first time injectors suggestions

[MarylandDmax]

alright guys, so I'm getting ready to do injectors in my truck for the first time here in the next week or so. This is my first time, but I'm mechanically inclined so I'm not worried. Im just looking for some helpful hints, tips, and suggestions from those of you who have completed such task already. Is there anything in particular i should look out for. By biggest worry are the cups, as i have heard some people have had them come out, and leak coolant. is it possible for the cups to move and leak, or should i take them all out and put new ones in. also I'm takin the engine out to do this, i know there is a rounded out lower valve cover bolt that i just can't get to, so its coming out, its going to be easier not leaning over the front of the truck anyways lol.

 

[MaxSmoke]

When I did mine I went ahead and dropped the coolant and pulled the cups to reseal them. they are not that bad to get out. Injection lines, if you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner put them in it!!! I found some really cool stuff called evapo rust that I put in my ultrasonic with the lines and the came out spotless. Its a pretty simple job to do just time consuming as hell.

 

[six5creed]

I have not had to do my injectors but I saw this awhile back on here and it looks simple and cheap in case you decide to do your cups.

http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31371&highlight=lb7+cup+tool

 

[MaxSmoke]

Oh and another thing, give you're return line bolts a few light taps with a hammer before you try to take them out. Found that to make them a lot easier to get out without stripping the socket head out.

 

[DAVe3283]

Having done it many times now, I do have some tips that might help.

• To make removing the return line banjo bolts easier, I cut the connector between the two parts of the crush washer. You have to replace the crush washers anyway. What this does is allows the top of the crush washer to spin with the bolt head, and I have found that makes it much less likely to strip the bolt out.
• Replace the stupid allen bolts on the valve covers with regular hex bolts. The allen bolts strip way too easily. You are already familiar with this, it seems
• DO NOT buy the ARP valve cover bolt kit. They are metric threads with American sized heads, which is stupid, and they rust in a few weeks and look terrible. Just go to Fastenal (or any local fastener store) and buy stainless bolts for like 1/4 the price of the ARP kit.
• Some people say you should use an injector cup puller and remove all the cups and re-seal them. I personally only remove the ones that come out with the injectors or are loose after pulling the injector. I've never had a problem with the ones that stay tight in the head.
• For injector cups that do come out, make sure you clean the bore in the head where they seat. A brass spiral brush works great, but in a pinch a screwdriver inside a rag will break up the lock-tite residue without damaging the head.
• If the injector cups are not visibly damaged (knicks or gouges), there is no need to replace them. You do need to replace the o-rings, though.
• You might as well check/adjust the valves while you are in there.

I'm sure there are more tricks I am forgetting, but hopefully some of those help you.

 

[Robby05]

A good set of metric Allen head sockets. Quality injectors are a must & get an install kit so you'll Have new seals for everything. Pull cups & reseal them. A good torque wrench & torque everything under the valve covers. Specs are on SoCal diesels website. New tstats & adjust the valves while you're in there

 

[MarylandDmax]

Having done it many times now, I do have some tips that might help.

• To make removing the return line banjo bolts easier, I cut the connector between the two parts of the crush washer. You have to replace the crush washers anyway. What this does is allows the top of the crush washer to spin with the bolt head, and I have found that makes it much less likely to strip the bolt out.
• Replace the stupid allen bolts on the valve covers with regular hex bolts. The allen bolts strip way too easily. You are already familiar with this, it seems
• DO NOT buy the ARP valve cover bolt kit. They are metric threads with American sized heads, which is stupid, and they rust in a few weeks and look terrible. Just go to Fastenal (or any local fastener store) and buy stainless bolts for like 1/4 the price of the ARP kit.
• Some people say you should use an injector cup puller and remove all the cups and re-seal them. I personally only remove the ones that come out with the injectors or are loose after pulling the injector. I've never had a problem with the ones that stay tight in the head.
• For injector cups that do come out, make sure you clean the bore in the head where they seat. A brass spiral brush works great, but in a pinch a screwdriver inside a rag will break up the lock-tite residue without damaging the head.
• If the injector cups are not visibly damaged (knicks or gouges), there is no need to replace them. You do need to replace the o-rings, though.
• You might as well check/adjust the valves while you are in there.

I'm sure there are more tricks I am forgetting, but hopefully some of those help you.

I was looking at the ARP kit, I'm glad i stayed away from it! The plan was to replace all the bolt with hex bolts.

Im assuming if a cup comes loose, without coming out with the injector, its easy to see? i just don't want to miss one and have to do it all over again.

has anyone here done the CLR soak for the injector lines. i have read elsewhere that can be done. i don't really want to buy new injector lines if i can help it, but then again i want to make sure this is done right.

definitely, I'm going to adjust the valves while I'm in. and I'm getting the injectors and install kit from Lincoln, and have a fass to go in with it

 

[pgr11]

I did mine for the first time back in October/November. The best advice I got was to buy my injectors from Brent @ LDS. I can tell you that was the best decision I made. The job was time consuming and I had questions along the way. I called them multiple times over the Weekend and they walked me through sections each time with great advice and little tricks. Even on Sunday. Great price on genuine Bosch injectors and unbelievable service.

With my experience the evapo rust didn't work as well as I hoped but with a few brass wire bits on a dremel they turned out fine.

 

[Brent@LDS]

I did mine for the first time back in October/November. The best advice I got was to buy my injectors from Brent @ LDS. I can tell you that was the best decision I made. The job was time consuming and I had questions along the way. I called them multiple times over the Weekend and they walked me through sections each time with great advice and little tricks. Even on Sunday. Great price on genuine Bosch injectors and unbelievable service.

With my experience the evapo rust didn't work as well as I hoped but with a few brass wire bits on a dremel they turned out fine.

:thumb:

 

[catman3126]

pull the cab LOL, I do.

 

[Bustedknuckles]

The easiest way would be to pay me $600 and ill do them. LOL Where in MD are you? If your lines look super cruddy I've always been able to save them buy sand blasting them.

 

[Awenta]

pull the cab LOL, I do.

This over pulling the motor just for injectors.

I would recommend resealing all the cups. Sometimes they get loose without you seeing it and then you need to pull it anyway.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[MarylandDmax]

I would think about pulling the cab but I don't have access to a lift so that's kinda out of the question. Unless y'all can give a way to pull the cab without a lift lol.

I'm from southern Maryland.

 

[duramax on fire]

Can you weld a Allen head socket to the stripped bolt. Or get some vise grips on it. Pulling the motor for one bolt would suck. Did my injectors for the first time this year. No big deal. If I remeber right on the injector hold down bolt some were saying to over torque 10 lbs

 

[MarylandDmax]

the spec. is 89 inch lbs. which is ~8 ft. lb. so yes they shouldn't be tight, but i don't believe they were torques correctly when the first set of injectors were done, before i had the truck.

I tried multiple times to get the bolt out with vise grips, and easy outs nothing worked. so when i get the motor out I'm gonna see if getting a better angle at it will help, but if not then going to cut the head off remove the lower valve cover then weld a new nut on on (or something of the sorts)

 

[MarylandDmax]

Honestly removing the engine is a bit of a pain, but there are some other things i want to do while I'm in there, mainly paint frame, paint engine, fix glow plugs, fix rusty manifolds. so there are motives, other than just injectors for removing the engine.

 

[duramax on fire]

That sucks about the bolt. I think we did mine in 6 hours. That was with a buddy on one side and me on the other. And no cups pulled out

 

[MarylandDmax]

Having done it many times now, I do have some tips that might help.

• To make removing the return line banjo bolts easier, I cut the connector between the two parts of the crush washer. You have to replace the crush washers anyway. What this does is allows the top of the crush washer to spin with the bolt head, and I have found that makes it much less likely to strip the bolt out.
• Replace the stupid allen bolts on the valve covers with regular hex bolts. The allen bolts strip way too easily. You are already familiar with this, it seems
• DO NOT buy the ARP valve cover bolt kit. They are metric threads with American sized heads, which is stupid, and they rust in a few weeks and look terrible. Just go to Fastenal (or any local fastener store) and buy stainless bolts for like 1/4 the price of the ARP kit.
• Some people say you should use an injector cup puller and remove all the cups and re-seal them. I personally only remove the ones that come out with the injectors or are loose after pulling the injector. I've never had a problem with the ones that stay tight in the head.
• For injector cups that do come out, make sure you clean the bore in the head where they seat. A brass spiral brush works great, but in a pinch a screwdriver inside a rag will break up the lock-tite residue without damaging the head.
• If the injector cups are not visibly damaged (knicks or gouges), there is no need to replace them. You do need to replace the o-rings, though.
• You might as well check/adjust the valves while you are in there.

I'm sure there are more tricks I am forgetting, but hopefully some of those help you.

for the valve cover bolts, you mentioned stainless steel bolts. is there a specific hardness that should be used. also, the size is 1/4-20, do you by change know the length of the bolts (for the upper and lower covers)??

 

[DAVe3283]

for the valve cover bolts, you mentioned stainless steel bolts. is there a specific hardness that should be used. also, the size is 1/4-20, do you by change know the length of the bolts (for the upper and lower covers)??

The bolts aren't under much stress at all, so any grade is fine. As for the size, if I recall correctly, there are only 2 lengths. I just brought the two different stock bolts in to the store and had them match them.

Sent from my FlashScan V2

 

[MarylandDmax]

ok thanks!