Cleaned Injectors and Won't Start!!!

[TDIinVT]

It just seems to get worse. I have an 03 TDI with 52K miles and live in Vermont.
I have been having power issues at 2k+ RPMs. I then discovered algae in the sending unit. I then added Bioguard to the fuel and changed to fuel filter. I got no improvement so I ran a can of Diesel Purge thruough it.
That's when I decided to clean the injector nossels. They were real bad looking! Cleaning went well even without a garage to work in. I ran out of daylight and had to finish the next day. I covered all "open" parts with rags for the night. I put on new injector washers and torqued everything to spec. After double checking that all is right I preceeded to start my car.
Unfortunitly it didn't even try to start! Not even a cough. it simply turned-over nothing more.
I saw some fuel seep out of #1 injector and fuel seemed to be circulating.
I suspect that I didn't get the block clean enough to allow the injectors to seal properly.? It was getting dark fast at that point.
Any suggestion? Should I take it apart and flush everything out?

 

[paramedick]

Before you get aggressive, do this.

Loosen the nuts on the hard fuel lines at each injector. Have someone crank the engine 10 seconds at a time until you see fuel coming out of each connection (just a little bit!). Tighten the connections and see if your car starts. Probably just air in the fuel lines.

BTW, how did you clean your injectors? Also, WHERE was fuel seeping from?

 

[cage]

Are you sure it isn't simply fuel not getting to the injectors? Did you try loosening the nut's at the injectors and crank it unti fuel comes out to purge air?

 

[runonbeer]

did you clean the injector seat in the head? can you feel compression leaking past the injectors.

check this after you bleed the lines and get the car started.

 

[TDIinVT]

Before you get aggressive, do this.

Loosen the nuts on the hard fuel lines at each injector. Have someone crank the engine 10 seconds at a time until you see fuel coming out of each connection (just a little bit!). Tighten the connections and see if your car starts. Probably just air in the fuel lines.

BTW, how did you clean your injectors? Also, WHERE was fuel seeping from?

That makes great sense! I will try to blead the fuel lines tomorrow. Fuel seems to be leaking from the top of #1 injector. It's probably from a loose nut or leaky return line. I had soaked the injectors in diesel purge and brushed the tips clean with a tooth brush. I did use a soft wire brush to clean the injector body (not the tip).
Thanks, I'll get back to you sunday on the progress.

 

[TDIinVT]

I finally got the time to blead the fuel lines today. Unfortunitly after 2 weeks of not running and craking it over from time to time the battery is too low. It spuddered a bit while I was bleading the fuel lines but that was all.
I am going to charge that battery and try again tomorrow. Besides, It's porring out!

 

[TDIinVT]

So I finally got it running! The problem is that it runs like crap. I sputtered alot. I decided after 30 seconds of that its time to troubleshoot. I pulled that injetors again and noticed that the head wasnt as clean as I thought it was. I'll never clean it again with only a headlamp! I cleaned it and put everything back together. I had to used the same seals because I didn't find others. I figured that would be fine because they hadn't seen any real heat yet. I'm not sure if that's true.
After putting it all back together nothing had improved! So, I'm going to take everything apart and clean it all. Maybe I got some dirt or dust where I shouldn't have? DO I DARE take apart the injectorheads?

 

[golfstream]

You should have replaced the MAF sensor in the first place since that was likely the cause of the initial power issues... you'll probably still need to replace it, but I think you created additional problems by taking the injectors out and messing with them in the first place.

No offense but, IMO, injector nozzles should only be touched by a qualified injector mechanic with specialized tools... just my opinion, mind you.

You probably do need to take the injector assemblies to an injector shop to have them properly cleaned, tested, and maybe have the nozzles replaced.

Good luck,

Mel

 

[chromeBuddha]

If you really think it is the injectors, you can probably find an OEM set cheap on the sales forum from someone upgrading. If not here, try the vwvortex forums classified section.

The seals are crush washers. I don't think it is the heat that makes them "used" but the tightening of the injector clamps. But many folks get away with reusing them. Only really an issue if you have a leak...

 

[LanduytG]

Now you said you cleaned the nozzles? Just what did you do to clean them? If you wire brushed the nozzle tip you could have plugged a hole or two. Even though it has over 4000psi of pressure it will normally not open a plugged hole. They only way to tell is to run the on a pop tester and check the spray pattern.

Greg

 

[weedeater]

There was algae in the tank? How did that get there? And how did you get it out?

If any of this crap made it up to the pump.....

 

[LanduytG]

There was algae in the tank? How did that get there? And how did you get it out?

If any of this crap made it up to the pump.....

Very common issue with Bio. You need to killit with a biocide like Primrose MB8. If it gets the the pump then the filter was not do its job.


Grreg

 

[TDIinVT]

Greg,
I had brushed my injectors of with a toothbrush and dieselpurge. I was hoping that would be good enough. It wasn't. Now I seemed to have made it worse. I sent you an email about servicing my injectors. Can I sand you my old injectors?

weedeater,
The algae problem is being treated with bioguard. I found algae in the sending unit. It was clogging the intake. I washed it with dishsoap and dryed it before reinstalling it. I think that this had something to do with the poor performance issues.

gulfstream,
My MAF is fairly new and didn't seem to help any.

Chromebudda,
I was assuming that the heat would cause expansion of the injector houseing and further "crush" the seals.

 

[Canadian_Grizzly]

For something as critical as injectors I would never clean them or put in used ones. If the spray pattern is not good you could melt a piston. I put in some of Kerma's PP520's and absolutely love them...it trully woke up my car.

 

[TDIinVT]

For something as critical as injectors I would never clean them or put in used ones. If the spray pattern is not good you could melt a piston. I put in some of Kerma's PP520's and absolutely love them...it trully woke up my car.

Your right, but I have been having some major power issues and had to do something. My injectors were seriously coked! I cleaned them up to simply get by until I got new nozzels. The spray pattern was already comprimised. I havn't driven my TDI much at all since I began noticing problems. They seem to compound quickly. I'm not sure the algae is totally resposible. I am planning to clean the EGR also.

My car is now fine. It seemed to have been air in the lines. Soon with new injector nozzels and a little TLC everything will be all better.
Thanks for all the help.

 

[Dodoma]

Your injectors are sufficiently cleaned. There is no need to take those to injector shop for pop testing. I have done such cleaning on older 1.6 diesel injectors without harm. Your problem may be the injector that has integrated solonoid (third injector with electrical wiring that goes to the ECU). If this particular injector is not working properly, your type of problem can occur. I suggest borrow this injector from some one else, try it on your car and if you see improvement, then buy it. Do not buy only for testing because it is expensive.

Do not be surprise to see algie in the tank. It is alway good to use diesel additive now and then.

 

[TDIinVT]

Thanks for the advice Dodoma. It has worked for me in the past too. Besides, I have been tuaght be very good mechanics! I simply havnt doen much with diesels.
I am plannning to try a new injector. The wire seems to be crimpted at one point. My TDI had been in the shop a bunch in the begining due to a fuel issue. It would just quite often. It had been in the shop 4 separate times in 3 months. All adding up to 5 weeks of shop time. This was all under warranty (under 10,000 miles). The dealer never did figure out what had been causeing the problems. I figured it out myself! The sending unit in the fuel tank would prevent fuel from returning and as a result air would buildup and "froth". I installed a vacuum guage to monitor pressure and found that the pressure would jump up to 20+ lbs. then stall. I temporarily fixed this by looping the fuel line back to its self after the fuel pump. i later drilled the sending unit and did away with the tiny ball valve in it. I also did away with the one in the intake to prevent it from closing when my fuel is thick during that colder months.
Does anybody know how many wires belong on the mentioned injector. My clip was taped. When I peeled away the tape I found 3 wires. One of which snipped off.?!

 

[LanduytG]

2 wires on the number 3 injector. If its bad electrically you will get a code.

Greg

 

[compu_85]

2 wires on the number 3 injector. If its bad electrically you will get a code.

And a blinking glow plug light.

-Jason