Urgent - roadside injector replacement

[caercamper]

Hi all

I’m on holiday in France and one of my injectors is leaking. Engine idles terribly but evens out with revs, but diesel drips off the engine fast. The area around the injectors is soaked, but the leak off pipes are dry so I don’t think they’re the culprit this time and to be honest I’ve had two other injectors do the same in the past couple years.

Luckily, I’ve a spare injector with me. Unluckily, all the garages in the small town I pulled up in are too busy, so it looks like I’m going to have to replace it myself.

Is this a totally mad idea? I’m in a camping car parkup so I’ve got space to work. I’ve got spanners, the Haynes, some spare leak off pipe and the new injector.

What’s the procedure? And can I do it without an injector puller? What I’m most wary of is ending up with an injector stuck, half out, and the van unable to move!

Any tips, thoughts, or things I need to look out for? All advice truly appreciated.

[Chug]

I haven't come across one that didn't come out, I've had some that required a bit of twisting/levering but were not really siezed in, but if it is stuck fast then put a thick towel over the injector and crank the engine and compression should blow it out.

Spray wd40 round the injector base,then remove leak off pipe and injector pipe and then remove the clamp bolt.

[caercamper]

Okay that’s reassuring to know thanks - and in terms of the compression trick - presumably the engine is alright running on 3 cylinders for a few seconds? Mine starts dead on the key turn generally.

I’m going to give this a go in the morning

[dumper]

When I changed the injectors on my mk3 190 number 4 wouldn’t come out got the genuine Ford injector puller and broke it ran the van for a month with the clamp removed tried different penetrating oil when foot and mouth came and not useing the van I decided it was going to come out even if I had to take the head off it broke up so off with the head only to find I had 4 cracked pistons that was the pencil type injector for the early injector I used to use a slide hammer to get them out if they wouldn’t blow out .

[caercamper]

Further inspection this morning and it’s not the injector it’s the delivery pipe from the pump to the injector that’s leaking. I’m going to have to get RAC to take it to a garage but what can I expect? I assume these aren’t available parts? Would a shop make one? Never had to fiddle with the high pressure side so dont know much about it. Any thoughts?

[dumper]

You could try slaking it off and retightening it have had that work before there are companies in the uk but in France you’ll have to try someone local .

[caercamper]

Okay so they’ve fixed the leak but it’s very rough at idle. All the injectors are fine and the suspect one has been swapped out. It evens out with revs and seems to drive okay…. Is the rough idle a cause for concern? They are stumped but I’m reluctant to leave with it like this when I’m so far from home… can it do significant damage?

[dumper]

Have they checked the idle with a revcounter/ taco .when my mk5 had a rough tickover it was getting air in leak off pipes but not leaking I changed the rubber pipes and cured it a mate had the same problem and I didn’t expect it to cure it as the air was on the low pressure side but it worked.my mk3 with the Lucas pump had a lumpy tickover but it was down to the external levers being worn.