I need to get my fuel injectors serviced. I'm considering several options:
1. Have a garage do a cleaning of the injectors in engine.
2. Remove them myself and send them off for professional cleaning.
3. Buy new injectors.


For option 1, I understand that this method is not thorough and may not clean everything that needs to be cleaned. My Jag dealer wants $466 for the service, but I can probably find a cheaper place that will do it.
For Option 2, I can't do without the car for a week or longer, so my cost would probably involve renting a car. I've seen cleaning services for as low as $10/injector; most are under $25. The only local injector cleaning service I've found in the Columbus, Ohio area charges $50/injector, but they could do them same day, and I'd have my car running again.
For Option 3, I can get new GP/Sorenson fuel injectors from AutoZone for as low as $30/injector, but from what I've read you get what you pay for with poor quality Chinese products. They'd cost me less than renting a car, though, so I could use them temporarily and send my OEMs out for cleaning.


Any advice, other thoughts, resources to recommend, ideas about quality of fuel injectors, etc.?

 

Check if you have a Firestone Complete Auto Care in your area. I believe they do that service and they are usually very competitive with prices.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I called, and they will disconnect the system and do a forced cleaning of the fuel rail for $130, which is reasonable but I'm afraid probably not aggressive enough for what I need.

 

Hello Mr Beachy! I have seen an outfit on several legit car websites that rebuilds them. GB Remanufacturing. Found some amazon reviews and most were positive.
I see that rockauto.com appears to have a deal where you can order rebuilt ones from GB then send in your old ones to get your $9 a piece core back.
Looks to be about $208 shipped to central ohio (plus core charges) You'd have no down time other than replacement.

I see them on fcpeuro.com also but they say it's send in your injectors to get rebuilt from GB, so the week turn around...you might want to check with rock auto or just call GB.


*glad you got your plugs in, I did mine a few months ago and that back one is a real pain. Would have offered to help if I'd been in town! It did make the v8 run even smoother.

 

Hey, Ross, nice to hear from you again! About the plugs, I put up a post recently about using a universal socket adaptor on #8 so that I didn't have to take anything apart. I had more trouble with #7 before I figured it out.


Thanks for the heads up about GB at RockAuto. That's the same item AutoZone has for $30 with no core return. I think at RockAuto you pay about $36 for the injector and then get refunded $9 for the core. I'm leery of these because they're so cheap. Would you trust putting them in? One year warranty.


I stopped by my local AutoZone this afternoon to talk with my knowledgeable friends there about the diagnostic report I got from Jaguar. Take a look at it and see what you think. Why would 7 of the injectors be clogged? Is it more likely an exhaust issue (cat or oxygen sensor) that's giving problematic readings to the PCM? Maybe it'll make sense to you or someone else reading this thread. If you click on the image it will be big enough for you to read the detail.

 

Hi kbeachy,

If you're as stubborn and cheap as I am, there is an option 4. Clean your injectors yourself. Below are links showing how I did it, using a setup based on various methods I found online:

Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page
Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page

I know the cleaning was effective because I gained almost 2 mpg in fuel economy. I'm sure the professionals who do ultrasonic cleaning and injector matching do an even better job, but for about $50 including new filters and O-rings I was very happy with my results.

What exactly is prompting you to feel your injectors need to be cleaned?

Cheers,

Don

 

I've been running a set of rebuilt from Rock Auto for 4 years with no problems. By the way, I was "certain" my originals were bad or leaking, but I was wrong. I still have them stored, instead of sending back for the cores.

I would not trust a shop that wants to "force clean" the whole rail at one time. A good injector specialty shop will clean and test the spray pattern. They will tell you if there is something they cannot fix. I see no way to test the spray patterns with all of the injectors still on the rail.

 

Hi Don,
Thanks for your advice. I'll check into cleaning them myself.
What's prompting me to explore cleaning the injectors is that I have an engine light that's throwing P0420, right bank cat. So I had my Jag dealer do a diagnostic (shown in post above) that showed misfires in all but one cylinder. Their suggested fix was to replace plugs and do 3-part engine clean that included the injectors. They thought that was more likely than the cat or 02 sensors.
Take a look at the reading and see what you think. I have no performance issues that clue me in to what's going on. If the engine light weren't on I wouldn't think anything's wrong.
Kenton

 

John,
What were the symptoms that made you think it was the injectors? How do you know they weren't the problem?
What brand did you get from RockAuto, and price? Did you do the work yourself and, if so, and any advice about the mechanical work?
Kenton

 

Hi Mr. Beachy,

Those rock auto injectors are rebuilt stock injectors, not some chinese knockoffs. So it would be the equivalent of option 2.
So $27 each to get them cleaned basically.

I'd always been told that getting them cleaned on a bench was superior to doing a flush on the car. They get ultrasonically cleaned and back flushed; also new filters and o rings.

*you might want to check that those aren't rebuilt stock injectors from auto zone; new ones for that price would be pretty amazing, and I'd be suspect on the quality too.

 

Ross,
That's really helpful to know. Looks like the best deal out there. I looked again on RockAuto and see actually this is written:
"Remanufactured Multi Port InjectorAll injectors are exact OEM replacement injectors, not similar or aftermarket substitutes. This guarantees form, fit and function. All injectors are 100% tested to meet or exceed OEM specifications."
So this way I can have them on hand and put them in right away without any down time driving. If I do tackle the issue as fuel injectors, then I guess the next thing to do is figure out if I can DIY.
Thanks!
Kenton

 

I used the 3M fuel injector kit. the advantage is of course cost. The disadvantage is that you really need to pull an injector and run voltage through it to see the spray pattern and absolutely confirm that they are clean. You don't get this with a force clean from the dealership either however. Bottom line for me is that it took 30 minutes, cost under $20 as I got a rebate and increased my fuel mileage by 2 mpg. The dealership quoted $130 to force clean, which I would have done if not for seeing positive results with the DIY approach.

 

I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking at Mr. Beachy, I've no experience with Jaguar software - did the dealer give any advice from the tech on what it means? I will say that it seems pretty common that the jag injectors need cleaning, could almost be a regular maintenance issue.

Any jag techs can comment? (I think I have paperwork that mine had the injectors cleaned by the dealer earlier in life)

 

Supposedly the 100% on the far right indicates the bulls eye faults. So 7 of the cylinders showed misfiring, along with a couple exhaust related faults. The dealer's diagnosis was plugs and upper engine cleaning, including injectors.
This morning I cleaned both oxygen sensors on the right bank. They had some carbon buildup on them. When I took it into town for a drive the engine light went off. It is stays off now I'll know it had to do with the oxygen sensors. If so I think it could still be the cat that's fouling the oxygen sensor(s). In that case I think it wouldn't have to do with injectors....