module still in place. One 10mm bolt and two 13mm nuts, are all that holds the C3I assembly to the mounting bracket. Move it out of the way, so you can pry up on the back side of the fuel rail. Just take your time, it will eventually break free. One more thing that will help, is to remove the injector retainer clips from the fuel rail and injector. 9 our ot 10 times, the injectors will come free of the rail and remain in the intake when you do this.

Yeah, that vacuum line is 100% prone to getting tweaked / bent during first time removal. PB Blaster on that nut is what I always did, as well as brace the line to help keep it from bending.
Hope some of this helps.

-Patrick-
 
I just went thru this pulling my upper intake today to install the RJC Power Plate, easiest way is to go and get a cheap 15mm wrench and grind it down, or on my friends T, we used a 7/8 wrench, and slid it over the bracket for the vacuum lines to hold it, but the ground down 15mm is the easiest.
 
Thanks for the injector & fuel rail removal tips. I'll be going back at it tonight. What's easier, putting all the new injectors into the manifold first and press the rail back on, or attach all the injectors to the rail and put the whole thing as an assembly onto the manifold?
 
A little dab of lube on all the o-rings will help everything slide into place... Mike
 
Well, the suggestion to squirt a little WD-40 into the injector ports and prying up a little on one side, then the other, and so on, made this a whole lot easier. I didn't even swear. :)

The new injectors are all back in the fuel rail with their metal clips, and connectors attached. I'm wondering about the zip ties that were on them originally and want to put new ones back on in the correct places. Are the zip ties used to secure the connectors to the injectors before reinserting the rail & injectors into the manifold ports?
 
The zip ties secure the injector wires to the fuel rail. Wouldn't hurt to get a new Racetronix injector harness at this time.
 
Zip ties were just used to tidy up and secure the injector harness. No rhyme or reason behind their placements, just nice and neat. The other install tip I always used, is using Vasoline on each new injector o-ring before installing them. Works like a champ. Making sure each one is fully seated before tightening down all of the bolts.

Glad you got it done. It's a lesson that once you've done it, you'll be able to do it again, and again, and again.
:)
 
Thanks guys. I used a zip tie to secure each injector connector plug to the injector, as there's not really much keeping them in there, other than those little black metal clips, and those don't really attach very firmly. I'll probably add a few more zip ties to keep the horizontal wire runs attached to the fuel rails. I used Vaseline on the new injector O-rings and I think it did help when it came to inserting them into the ports. They all seemed to pop in quite easily.

I'm also putting in new spark plugs and MSD 8.5mm plug wires and this is kind of embarrassing, but I'm having a b*tch of a time pulling off some of the plug boots! There's not much room on the driver's side to get any leverage on those...what tricks are you guys using? I'll be sure to apply dielectric grease when I put on the new wires...is that enough to help prevent this from happening in the future?
 
Yes, dielectric grease is a must on both ends of the plug wire boots. It will definitely make plug changes easier in the future.
And a spark plug boot puller tool like this, really comes in handy on the drivers side, especially with the factory wiring harness oval conduit in the way. Most autoparts stores usually carry this type of tool. If not, Amazon to the rescue.

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-52990-...rd_wg=fsfeV&psc=1&refRID=7HNRZ3QJNCMYG9ZJTQBH
 
I bought that spark plug pliers and a 3/8" ball joint adapter in an impact gun accessory kit and with my existing extension bars, pulling off those old boots and getting the new plugs in was much less trouble. 2 of the plug wires on the driver's side left the internal metal contact clips stuck to the old spark plugs, that's how good they were stuck on there.

The old plugs looked typical of plugs that needed replacement, but the middle driver's side plug was fouled with oil.

Put in a set of MSD 8.5mm plug wires I bought from another member and everything is looking great. Tonight I'll swap the chip and fire it up, but won't be able to test-drive because it's raining.
 
"driver's side middle plug fouled with oil."

Do you have signs of oil on any of the intercooler hoses, especially at the throttle body?

Typical causes of this can be:

- Turbo oil seal on the compressor side is failing, due to multiple reasons. (Age/mileage, oil contamination/starvation, non filtered oil to the turbo, not enough zinc/phosphorus additive in the oil to protect the turbo and bearings in the engine, excessive abuse and or quickly jumping off the throttle everytime you go WOT vs slowly letting off the gas, coking/no cool down after hard driving, etc, etc) This allows oil to be blown into the intercooler. When this happens, oil will also reverse direction under WOT decel and be blown into the MAF sensor, leading to eventual failure.
- If the car still has the factory valve cover breather tube attached to the stock turbos' inlet bell, it will suck oil in and fill the intercooler. This oil will eventually be sucked into the engine. Most cap the stock inlet bell's port and run a K&N breather on the stock passengers side valve cover.
- Stock PCV valve is leaking, oil is being sucked into the intake under no boost conditions. And inline brass check valve typically solves this issue.

Just some thoughts.

-Patrick-
 
Thanks for the info, Patrick. My GN doesn't see many miles and since I bought it from my dad (original owner), I honestly can't recall if they were ever replaced in the last several years--at least not by me, but my dad was fastidious with the car maintenance, fortunately. It's possible the oil on the plug was a pre-existing condition.

In response to your questions:

-I haven't seen any oil near any of the hoses; I built my MAF intake assembly 2 summers ago. I also had the intercooler out about 5 years ago and it got a thorough cleaning back then. The up pipe and silicone connections all look clean.

-I changed the oil 2 summers ago and added a container of ZDDP additive. The car probably hasn't seen 500 miles since then.

-I removed the factory turbo breather tube and installed the passenger side breather bypass kit 2 years ago.

-I also replaced the PCV valve around the same time. No check valve though, and that's a good idea. Where would I install it, and what part #? Would I just splice it into the short curved PCV vacuum line?
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I just added that to a big order I already put in with Kirban's...unfortunately my order is being held up by a downpipe that needs to be drop-shipped to them before the full order will ship to Canada. Shipping costs from US to Canada absolutely rape us canucks so anything to combine & reduce shipping costs is helpful.
 
Well, I got the chip in, changed a DIP switch in the AXiS box and reconnected the battery...car fired right up. I didn't get to run it much as it was spraying fuel beneath the fuel pressure regulator. :eek: Looks like I may have pinched the O-ring when reattaching the fuel line there. I'll check again tonight, at least now I have a bunch of spare O-rings to replace it with, as the old stock injector O-rings are apparently the same size. Still, I was pleased to see it started right up with no other apparent issues! :D
 
Coelacanth said:
Well, I got the chip in, changed a DIP switch in the AXiS box and reconnected the battery...car fired right up. I didn't get to run it much as it was spraying fuel beneath the fuel pressure regulator. :eek: Looks like I may have pinched the O-ring when reattaching the fuel line there. I'll check again tonight, at least now I have a bunch of spare O-rings to replace it with, as the old stock injector O-rings are apparently the same size. Still, I was pleased to see it started right up with no other apparent issues! :D
Click to expand...

Good that it started right up. As for the return line o-ring at the FPR, it isn't the same as the injector o-rings. It is smaller at about 5/16" ID.

The o-ring that goes onto the FPR neck and into the fuel rail does use an injector o-ring.

If you hit a nearby NAPA:

NAPA #730-4912 you get 2 of each one.
NAPA #2-18416 for a package of one of each size.

RemoveBeforeFlight
 
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