manaen
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- February 27, 2007
- Messages
- 2,679
- Reaction score
- 4
- City, State
- Clear Spring, MD
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2011 Xterra Pro-4X
OK, in the 15 years I have been working on vehicles I have never had a slew of events that has turned so fast and furiosly wrong in seconds. Sure there has been problems along the way, but nothing of this magnatude. I am posting this in hopes of saving someone else the headaches involved in working with your fuel systems. This turn of events could happen to anyone on any vehicle. This will be a little lengthy but I need to include all the details just to show the steps that led to the ultimate outcome, so bear with me here. it's been a rough week
So here's what took place last week.
I have been struggling with a leaky fuel injector(s?) for a few weeks, basically changing oil every week or so, at least until I could get time to fix the problem. (See the related thread HERE)
OK so I tried to find the proper injector for my truck which apparently for my year range is very very hard to find. And forget about finding the proper seal kit for them, they are non existent. Sure I could go to ford and pay almost $90 a peice for them but (which looking back would have been a bargain) I had a fishing trip planned and could not afford the money at the time
After searching every parts place for the injectors and everyone telling me that they never see them go bad, I found a local NAPA that will ultrasonically clean and test each injector for $20 a peice. So, I figured with the money I saved I could go ahead and order new shocks for all four corners before a said fishing trip.
OK so my bill is currently at ~$310 for the cleaning and the shocks and I start early the next morning removing the injectors and having them cleaned. The removal goes well and I have the injectors at NAPA by 9am for cleaning.
About 2 hours later he calls me back and says they are ready to be picked up but he has a problem because he doesn't have the seals for the bottom of the injectors which is a special molded cap (not an oring) type seal, and he called everywhere and nobody stocks them. But he looked through his seals and thinks he found something that will work well. So I run over and check out the situation. Sure enough he had seals from a VW that in combination with a few orings worked very well to fit the application. So no big deal.
Went home and installed the injectors and pressure tested them with a quick KOEO test everything was looking really good PSI was stable and holding at 62(the spec for my year). Then I went to start the engine and it wouldn't start, hmm I cranked a few times checked some wires, cranked some more yadda yadda...
Then I noticed that my pressure gauge indicated that there was 0 PSI in the lines hmm it was just holding pressure fine at 62psi when I ran the KOEO. I cranked a few my times and finally the engine hydraulic'd and would not crank any more.
That's when I had my first "OH CRAP" moment one or more of the injectors must have been stuck open completely and gas was just pouring into a cylinder eventually filling up enough to hydraulic the motor, at first I worried about bending something (rod, crank, valve) but then I realised it never really tried to fire so it was only the pressure of the starter not the engine power so I should be fine. I removed the injectors and took them back to NAPA. They ran a quick test on the injectors and verified that in fact all but one injector was stuck completely open, no pulse what-so-ever. Both me and the service tech just stood there scratching our heads. He admitted that he has never seen anything like that before because all of them tested fine when he cleaned and checked them the first time.
Luckly the night before he ordered (by my request) 6 new fuel injectors to replace any of the old ones that may fail. So reluctently I purchased the new injectors and he was nice enough to refund the cleaning cost and nock $10 off each injector. So my bill is now up to about $600 for this service but at least I have new injectors and I should be getting good gas mileage and great running motor, and no more weekly oil changes. I also purchased a new oil filter and 6 quarts of synth since this should be my last oil change for a few months.
Installed the injectors and changed the oil and filter, there was probably an extra 4 to 5 quarts of gas in the motor, but it never ran so at this point I should still be fine as long as I change the oil. Performed all those tasks and I thought to myself "I should have the engine running like a champ by 4pm" just in time for a meeting I had that evening.
Performed another KOEO pressure looks good, cranked the engine a few times and it would not start. I rechecked pressure and everything was great and I figured that the engine is probably still loaded with fuel and it will take a few cranks to get it to start. Well I cranked a few more times and sure enough it fired off.
However here is where things go really bad and you see a grown man screaming, crying, and jamming a screw driver into his temple (Kids turn away!)
When the motor started the residual fuel in the upper intake loaded the engine and the computer tried to compensate which basically rev'd the engine. Well due to the change of oil and filter the oil pressure had not yet reached the bearings which ultimately lead to the complete and utter demise of the lower end of my engine.
At first I tried to play the "sticky lifter" card, but ultimately when I heard that rapping very very loud rapping I knew what I was in for. So while I check my lifters (read: prayed) my wife called all the local salvage yards for another motor.
This all happened on Wednesday, I found and ordered a motor on Thursday, and began the operation on friday. Everything was back together Saturday and running at 11pm (was doing it myself so it took some time to line the engine back up)
Total Bill for my fuel injector service ~$2100.00
Expensive Lessons learned
1) always, always prime the oil system, to help this process fill the filter with new oil before installing it, then unplug the coil pack (if you don't have COPs) and crack the engine until the oil gauge pops up.
2) Clean all excess fuel from the intake and cylinders, pull the plugs if you need to.
Bottom line, I now have an engine with only 32k miles on it, and a hole in my bank account. I had to borrow money to cover my planned trip
This situation is so unique, however I just hope that I can help someone in the future from having the same chain of events take them down this road.
Stress levels are way up, but I thank God for the skill to perform this swap and patients to not rip my head off
The campfire and the fishing will be extra sweet next week, it will be a welcomed time to reflect and regain some of my sanity.
At least I get to say that I changed spark plugs on an SOHC engine in under 2 minutes, so what if I had to pull the engine to do it.
So here's what took place last week.
I have been struggling with a leaky fuel injector(s?) for a few weeks, basically changing oil every week or so, at least until I could get time to fix the problem. (See the related thread HERE)
OK so I tried to find the proper injector for my truck which apparently for my year range is very very hard to find. And forget about finding the proper seal kit for them, they are non existent. Sure I could go to ford and pay almost $90 a peice for them but (which looking back would have been a bargain) I had a fishing trip planned and could not afford the money at the time
After searching every parts place for the injectors and everyone telling me that they never see them go bad, I found a local NAPA that will ultrasonically clean and test each injector for $20 a peice. So, I figured with the money I saved I could go ahead and order new shocks for all four corners before a said fishing trip.
OK so my bill is currently at ~$310 for the cleaning and the shocks and I start early the next morning removing the injectors and having them cleaned. The removal goes well and I have the injectors at NAPA by 9am for cleaning.
About 2 hours later he calls me back and says they are ready to be picked up but he has a problem because he doesn't have the seals for the bottom of the injectors which is a special molded cap (not an oring) type seal, and he called everywhere and nobody stocks them. But he looked through his seals and thinks he found something that will work well. So I run over and check out the situation. Sure enough he had seals from a VW that in combination with a few orings worked very well to fit the application. So no big deal.
Went home and installed the injectors and pressure tested them with a quick KOEO test everything was looking really good PSI was stable and holding at 62(the spec for my year). Then I went to start the engine and it wouldn't start, hmm I cranked a few times checked some wires, cranked some more yadda yadda...
Then I noticed that my pressure gauge indicated that there was 0 PSI in the lines hmm it was just holding pressure fine at 62psi when I ran the KOEO. I cranked a few my times and finally the engine hydraulic'd and would not crank any more.
That's when I had my first "OH CRAP" moment one or more of the injectors must have been stuck open completely and gas was just pouring into a cylinder eventually filling up enough to hydraulic the motor, at first I worried about bending something (rod, crank, valve) but then I realised it never really tried to fire so it was only the pressure of the starter not the engine power so I should be fine. I removed the injectors and took them back to NAPA. They ran a quick test on the injectors and verified that in fact all but one injector was stuck completely open, no pulse what-so-ever. Both me and the service tech just stood there scratching our heads. He admitted that he has never seen anything like that before because all of them tested fine when he cleaned and checked them the first time.
Luckly the night before he ordered (by my request) 6 new fuel injectors to replace any of the old ones that may fail. So reluctently I purchased the new injectors and he was nice enough to refund the cleaning cost and nock $10 off each injector. So my bill is now up to about $600 for this service but at least I have new injectors and I should be getting good gas mileage and great running motor, and no more weekly oil changes. I also purchased a new oil filter and 6 quarts of synth since this should be my last oil change for a few months.
Installed the injectors and changed the oil and filter, there was probably an extra 4 to 5 quarts of gas in the motor, but it never ran so at this point I should still be fine as long as I change the oil. Performed all those tasks and I thought to myself "I should have the engine running like a champ by 4pm" just in time for a meeting I had that evening.
Performed another KOEO pressure looks good, cranked the engine a few times and it would not start. I rechecked pressure and everything was great and I figured that the engine is probably still loaded with fuel and it will take a few cranks to get it to start. Well I cranked a few more times and sure enough it fired off.
However here is where things go really bad and you see a grown man screaming, crying, and jamming a screw driver into his temple (Kids turn away!)
When the motor started the residual fuel in the upper intake loaded the engine and the computer tried to compensate which basically rev'd the engine. Well due to the change of oil and filter the oil pressure had not yet reached the bearings which ultimately lead to the complete and utter demise of the lower end of my engine.
At first I tried to play the "sticky lifter" card, but ultimately when I heard that rapping very very loud rapping I knew what I was in for. So while I check my lifters (read: prayed) my wife called all the local salvage yards for another motor.
This all happened on Wednesday, I found and ordered a motor on Thursday, and began the operation on friday. Everything was back together Saturday and running at 11pm (was doing it myself so it took some time to line the engine back up)
Total Bill for my fuel injector service ~$2100.00
Expensive Lessons learned
1) always, always prime the oil system, to help this process fill the filter with new oil before installing it, then unplug the coil pack (if you don't have COPs) and crack the engine until the oil gauge pops up.
2) Clean all excess fuel from the intake and cylinders, pull the plugs if you need to.
Bottom line, I now have an engine with only 32k miles on it, and a hole in my bank account. I had to borrow money to cover my planned trip
This situation is so unique, however I just hope that I can help someone in the future from having the same chain of events take them down this road.
Stress levels are way up, but I thank God for the skill to perform this swap and patients to not rip my head off
The campfire and the fishing will be extra sweet next week, it will be a welcomed time to reflect and regain some of my sanity.
At least I get to say that I changed spark plugs on an SOHC engine in under 2 minutes, so what if I had to pull the engine to do it.
