How long do diesel injectors last?
Mark Riehl
I've got an 82 Rabbit Diesel. It has ~124K miles. I replaced the head ~10K
miles ago and reused the same injectors, but I did replace the heat shields.
How long should injectors last? What would be the symptoms if they needed
to be replaced?
Should I be OK as long as I run a good cleaner (e.g., Lubro Diesel Purge)
through the car once in a while?
Thanks,
Mark
Frederick Witt
they function. If you are concerned about tham functioning correctly I'd say
somewhere between 40 and 60,000 miles. Although injectors can fail due to
carbon, bad fuel, water, etc. the most common failure mode is simply
mechanical wear. I rebuild my injectors every time I change the timing belt
(every 50,000 miles) and they have always been out of spec. when tested.
Worn out injectors can cause several varied symptoms such as hard starting,
lack of power, poor fuel mileage, excess smoke, and they can also cause you
to burn out glow plugs quickly if they drip. It'll burn the tip right off of
the plug. At 124,000 I'd say that you are overdue for a set. Assuming that
everything else is up to snuff (timing, compression, and valve adjustment)
you most likely will notice an increase in power and mileage if you rebuild
them now. Will you be OK if you leave them?... Sure,as long as you are happy
with the way the car runs you are probably not going to do any damage by
running worn out injectors. Just maybe use a bit more fuel and have a bit
less power. Diesel purge is a good product, I use it every time I buy a
diesel VW to clean out any junk that may be in the fuel system. I do not use
it on a regular basis after the initial treatment. I have found that keeping
my fuel filter changed and keeping my fuel dry is the best way to insure
long pump & injector life.
"Mark Riehl" <mri...@home.com> wrote in message
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Joe
It's time! Last rebuilt ones I bought from my local import parts place were
around $20 US each rebuilt by Bosch. As the first reply said they will
"last" but are out of spec. Yours not only have 124k miles but are almost 20
years old also.
Joe
"Mark Riehl" <mri...@home.com> wrote in message
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LBaird119
>How long should injectors last? What would be the symptoms if they needed
>to be replaced?
They generally go anywhere from 125K to 175K.
That's "working" not necessarily optimal. When
they start going, mileage and power generally
drop. There's usually more white smoke and
maybe some missing at startup. In really bad
cases, glow plugs and pistons can be damaged.
>
>Should I be OK as long as I run a good cleaner (e.g., Lubro Diesel Purge)
>through the car once in a while?
>
>Thanks,
>Mark
>
You're pushing a few hundred gallons of fuel, at
a few thousand psi, through a small opening at a
fine mist. No amount of cleaner will keep it from
wearing and needing replacement. It can sure
keep them doing a better job but it's no substitute
for replacing a worn injector. (or set)
Loren
T. Sallinen
Diesel injectors need rebuilding when the springs inside get mushy, and/or
the mechanical parts wear out of their tolerances. The result is poor
atomization of fuel, which causes more smoke and less power.
There is no mileage limit for this, it depends on many factors. However, I
have heard that they should be checked at 150,000 KM (about 100,000 mile)
intervals. If you want to have them checked, take them out and take them to
a diesel injector repair shop, and they can check them out while you wait.
HOWEVER, I have also heard that you can purchase new ones for less than what
it costs to reman the old ones!
So check your options out. I think that at 124 K your Rabbit is blowing a
bit black soot, and the injectors are probably partially at fault.
Good luck!
TS
Mark Riehl <mri...@home.com> wrote in message
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