Injectors for 2003 Golf

I've about 160k miles on my Golf. The last time I had it into the shop they told me that injector #1 is leaking fuel. I've not found anywhere on here about injectors leaking fuel. Anyone heard of this?

If I were to replace the injectors, I've found a couple places that sell them as a kit, with tool, and I then send back the old injectors and tool after replacement. They also say I need to adjust the IQ for best results.

I have no way to adjust the IQ and there are no specialists near where I live. Is the IQ adjustment required or just "best"? I know that may be hard to answer, just trying to figure out where I stand.

thanks,
david

Depending on what injectors you're using, you'll want to adjust IQ. Car will run, run better with the adjustment. Keep in mind any VW enthusiast might have a VCDS, not just TDIers so check local groups.

I was thinking of going with the pp520s, but if that messes things up I'm fine sticking with stock.

Put the 520s in, bump the IQ when you can.

BobnOH said:

Put the 520s in, bump the IQ when you can.

Click to expand...

Sorry to tag along on this but I'm thinking of spoiling myself with the same nozzles.


With a tune does one still need to do a hammer mod/adjust EQ?

No, tell the tuner what you got, he'll dial it in.

BobnOH said:

No, tell the tuner what you got, he'll dial it in.

Click to expand...

He's only doing injectors, not a tune.

Leaking injectors... Where are they leaking? At the nozzle nut? At the nozzle tip?

If, for example, you start the car in the morning, and you get a white, stinky cloud of unburned fuel for a few seconds, your nozzles are leaking down when the engine is off. This can put about 1/2 teaspoon of fuel in one or more cylinders, which blows out at startup, causing that cloud.

If you see fuel coming up out of the injector bore, that can happen from a leaking nozzle nut. If the base of the nozzle is not tight against the intermediate element, or it was taken apart and not properly cleaned, you can leak from the nozzle nut.

As for injectors, we have had varying results with so-called high grade nozzles. Bosch is King, but priced accordingly. We have had great success with Firad, but they seem to only want to make just so many. There are other reliable brands we deal with.

Most often, we can correct the leak, whichever way it is. Nozzles are something that requires proper installation and calibration, in our opinion. I would not expect to 'drop them in' using some 'tool' and everything is AOK. After setting pop pressures, we verify our setting by installing in an excellent operating engine and fine tune the injectors, using the VCDS idle balance and liter per hour usage. It's a definite help.

You live in a beautiful part of the world. I used to enjoy trips to The Shenandoah Valley. Even out in the country like you are, the availability of someone who can help with 'hammer mods' is not so far away. We usually have someone in our own 'trusted list' who can help even in remote, out of the way places. Sometimes, it's worth a trip to use someone who gets it right.

I have never heard of an injector leaking fuel.

Leaking delivery pipe? Yes.

Leaking vent return hoses? Yes.

Injector? No.

I call shady mechanic. If it's not leaking and you cant see wetness, leave it be and tell the mech to f off with there vs.

I took a closer look and the fuel like to the first injector has a zip tie on it. I suspect that could be the cause of the leak. I'll get some fuel line and try that first.

david

.....fuel like...?????????????????????????????

Well, I hate to be so dogmatic, but not only do injectors leak, they do it several different ways.

1. The single most common way injectors leak is when the engine is shut off for the day. Then you start the next morning and stinky white smoke clouds the sky for about 5 seconds, then goes away. One or more of your injectors is not holding back the 15 lbs of pressure the pump is supposed to hold and about 1/2 teaspoon of fuel that accumulated in your combustion bowl(s) blows out at startup. That's your cloud.

2. Aggressively leaking nozzles are most commonly figured out by drop in compression, when the melted piston and the aluminum stuck to the exhaust valve. This can most usually be discovered by using VCDS/ Engine Module/ Measuring blocks/ block 13 and 15; idle balance compensation and fuel economy liter per hour usage. In VCDS, if an injector is reading a negative number, it is overfueling.

There's more, like making sure the nozzle nut has about a 30 degree turn or assembling a nozzle 'dirty' Any dirt or debris in a nozzle is a big problem.

Those are the most common leak issues.

If you need a zip tie to hold return line on, like, you need a new return line.

I read it as an external (under the hood) leak, not an actual nozzle leak (into the cylinder).

Fuel leaks on or around the injectors under the hood that I have come across were 100% fixed with either the fuel return hose replacement or in some cases the union nut loose or more rarely a cracked delivery pipe which is usually caused from missing brackets OR on earlier engines from pipes being in a bind after a timing adjustment.

It is wet around injector #1. I ordered new fuel return hose and will install when it comes in. I did check the nut and metal line and that doesn't have any moisture.

I get no puffs of smoke.

Got my replacement return line today. After replacing it I could easily see that the supply line was leaking.

I tightened the nut until it stopped leaking. It got really tight, not sure how tight they are supposed to get, but it did eventually stop leaking.

Will check again in a couple days to see if it is still dry.

thanks for all the help! Saved me $400.

david

lovingHDTV,

The supply line to the injectors are the hard metal lines, the return lines are the rubber/cloth fuel lines that daisy chain from one injector to the other over to the injection pump.

Was the return line leaking? Or the supply line?

Eric

I replaced the return line with new ones as the injector #1 had a zip tie on it. After replacing it I did see fuel leaking from the cap. It would drip down the injector. so I kept tightening the nut until it stopped leaking.

david