I posted aweek ago that I was having starting problems. The car would crank but wouldn't start or turn over. So i assumed the starter was fine, no noises etc.. and it cranks so I take my car into a shop. They test other things that may be the problem, coils, fuel pump, etc.. and couldn't find the problem. They are now believing that it maybe a leaking injector(s), which is why i am also having alot of black smoke out the tail pipe. The leaking injectors is flooding the cylinders i believe. They want to dissamble to get to the injectors to test them to see if they are indeed leaking. So basically they are charging 4 hrs of labor which comes to around $300 and the cost for each injector that is leaking, which he rates the cost of each at $160 a piece. What do you guys think, should i go and get a second opinion at another shop or go ahead with it? Also is there anywhere cheaper to get the injectors than for $160 apiece for what the shop charges? And if i do find out if its only one or two injectors that is leaking, should i have them all replaced so further down the road it the others go bad I don't have to pay the rediculous labor costs to change them out? The shop estimated around $1300 for all 6 new injectors and labor, which is crazy to me but is that right? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

First, buy a Hanes or similar manual and use a multimeter to test the resistance/impedance of the injector to see if it's bad. Second, borrow or buy a fuel pressure test kit, I think I paid $47 at Checker, but they are cheaper for the SAME thing through JC Whitney. Then do a Fuel Pressure HOLD test to see *IF* your injectors are leaking.

If they are, look online for "Motor Vac" service, which is a cleaning process that cleans EVERYTHING including injectors, rail, head, throttle body, manifold, combustion chamber, valves, etc. and call around and find a place in your area that does THIS type of service. Cost quoted to me was $185. This *SHOULD* fix your problem since MOST injectors don't fail, they're just blocked/dirty/stuck. Do a Fuel Pressure HOLD test again and if they are still leaking, find a set on eBay or here even for dirt cheap and send them out to be Ultrasonically cleaned and pre/post flow tested for around $14/injector.

If you want BRAND NEW injectors, you can get Bosch replacements for around $100 or even cheaper plus whatever o-rings you'll need, but that shouldn't be necessary with all the VQ30DEs going with 370cc injectors or found in the junkyards.

 

Here's $90/each shipped NEW:
http://www2.autopartsauthority.com/p...=Fuel+Injector

 

Thanks for the reply. That is great information. I will definitely go the route you suggest instead of shelling out all that money at the shop. So your saying if the injectors are leaking, that doesn't necessarily mean that the injectors are bad but maybe just dirty or blocked? Hopefully this will fix the problem. Thanks.

Andy

 

If your getting fuel when your crank, but no spark that would explain the fuel loading and black smoke once it finally does start. Injector timing is controlled by the camshaft sensor which in your case is probably working just fine and your getting plenty of fuel. Your injectors are fine, trust me.

You have a spark problem. I've seen this over and over. Two sensors are responsible for spark and engine timing. They are crank position REF and POS. When these sensors start to go bad or produce weak signals due to contimation on their magnetic pick-ups the ECU has a hard time figuring out when to fire your spark plugs.

My suggestion is to remove both of these sensors and just gently clean the metalic dust thats stuck to the magnetic tip and reinstall them. This will cost you nothing and may fix or at least point you to the problem. These sensors are located as follows:

POS is located on the transmission bell housing, under the car twards the front. You can get to it easily by jacking up the front end and looking under the splash shields by the bell housing.

REF is located just under the lower belt pully. Turn your steering wheel hard right and pull back the splash shield exposing the pully and the sensor just under it.

Good luck. that should work.

 

I agree with njmaxseltd that it's most likely NOT an injector problem.

My post was based on FIRST eliminating that as a possibility and SECOND fixing them if the injectors are the culprit.