Injectors, DIY refurbishing?

Hi all...
Having just completed my most recent project, I’m posting the complete process of how I went about refurbishing a full set of Injectors for my Freelander, 2006, 3-Door, Diesel Td4.

The first picture in the series shows the tools I used, the most important being the 10mm hexagonal adaptor for removing the internal retaining-nut that sits over the lengthy internal pin. I tried to adapt an Allen Key to do the job, but that was a lengthy & fruitless effort; so buy the proper tool instead – should you wish to do-it-yourself (DIY). They are on Ebay.

I must apologise for not using the correct names for certain objects as I have not researched this subject so can only go by what I see and can relate to. For example, a horseshoe-clip.

To begin with, I previously carried out a flow test of my Td4’s Injectors measuring the diesel return, which in-turn indicated how efficient and serviceable they are - in relation and compared to each other’s output.

My 1 and 4 were running on an equal measure, while the No2 showed the highest return followed by the No3. That’s when I decided to do something about it. I want my engine to run at near perfection, if not so! I don’t like 2nd-best or make-do.

I bought a complete set of Injectors for my Td4 on Ebay; where seller’s description stated, “Tested and ready for use”. The price alone was tempting, plus new rubber-seals and copper-washers.

Inc P&P… £146.10 LAND ROVER FREELANDER 2.0 TD4 INJECTOR ALL 4 INJECTORS 0445 110 049

BMW Diesel Injector O Rings for Bosch Injectors on Common Rail Pack of 4

Land Rover Freelander TD4 Diesel Injector Copper Washers - Pack of 4
Sorry about the large fonts, but I copied from Ebay.

Having received the injectors, checking their electrical continuity (in comparison with my car’s existing units) I fitted them. They simply didn’t work! All four replacement units had been fitted, and would only start the engine for about one second before shutting down – and that followed several turns of the engine – over-and-over again. It’s not a simple job to remove and fit injectors, where dismantling all the covers, etc, can cause problems with threads and mounts galore. It’s a straight forward job, but can prove disrupting.

However, I did try them… and they FAILED! So much for the seller’s statement!!

They were sold for a good price though. Ooooerr! So, please take this experience on-board.

I could have sent them back; but the fact they failed and that I am an experienced multi-skilled engineer who once restored old British Motorcycles (including their failed Lead-Acid batteries – which is another [chemical] thread in the making, if anyone is interested). Okay, I’ll let you into a secret. It’s called, Tetrasodium EDTA, and can be used to recover failed lead-acid batteries. Once again, my previous chemistry studies proved to be quite invaluable. However, there are always those who are… difficult to persuade or convince, without accusations of incompetence. But that’s another story.

I do apologise for making this thread quite lengthy, but if I include all that I have learned then I hope not to leave any unanswered questions for any who might wish to do the same.

If any would care to view that added pictures it might help some to complete a refurbishment of an injector or the plural. I’m always able to give advice, as are many others on Landyzone who also know about the procedure & pitfalls of doing such a thing. As for myself, I have learned a lot, resulting with what I now consider a complete set of refurbished injectors for the use-of in my possession. And at a fraction of the cost of buying something stated as Refurbished that fails. There are many stories of woe belonging to this subject, I’ve learned.

The pictures follow…

Then, after clearing all my tools away, washing my hands and changing into different clothing, I settled down with a G&T with lemon. I earned it!
If anyone has any questions I will do my utmost to respond in detail, to help as best I can.
Finally, as an Edit to what I've written, carbon-build up was the biggest problem. Clean that away and you too can have a servicable set of Injectors. I encountered stuck needles, blocked tubes and debris in amongst the workings. Easily cleaned and ready to work again, at the fraction of the cost for so-called professionally fixed units. DIY is best, I reckon.

Before any peeps jump in, this is the Freelander section, not AG!

Thanks, Grumpy.

Can you write up what you did to refurbish the injectors, it would help.

Wil-co.

ir would also be better if you put the pics in the write-up, rather than a bundle of pics at the end. Good start tho.

You are correct, of course. I've also noticed the pictures I placed onto the end of the write-up are not in sequence (sigh), which can disorientate any reader who is unaquainted with an Injector's internal workings.
I'll do a complete rewrite, inserting pictures as appropriate, to inform and educate.
I'll do my best.

People tend to discount refurbishing injectors as in the 'to hard' or even 'not possible' basket. But people have done it, reported good results and although fiddly doesn't sound like a to impossible task. The refurbishment though talked about before has been with the nozzles I believe. I haven't seen any talk on refurbishing the electronic side of them - I don't know if this is possible or even needed. I don't know what a (proper) 'reconditioners' would touch.

Hi PopRivet.
Thank you for taking the time out to take the photo's and do a write up most appreciated by all I would imagine, I will look forward to in depth how to on the full refurbish of the injectors, I have about four sets in my shed which I have cleaned the end nozzles, but as of yet not stripped down the full injector as you have above.

I you need a good photo's hosting site to add your pictures into your story try this below I have been using this for at least 2yrs now before the big PB scandal.
https://imgur.com/

So easy to use and post photo's on the forum in small, medium or large form as here below. Arctic

Slide hammer to remove a cold stubborn injector
1

Okay everyone, here goes with a detailed account of my Injector x4 Refurbishment...

The first step was to thoroughly clean the outside of the injector. I used paraffin and a brass wire-brush to remove obstinate lumps & corrosion.

IMPORTANT>>> As you remove items take care to observe how they are fitted and ensure they are refitted likewise. Otherwise, you could end up with an injector that will not operate.

My 5” vice was used to hold the injector in situ while I worked on it. This piece of hardware was invaluable. See Picture.


Next, I removed the fuel inlet union with its accompanying sealing washer.
Followed by the Solenoid cap. This cap contains a spring and collet, so be prepared for these items as they could easily slip out.

With the cap removed and its ancillary parts (spring & colett) a fan-type structure is seen.This is what the electrical magnetic solenoid affects when briefly energised. See Picture 2.


Beneath the fan, as I’m calling it, a large washer sits. This can be removed before or after the following fan removal takes place.
All the collets and washers are graded so should be refitted as they appear.

This fan-type structure is held in position by a horse-shoe clip. Picture 3.

By depressing the fan the clip can easily be removed. But be careful, as beneath there is a compressed spring that could eject the fan if allowed to.

Next to be seen is a hexagonal captive nut. You must be very careful when you remove this as it needs to go back in the same way it comes out. The lower-side has a machined face. Also, you need to have a special tool to remove this. I bought one off Ebay. It’s a 10mm HEX ALLEN BIT Bosch Injector Dismantling REMOVAL Tool TAMPERPROOF SECURITY


As this is removed a spindle, washer and circular base can be seen. But before this is removed you must be aware there is a very small ball-bearing and its holder beneath. The ball & its holder represents a one-way valve and can easily be missed or lost if you are not careful.


Once all these items have been safely and very carefully removed (I laid them out on a cloth inside an old shoe box, all in line as they were removed and in a position where I knew which was the uppermost surface so could be refitted as they came out). I cannot emphasise the importance of this enough!

The injector was then reversed in the vice, so the injector’s nozzle was uppermost.


A 15mm ring-spanner was used to undo the nozzle. As you unscrew this be very careful to catch anything that may fall out. I removed the injector as I unscrewed the nozzle, holding it over a clean white cloth to catch anything. There are two small keys that hold the nozzle in line with the injector, and they can easily slip out if not careful. Also, the needle-jet that sits centrally can also fall out, as can a small plunger, spring and a colett. If you would care to view the picture you will see all these items laid out in line.

With all these items now removed and carefully stowed, the next thing to be done is to remove the central pin and its holder. The injector needs to be retained in its upside down position to do this. And once again, the pin and its holder can drop out as it’s punched, so beware.

Using a parallel punch and hammer, gently tap the pin free from its internal fitting position. It doesn’t need much of a hit. With this released and stowed, the inspecting and cleaning can begin, before reassembly can start.


Reassembly is a reverse of how it was dismantled.

I found the following faults.

2 Injectors had nozzle-pins that were seized in position. No injector can work in this state. To remove them I simply warmed the outer-nozzle’s body with a cigarette lighter. Once warmed the nozzle was gently tapped on a piece of wood, enabling the needle pin to slowly drop out. It was a mixture of carbon and gum that had caused them to be stuck inside. Once cleaned, they were free to move. The points were in good condition so passed the test. Fixed.

1 injector’s fuel pipe was blocked. One of the fuel-pipe unions holes feeds fuel to the nozzle and being blocked the injector couldn’t work. Using a piece of thin stainless-steel wire I carefully prodded this narrow pipe while intermittently purging it from a pressurised tin of brake cleaner. The blocked soon cleared and was flushed repeatedly. Fixed.

1 injector had a whole heap of carbon above and around the Fan type structure beneath the solenoid cap. Upon inspection the carbon seemed to have been introduced over a period of time from outside, by what method I am at this time uncertain. It was the only injector to have this. Once cleaned it was as good as new, as were all the injectors.


So, in conclusion, it was a case of carbon and gumming-up that caused the problems, and no metalic failure of the units was discovered.


I cannot put enough emphasis on how the cleaning and rebuilding must be carried out under very clean conditions; otherwise you could just be doing all the work for nothing as failure could be the end-result. It’s my guess that many professionals who carry out refurbishing tend to just throw the parts into a cleaner where such items as collets and washers tend to get mixed up and fitted wrongly. And if some points of contact rub against another, while subjected to high frequency cleaning, their surfaces could in-effect be damaged. I cleaned my parts by hand, using paraffin (kerosene aka BBQ Lighter fluid). Oh, I researched injector cleaner and what it might chemically consist of, where whatever is used must be inflammable as well as non-corrosive or abrasive. What I came up with, and I’m not quite convinced by this myself, but the common opinion seems to suggest… it’s paraffin based. I used the stuff and all the parts cleaned perfectly. I wonder if anyone in the know might be able to say what’s actually included in any Injector Cleaning product?


A list of items you will need…

A BMW Diesel Injector O Rings for Bosch Injectors on Common Rail Pack of 4

Land Rover Freelander TD4 Diesel Injector Copper Washers - Pack of 4

10mm HEX ALLEN BIT Bosch Injector Dismantling REMOVAL Tool TAMPERPROOF SECURITY

Great write up and photo's which are easy to follow, I used a magnet to remove the nozzle-pins on mine which helped then slide out, once again big thank you for sharing,

Thank you Mr Pop Rivet - I will be road testing your guide in the next few weeks....

+1 on the great write up. Nice and clear.

I'm sure this will help people in future.

A great write up. It'll be interesting to see the results proper. Get them fitted and let us know how it goes. Typical replacement cost for all four at a UK garage is in the region of £1k so you could be doing some people a big favour.

Fitted replacement Injectors to the 2 & 3 today. Runs like a dream. Smooth too.

Excellent write up, and as others have said could be really useful to many of us. Hope it continues to run well.

Thanks again

PopRivet said:

Fitted replacement Injectors to the 2 & 3 today. Runs like a dream. Smooth too.

Click to expand...

Excellent news just what we wanted to hear, well done

My wife & I went for a really good run today, where I tested the Freelander to the extreme. It went like the proverbial up hills and was smooth to the extreme. Pedal-to-the-metal, etc.
And even though I'm biased, because I did the work... it's F'n brilliant.
No blue smoke at start-up. No hesitation at junctions or wherever. Nothing in the negative. Only positive.
And thanks to those who have given me feedback.

Great write up. I've got 3 spares and 1 in bits with a lost ball bearing I'll give this a go when I get back to the uk.

Great write up!! Have had issues in the past with a dodgy No2 injector and taken all out and cleaned nozzles in an ultrasonic bath..with good results.. I’ve been reluctant to strip the solenoid parts as I’m aware of the intricacies .. however your procedure is a great step up to servicing the whole unit.. cheers..