Injectors, What tool for Studs?

[Tony H]

I did the Injectors on my brothers '94 yesterday.

Pulled the upper plenum off then, I thought, the Fuel rail would just lift off. Nope, the studs hold it down. I used a 5mm socket to over the top of the Stud to remove it BUT what is the correct tool for these TORX head looking studs?

 

[knob]

They are reverse TORX heads. Can't remember the size, but the sockets are sold at Checkers

 

[Tony H]

I never heard of such a thing.

must be 30 mm 'ish

I'll have to surf and see. Hopefully I've seen my last injector change on that critter

 

[Tony H]

EXTERNAL TORX SOCKETS

never knew they existed

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Could it be just a 12pt socket like on rear end bolts?

 

[mikeinri]

External torx sockets definitely exist (they are also called "female torx"). If the head of your bolt looks like the tip of a torx screwdriver, you need an external torx socket (or combo wrench). Sears sells them, as do some auto parts stores.

I've seen them on my Craftsman lawn tractor deck, and on my wife's Grand Am wheel cylinders. Haven't come across them on the Exploder yet.

A bit of caution: the heads of these fasteners are EXTREMELY easy to strip if you try using the wrong tools. Once stripped, they are incredibly difficult to remove.

Long story short, buy a set of these sockets before you try anything else.

Mike

 

[ScooterERAU]

I believe the size is E6 or E7 and so far it is the only place on the truck where I have found Female Torx.

 

[410Fortune]

No special tools are needed to remove the fuel rail hold down bolts on a 93 Explorer? Something is fishy

a 12 point socket maybe, but I dont believe so

 

[Tony H]

These were absolutely the Torx that we are discussing.

My brothers Father-in-law was the original owner. This was the first time this engine was touched other then regular maintenance.

So maybe '94 Ford decided to make the Intake 'Owner Unfriendly'
Your '93, what holds the Fuel Rail down to the Manifold?

 

[410Fortune]

try a 12 point 5.5 mm socket

I have no female torx type tools, and I have had the fuel rail on and off a few 4.0L's in my time, even the later style 95+ where the rail is sandwhiched between the upper and lower intake. On the 91-94 style fuel rail the rail is just held down to the intake manifold with two bolts if memory serves (will look through pics) but I do know I did not need any special tool I did not already have.



Dont forget to lube the o rings before you press the new injectors into the manifold and fuel rail. ATF or vaseline works great for this

 

[Heavymentill]

I didn't feel like searching for the studs but there is a reverse torx bit that fits over the end to remove them. You can also use 2 nuts to remove them.
For those who have never seen or used a reverse torx...
View attachment 38462

 

[mikeinri]

"A bit of caution: the heads of these fasteners are EXTREMELY easy to strip if you try using the wrong tools. Once stripped, they are incredibly difficult to remove."

You don't HAVE to listen to me, but trust me, I've been there and it sucks.

Do NOT use standard sockets on a torx head bolt. They WILL strip, and you WILL have a very long, bad day...

Also, any time I see these these torx fasteners, they get replaced with bolts with "real" heads. I have no clue why anyone designed these things, but they are a royal PITA.

Mike

 

[ScooterERAU]

Pulled the fuel rail today...it is an E7