Plastic Fuel Injector clips - LIM R&R
10-15-2016, 11:45 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Flaherty, KY
Posts: 69
Plastic Fuel Injector clips - LIM R&R
Hey folks, I'm currently in the process of tearing apart the upper end of the engine-- upper intake and lower intake specifically. Vehicle is a '96 Maxima GLE with approx. 220k. Two cylinders have low compression (about 30% lower than the others); not sure why. There was a mouse nest underneath the lower intake manifold, right in the deepest part of the V. I needed to clean out all the crud and replace the knock sensor and harness, as it was all fubared due to mouse chewing. I also need to do a good EGR cleaning as I'm getting some EGR code. Engine runs fantastic otherwise with good fuel economy (25-27 average, mostly highway) but I was getting a miss at idle with no codes that would suggest a problem, other than EGR and knock sensor.
When pulling out the fuel rail, I noticed some pieces of plastic clips surrounding the fuel injector orifice(s) missing. I found them sitting on top of the valves, and a piece or two happened to fall into a cylinder whose valves were open. I don't think it's a big deal (not worth pulling heads off) as the piece(s) are very small and plastic. Below is a picture showing the broken clips.
The clips that survived are extremely brittle- I can break them off with light pressure. I assume these need to be replaced, correct? I'm ordering a few things I need from the dealer, but I don't know what these are called, or if they're even necessary. Can anyone give me guidance on this? Also, is there anything else I should be replacing while I'm into the engine this far? I have all the obvious gaskets (UIM, LIM, throttle body, etc.) I am also considering replacing the rubber O-ring things that the fuel injectors seat into. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated!
When pulling out the fuel rail, I noticed some pieces of plastic clips surrounding the fuel injector orifice(s) missing. I found them sitting on top of the valves, and a piece or two happened to fall into a cylinder whose valves were open. I don't think it's a big deal (not worth pulling heads off) as the piece(s) are very small and plastic. Below is a picture showing the broken clips.
The clips that survived are extremely brittle- I can break them off with light pressure. I assume these need to be replaced, correct? I'm ordering a few things I need from the dealer, but I don't know what these are called, or if they're even necessary. Can anyone give me guidance on this? Also, is there anything else I should be replacing while I'm into the engine this far? I have all the obvious gaskets (UIM, LIM, throttle body, etc.) I am also considering replacing the rubber O-ring things that the fuel injectors seat into. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated!
10-15-2016, 11:57 AM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Flaherty, KY
Posts: 69
What is the procedure for replacing the pintle caps? I assume I remove the fuel injector "clip" that holds it into the fuel rail, remove injector, put pintle cap on, and reinstall? Is it that easy? I've never worked on fuel injectors of this style before.
10-15-2016, 12:26 PM
#6
OR
send them to a cleaning/rebuild place and you'll get 6 "brand new" injectors.
OR
buy 6 new injectors.
Your choice.
10-15-2016, 01:18 PM
#8
Here's my story, so far:
For the longest time, I had intermittent long cranking issues. As in, sometimes the car would fire right up, and other times I would have to crank for several seconds, or "wait 3 seconds and then crank." Earlier this month, I noticed that there was a strong gas smell while cranking, and gas fumes would billow out of the exhaust.
Then she decided not to start last Tuesday.
I did everything I could think of: battery, starter, both ckps sensors, cleaned grounds, to no avail. I decided to rip the motor apart earlier than planned. Changed valve cover gaskets, spark plug tube seals, replaced the gas-soaked plugs, wiped down the cams, replaced uim gasket, thoroughly cleaned tb and iacv, and pulled out the fuel rail with injectors still installed. One injector had a broken pintle cap, and another had a torn oring. I swapped the entire assembly out with a known working assembly. Put it all back together and still no start. So, I figure the cats must be clogged. Removed the main cat first. It's fairly shot, but not entirely clogged. Still no start. Removed y pipe, went to start it and the battery died.
So here I am, taking my intake and tb apart (again) to replace the fpr (because it poured gasoline into my hands when I took the small vacuum line off it to swap the fuel rail, and that's not supposed to happen) and then I have to figure out how to charge my battery so I can try to start my car, yet again.
Lesson learned: replace/rebuild+clean the injectors when the problem starts.
For the longest time, I had intermittent long cranking issues. As in, sometimes the car would fire right up, and other times I would have to crank for several seconds, or "wait 3 seconds and then crank." Earlier this month, I noticed that there was a strong gas smell while cranking, and gas fumes would billow out of the exhaust.
Then she decided not to start last Tuesday.
I did everything I could think of: battery, starter, both ckps sensors, cleaned grounds, to no avail. I decided to rip the motor apart earlier than planned. Changed valve cover gaskets, spark plug tube seals, replaced the gas-soaked plugs, wiped down the cams, replaced uim gasket, thoroughly cleaned tb and iacv, and pulled out the fuel rail with injectors still installed. One injector had a broken pintle cap, and another had a torn oring. I swapped the entire assembly out with a known working assembly. Put it all back together and still no start. So, I figure the cats must be clogged. Removed the main cat first. It's fairly shot, but not entirely clogged. Still no start. Removed y pipe, went to start it and the battery died.
So here I am, taking my intake and tb apart (again) to replace the fpr (because it poured gasoline into my hands when I took the small vacuum line off it to swap the fuel rail, and that's not supposed to happen) and then I have to figure out how to charge my battery so I can try to start my car, yet again.
Lesson learned: replace/rebuild+clean the injectors when the problem starts.
10-15-2016, 05:37 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 373
Just buy 6 new injectors.
Bosch 62027
Hitachi FIJ0023
Beck/Arnley 158-0861
They do not come with o-rings, so you'll have to purchase them separately. Get Beck/Arnley 158-0957. You will need 6 packages if you're replacing all 6 injectors.
Bosch 62027
Hitachi FIJ0023
Beck/Arnley 158-0861
They do not come with o-rings, so you'll have to purchase them separately. Get Beck/Arnley 158-0957. You will need 6 packages if you're replacing all 6 injectors.
10-15-2016, 08:35 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central AR
Posts: 3,041
Many of us here on the org have either replaced our injectors with new or refurbished parts, had existing injectors refurbished by a service company, or refurbished our own.
Usually flooding issues from leaking o-rings reveal deteriorating pintle caps. I had two leaking injectors that caused extreme flooding issue.
Here's a picture below.
Pricing will depend on the urgency for how quickly you need to resolve your injector issue.
It really seems to follow the value triangle model:
1) Low/Best Price
2) Quality
3) Fast Delivery
Pick any two but you can't have all three.
Over the years I've used different options. Six years ago, I purchased new new BWD flow rated/matched injector that cost roughly $130 each for a V8 Infiniti. That was $1,040 before tax for a set. Six years later, they still work great. I wanted the best and paid for quality and local availability.
Nearly three years ago, I refurbished a set of existing Maxima injectors using a $34 kit that I purchased on eBay. That was low cost, but I had to wait for new screens, o-rings, and pintle kits to arrive from the eBay seller. Then I had to figure out how to replace everything and reach some level of satisfaction with the approach I used for cleaning and testing my work. It was fun and rewarding -- but it took a lot of time. I wouldn't recommend that approach to get a daily driver back on the road.
I recently ordered a set of new injectors for $11 each -- shipped. Those parts will be delivered on Monday. Delivery takes about 2 weeks. Since I'm not familiar with the seller or the quality of the injectors, I will send the injectors to a company in FL that will flow test the injectors for $7 each. Testing will not require the o-rings or pintle caps to be disturbed. So for under $25 each, I hope to have new tested injectors.
It might work out, but since this is preventative maintenance, I'm not in any hurry.
If the new injectors don't work out, I have plenty of good working injectors that I can refurbish on my own. I already have a refurb kit sitting on the shelf that I will use to refurbish the old injectors.
With the number of injector issues that we see on the org, I'm taking the preventative maintenance approach by combining injector service with other maintenance like replacing the valve cover gaskets, EGR and sensor cleaning, hoses, and fuel pressure regulator.
Usually flooding issues from leaking o-rings reveal deteriorating pintle caps. I had two leaking injectors that caused extreme flooding issue.
Here's a picture below.
Pricing will depend on the urgency for how quickly you need to resolve your injector issue.
It really seems to follow the value triangle model:
1) Low/Best Price
2) Quality
3) Fast Delivery
Pick any two but you can't have all three.
Over the years I've used different options. Six years ago, I purchased new new BWD flow rated/matched injector that cost roughly $130 each for a V8 Infiniti. That was $1,040 before tax for a set. Six years later, they still work great. I wanted the best and paid for quality and local availability.
Nearly three years ago, I refurbished a set of existing Maxima injectors using a $34 kit that I purchased on eBay. That was low cost, but I had to wait for new screens, o-rings, and pintle kits to arrive from the eBay seller. Then I had to figure out how to replace everything and reach some level of satisfaction with the approach I used for cleaning and testing my work. It was fun and rewarding -- but it took a lot of time. I wouldn't recommend that approach to get a daily driver back on the road.
I recently ordered a set of new injectors for $11 each -- shipped. Those parts will be delivered on Monday. Delivery takes about 2 weeks. Since I'm not familiar with the seller or the quality of the injectors, I will send the injectors to a company in FL that will flow test the injectors for $7 each. Testing will not require the o-rings or pintle caps to be disturbed. So for under $25 each, I hope to have new tested injectors.
It might work out, but since this is preventative maintenance, I'm not in any hurry.
If the new injectors don't work out, I have plenty of good working injectors that I can refurbish on my own. I already have a refurb kit sitting on the shelf that I will use to refurbish the old injectors.
With the number of injector issues that we see on the org, I'm taking the preventative maintenance approach by combining injector service with other maintenance like replacing the valve cover gaskets, EGR and sensor cleaning, hoses, and fuel pressure regulator.
Last edited by CS_AR; 10-15-2016 at 08:41 PM.
10-15-2016, 10:05 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central AR
Posts: 3,041
Side note about side feed injectors. I think most all gasoline powered Nissan and Infiniti engines from used side feed injectors like the ones we have in our 4th gens between 1995 and 1999. These injectors are often called within Nissan circles as Phase II injectors. There is a lot of information available from the 240sx and 300zx communities about working with side feed injectors that the same as or similar to the 4th gen injectors.
I use an approach that is similar to the one in this video for removing and installing pintle caps.
I use an approach that is similar to the one in this video for removing and installing pintle caps.
10-16-2016, 07:35 AM
#13
Many of us here on the org have either replaced our injectors with new or refurbished parts, had existing injectors refurbished by a service company, or refurbished our own.
Usually flooding issues from leaking o-rings reveal deteriorating pintle caps. I had two leaking injectors that caused extreme flooding issue.
Here's a picture below.
Pricing will depend on the urgency for how quickly you need to resolve your injector issue.
It really seems to follow the value triangle model:
1) Low/Best Price
2) Quality
3) Fast Delivery
Pick any two but you can't have all three.
Over the years I've used different options. Six years ago, I purchased new new BWD flow rated/matched injector that cost roughly $130 each for a V8 Infiniti. That was $1,040 before tax for a set. Six years later, they still work great. I wanted the best and paid for quality and local availability.
Nearly three years ago, I refurbished a set of existing Maxima injectors using a $34 kit that I purchased on eBay. That was low cost, but I had to wait for new screens, o-rings, and pintle kits to arrive from the eBay seller. Then I had to figure out how to replace everything and reach some level of satisfaction with the approach I used for cleaning and testing my work. It was fun and rewarding -- but it took a lot of time. I wouldn't recommend that approach to get a daily driver back on the road.
I recently ordered a set of new injectors for $11 each -- shipped. Those parts will be delivered on Monday. Delivery takes about 2 weeks. Since I'm not familiar with the seller or the quality of the injectors, I will send the injectors to a company in FL that will flow test the injectors for $7 each. Testing will not require the o-rings or pintle caps to be disturbed. So for under $25 each, I hope to have new tested injectors.
It might work out, but since this is preventative maintenance, I'm not in any hurry.
If the new injectors don't work out, I have plenty of good working injectors that I can refurbish on my own. I already have a refurb kit sitting on the shelf that I will use to refurbish the old injectors.
With the number of injector issues that we see on the org, I'm taking the preventative maintenance approach by combining injector service with other maintenance like replacing the valve cover gaskets, EGR and sensor cleaning, hoses, and fuel pressure regulator.
Usually flooding issues from leaking o-rings reveal deteriorating pintle caps. I had two leaking injectors that caused extreme flooding issue.
Here's a picture below.
Pricing will depend on the urgency for how quickly you need to resolve your injector issue.
It really seems to follow the value triangle model:
1) Low/Best Price
2) Quality
3) Fast Delivery
Pick any two but you can't have all three.
Over the years I've used different options. Six years ago, I purchased new new BWD flow rated/matched injector that cost roughly $130 each for a V8 Infiniti. That was $1,040 before tax for a set. Six years later, they still work great. I wanted the best and paid for quality and local availability.
Nearly three years ago, I refurbished a set of existing Maxima injectors using a $34 kit that I purchased on eBay. That was low cost, but I had to wait for new screens, o-rings, and pintle kits to arrive from the eBay seller. Then I had to figure out how to replace everything and reach some level of satisfaction with the approach I used for cleaning and testing my work. It was fun and rewarding -- but it took a lot of time. I wouldn't recommend that approach to get a daily driver back on the road.
I recently ordered a set of new injectors for $11 each -- shipped. Those parts will be delivered on Monday. Delivery takes about 2 weeks. Since I'm not familiar with the seller or the quality of the injectors, I will send the injectors to a company in FL that will flow test the injectors for $7 each. Testing will not require the o-rings or pintle caps to be disturbed. So for under $25 each, I hope to have new tested injectors.
It might work out, but since this is preventative maintenance, I'm not in any hurry.
If the new injectors don't work out, I have plenty of good working injectors that I can refurbish on my own. I already have a refurb kit sitting on the shelf that I will use to refurbish the old injectors.
With the number of injector issues that we see on the org, I'm taking the preventative maintenance approach by combining injector service with other maintenance like replacing the valve cover gaskets, EGR and sensor cleaning, hoses, and fuel pressure regulator.
Apparently all of us have had a weird compression/no fire cylinder problem at some point. All the information above is 100% accurate and correct.
... is it just me or did anyone else really just 00vi swap for the top feeds?
**** side feeds. All. Day. Long.
10-16-2016, 12:20 PM
#14
But you have the cash flow for that kind of fun :-P
10-16-2016, 01:26 PM
#15
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Flaherty, KY
Posts: 69
Many of us here on the org have either replaced our injectors with new or refurbished parts, had existing injectors refurbished by a service company, or refurbished our own.
...
With the number of injector issues that we see on the org, I'm taking the preventative maintenance approach by combining injector service with other maintenance like replacing the valve cover gaskets, EGR and sensor cleaning, hoses, and fuel pressure regulator.
...
With the number of injector issues that we see on the org, I'm taking the preventative maintenance approach by combining injector service with other maintenance like replacing the valve cover gaskets, EGR and sensor cleaning, hoses, and fuel pressure regulator.
The car isn't a daily driver (we have other vehicles), but I would like to do whatever work is necessary to make it 100% reliable with no nagging issues like CEL lights and such. It gets the best fuel mileage of our vehicles, so am trying to turn it into my daily work beater. It's clean and in nearly perfect shape for a 20 year old car... Just hard to work on, compared to other engine bays I've had my hands in
10-17-2016, 05:03 AM
#16
Thank you immensely for the helpful post. I have never had injector trouble on other vehicles I own/owned, so the broken pintle caps is a first for me. I guess after 220k, it wouldn't hurt to get them rebuilt or buy remanufactured ones.
The car isn't a daily driver (we have other vehicles), but I would like to do whatever work is necessary to make it 100% reliable with no nagging issues like CEL lights and such. It gets the best fuel mileage of our vehicles, so am trying to turn it into my daily work beater. It's clean and in nearly perfect shape for a 20 year old car... Just hard to work on, compared to other engine bays I've had my hands in
The car isn't a daily driver (we have other vehicles), but I would like to do whatever work is necessary to make it 100% reliable with no nagging issues like CEL lights and such. It gets the best fuel mileage of our vehicles, so am trying to turn it into my daily work beater. It's clean and in nearly perfect shape for a 20 year old car... Just hard to work on, compared to other engine bays I've had my hands in
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