Need Help on injector problem

[Merle]

I have had 4 injectors fail on my Duramax on 3 separate tear downs in the same way and wondered if anyone could help me. Immediately above where the fuel line enters in the middle of the injector, there is a tiny spot about the size of the lead in a pencil. When my injectors fail, the fuel blows out that opening and then it goes down into the engine crankcase. Does anyone know what that opening is for and what makes it fail? :confused:

[srubrn]

How many miles?
You might want to check out the thread on filter tests.

Dirty fuel might be your problem.

[Merle]

I have 110,000 miles on the engine and the dealer has told me that dirty fuel is not the problem. However, how do you do the test you referred to?

[george morrison]

I wish we could post photos on this site; I have an electron microscope photo of an injector at 95,000 miles that looks like the lunar surface. All due to dirt. Our high pressure fuel systems are very susceptible to ultra fine particulates. We are calling it 'dirt' but it is really ultra-fine contamination. The first fuel sample we tested, which may NOT be representative, indicated a fuel particulate contamination level which would destroy our injectors in short order. We are re-sampling several more vehicles to ascertain exactly what we have in terms of OEM fuel filtration and should have those results in the next week. We will post them for all to see. George Morrison, STLE CLS

[Maverick]

Merle,
Did all your injectors stick open and dump fuel into the cylinder? Thats what happened to one of mine at 98,000. Going on 106,000 and all seems fine so far.

[Merle]

At 91,000 the 7 & 8 injectors failed. At 103,500 the number 3 injector fail and I had the rest replace at my cost in an attempt to head off future problems. At 110,500 the number 7 injector failed again. All failed the same way, the little pencil sized spot above the fuel line fails and drops fuel into the crankcase. Does anyone know what that pencil sized spot is for?

[6.6L&94ImpalaSS]

How much did they nail you for an injector?

I think that is my problem as well, but they will not fix it do to no codes and I have an aftermarket exhaust.

Mike

[Merle]

The injectors were $530 each. They did not charge me for this last injector

[george morrison]

We should have more "after fuel filter" tests to post by week's end. This will give us 'real' data in relation to our Duramax fuel filter's particulate removal efficiency. If a person is purchasing fuel from a contaminated source (which is to say most diesel fuel outlets), one can easily get fuel having 2,000,000 particles of 5 microns or larger per gallon of fuel. If our fuel filter is 50% efficient, which it may well be, visualize 1,000,000 abrasive particles going through your high pressure fuel pump and injectors with every gallon of diesel fuel you burn. It becomes very apparent that the cleanliness of one's fuel source and the efficiency of our fuel filter is directly related to pump and injector life.
George Morrison, STLE CLS

[ 10-29-2002: Message edited by: george morrison ]

[ 10-29-2002: Message edited by: george morrison ]</p>

[DieselDennis]

Merle,

All I can say for you is OUCH ! ! !

We may have to take up a collection for you.

[D-max Man]

I am assuming that you have an early 2001 engine.

The hole in which you are referring to is there as a result of drilling a passage internally in the injector. There is a small steel ball that is inserted into the hole and a nut is tightened against it to plug the hole after the drilling is complete.

Some (not all) of the very early injectors had a problem with those nuts loosening and allowing the ball to move away from that hole and allowing fuel past it.

[Merle]

My engine is an early 2002 engine. Are there filters to do a better job?