I am wondering if I need to replace my fuel injector o-rings. I am going to remove my fuel rail with injectors attached and reinstall the fuel rail and same injectors. Should you replace the o-rings on the injectors or just reuse them? Anybody have any good tips on pulling the fuel rail and injectors out of the manifold? My fuel rail and injectors have never been removed.
Thanks, Craig
I'd put new ones on.... the old ones tend to get a bit less supple and might not reseal as well if they are reused.
The O rings are cheap from the deal (get enough for the fuel rail and the injector tips ... at least 12).
Use a little Vaseline or white grease when installing them to keep them from binding and rolling/pinching. This can cause leaks....
There's a procedure on the web page at:
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/fuelsystem/injector_swap.html
that has some good tips and tricks...
I would suggest being VERY careful taking loose the nut holding the hard vacuum line assembly to the stud on the passenger's side of the plenum on the 86/87 cars. Because of the epoxy coating on all these items, the nut seems to sieze to the tab of the vacuum lines. If you try to loosen it without holding the nut on the stud below it, chances are about 95+% that you will yank on the mounting tab and bend or break the vacuum lines. (Ask me how I know...)
I have modified an open end wrench specifically for assisting with this process. Since I happen to know you and you're local, feel free to contact me about borrowing it.
Hmmm...I probably ought to whip up a tech article for the page on this modified wrench...
What he said- (Ken) and what he said (Scott)
and my additional .02
If you find you have considerable resistance pulling the injs from the intake---- (more than likely)
Take an open ended wrench, memory says an 11/16 but then again you know how bad my memory is. Try to fit one as snug as you can size wise on the lower part of the inj under the main body. You can now lever the flat side of the wrench with a small block of wood as a fulcrum and ease those pesky stuck ones out. Might not be a bad idea to soak the oring pocket with a little wd 40 or something first. Then blow it out real good so no dirt and crud drops down in there when the inj comes out.
Heck while you got them out anyway you may as well get off some of that rusty $ and throw a set of blues or 009s in there You'll be glad you did :^))
Good pointers Dwight!
I usually use a bit bigger (13/16"?) and wrap the end with a rag so as not to scratch the bodies of the injector (especially when that block of wood inevitably slips and the wrench pops off!)
Change 'em often enuf and they pop right out!
I have started using grease right out of my grease gun on the rings with great success-seems to be more protective than vaseline.
I have been fortunate in reusing old o-rings but having said that, I know something will happen next time.
When reinserting, I have found it much easier to pop them all into the fuel rail and then drop them all into the manifold.
Thanks guys for the tips! I should be wrenching this weekend. Hope to see some of you guys at the track soon.
Craig