Replacing ignition coils, what's this nut?

[Trav]

It's been good until now. Somehow I have a dead fuel injector on cylinder 1. It was full of fuel. Checked everything including wiring. Took everything off again and reassembled to make sure it was right. One step forward and two steps back as usual.

These are Bosch injectors and are usually extremely reliable unlike the Siemens/Deka they used previously, there is one possible issue with these and that is some did not have filters installed and no provision to install them after the fact.
Make sure the rail(s) is spotless inside clean outside and any inline filter has been replaced and the line blown through. Anything in the line or rail will get into an injector(s) and can cause them to flow poorly or stick open or closed.

Check the ohms of the injector and voltage at the connector with a dvom or use a noid light. I install injectors with vaseline or WD40 on the o rings, both work very well and cause no difficulties when removing them, the silicone grease tends to turn into a white powdery substance making removal after a long time sometimes very difficult.
Tip. When removing injectors spray some WD40 where the o rings are and turn the injector back and forth slightly before pulling it.

 

[michaelluscher]

Bosch is the OEM for those coils, $17 or so each on RockAuto

 

[Bitter]

Yep, all lubed up. I'll try again tonight just to see if cylinder 1 is still the issue which *should* rule out either the harness or injector.

Are you trying to stab the rail onto all 6 injectors or all 6 injectors are in the rail and stabbing them into the head? I usually put injectors in rail and then stab them into the head, walking the rail around in little circles with downward pressure usually gets them all to pop into the heads pretty well, once in a blue moon I need to use the bolts to pull an especially tricky one in place. I've also ran into the aftermarket seal rings being fatter than the OE ones making it really tough to get them down in place.

 

[Bitter]

the silicone grease tends to turn into a white powdery substance making removal after a long time sometimes very difficult.

Are you using Sil-Glyde by chance? It's got a high amount of Castor Oil and it does get funky and chunky and looses it's lubricity over time. I'm not a fan of it, SDS lists it as 30-60% Castor Oil. I'm sure it's got some Silicone in there somewhere but primarily it's just a rubber safe conventional grease. We use silicone di-electric grease for lubing o-rings and stuff, works well and doesn't seem to dry up. I think it's 1st Ayd but I can't seem to locate it or the SDS, I'll double check the brand and product number at work tomorrow. It's like all silicones, or mostly silicones but I like to be sure when I'm suggesting a product.

 

[Rochev]

Thanks for the tips, it's definitely nasty around every injector and I'm having a hard time keeping gunk out of the cylinders when they're pulled out. I'm replacing them all but I can't trust that I can get the new ones in without getting the injector tips dirty. I will spray the holes anyway, since there's so much grime everywhere.

Bitter, to answer your question, I'm trying to push the rail onto the injectors. I was able to get them with more oil on the orings. The connectors are actually impossible to remove without breaking apart. They lock back in but don't 'snap'. Have a new harness in my eBay cart...

 

[Trav]

Are you using Sil-Glyde by chance? It's got a high amount of Castor Oil and it does get funky and chunky and looses it's lubricity over time. I'm not a fan of it, SDS lists it as 30-60% Castor Oil. I'm sure it's got some Silicone in there somewhere but primarily it's just a rubber safe conventional grease. We use silicone di-electric grease for lubing o-rings and stuff, works well and doesn't seem to dry up. I think it's 1st Ayd but I can't seem to locate it or the SDS, I'll double check the brand and product number at work tomorrow. It's like all silicones, or mostly silicones but I like to be sure when I'm suggesting a product.

Regular di-electric silicone. Over the years I have tried them all, you also find this on some spark plug boots that have been on a long time, some are so bonded they have to be cut off.

 

[Bitter]

Can you post a picture of the connector?

 

[Bitter]

Regular di-electric silicone. Over the years I have tried them all, you also find this on some spark plug boots that have been on a long time, some are so bonded they have to be cut off.

1st And 735-8

 

[Trav]

Generally once injectors have been replaced they usually don't come out again or if they do its a very long time with the exception of marine injectors. I get sets I serviced 5 years and more years ago, those that used silicone had removal issues and the ones that used normal grease had soggy or hardened rubber parts but hey if its working for you use it.
I can only relate my own long term experience and those of customers.

 

[Bitter]

Generally once injectors have been replaced they usually don't come out again or if they do its a very long time with the exception of marine injectors. I get sets I serviced 5 years and more years ago, those that used silicone had removal issues and the ones that used normal grease had soggy or hardened rubber parts but hey if its working for you use it.
I can only relate my own long term experience and those of customers.

Yeah no, not here to argue just share what I've had luck with. I haven't had many comeback for injectors after replacing one. Ignition stuff I'll see again for plugs at the next 30/60/90/120 interval and haven't had and rubber welding incidents with this grease. The white grease that comes packaged or preapplied I'm pretty sure is actually glue in disguise, it's a big ignition conspiracy.

 

[Rochev]

Update:
After swapping problematic cylinder 1 injector with cylinder 3, its still flooding the cylinder and code came back up "Cyl #1 injector circuit open" so it seems to be a wiring issue. I did remove all insulation on that connector and didn't see anything wrong. I'll order a new harness after I test the voltage to that plug. I'm wondering also if it's the pcm but I'll see after checking voltage. It's just too humid right now. I can't work outside without watering the ground.

 

[Bitter]

Update:
After swapping problematic cylinder 1 injector with cylinder 3, its still flooding the cylinder and code came back up "Cyl #1 injector circuit open" so it seems to be a wiring issue. I did remove all insulation on that connector and didn't see anything wrong. I'll order a new harness after I test the voltage to that plug. I'm wondering also if it's the pcm but I'll see after checking voltage. It's just too humid right now. I can't work outside without watering the ground.

Usually a stuck on injector is the PCM control wire shorted to ground, usually a pinched harness. It's possible the injector driver burned in the ground position but that's less common. If the wire harness doesn't fix it then you need to stop throwing parts at it, get a DVOM and do some basic testing, or pay someone else to do testing and hope they too just don't throw parts at it.

 

[Rochev]

Usually a stuck on injector is the PCM control wire shorted to ground, usually a pinched harness. It's possible the injector driver burned in the ground position but that's less common. If the wire harness doesn't fix it then you need to stop throwing parts at it, get a DVOM and do some basic testing, or pay someone else to do testing and hope they too just don't throw parts at it.

Will check pcm wiring as well with a dvom. Thanks!

 

[Bitter]

Will check pcm wiring as well with a dvom. Thanks!

If you need diagrams I can borrow some from work.

 

[Rochev]

If you need diagrams I can borrow some from work.

Id appreciate that! I just checked injector 1's connector with a pen light and got voltage on one of two prongs which I assume is normal. Interestingly though, cylinder 3 next to it I could not get the light to come on no matter how much I prodded the connector.

 

[Trav]

Id appreciate that! I just checked injector 1's connector with a pen light and got voltage on one of two prongs which I assume is normal. Interestingly though, cylinder 3 next to it I could not get the light to come on no matter how much I prodded the connector.

Get yourself one of these little tools, cheap, decent quality and does the job. This is not a test light.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TD5HPU?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

 

[Rochev]

Seems to be the harness. However I can't unplug the main connector. Not sure how it's supposed to be removed, there's no tabs or anything. It's in a large gray sleeve plug.

 

[Bitter]

Seems to be the harness. However I can't unplug the main connector. Not sure how it's supposed to be removed, there's no tabs or anything. It's in a large gray sleeve plug.

Post some pictures of it, I've unplugged a lot of things and often correctly.

 

[Rochev]

Too late lol, had to break apart the "sleeve" it was stuck in position and brittle. I was able to pull the connector off. I got a good deal on new injectors and a NOS harness. I'll do the harness and injectors since everything is off anyway. If no luck I'll have someone check out the pcm. But since it's just one cylinder I feel like it has something to do with a connection or wiring. There is an exposed wire on the harness that I unplugged, and the ground connector was rusty. Fingers crossed! Still waiting on parts though.

 

[Bitter]

Too late lol, had to break apart the "sleeve" it was stuck in position and brittle. I was able to pull the connector off. I got a good deal on new injectors and a NOS harness. I'll do the harness and injectors since everything is off anyway. If no luck I'll have someone check out the pcm. But since it's just one cylinder I feel like it has something to do with a connection or wiring. There is an exposed wire on the harness that I unplugged, and the ground connector was rusty. Fingers crossed! Still waiting on parts though.

At the injectors themselves there's a lock that has to be slid up then pinch the whole thing and they unclip, at the big end I'm not 100% sure which style it was but there may have been a lever which is released then separates the connector. Usually if you can get a hook pick or a 90 deg pick under the tab and lift it you can get the connector apart. Use a hook or 90 deg to lift those injector locks up, they're rarely stuck. Usually infact they pop off and go flying if you pull too hard.