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Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:53 am

I took my rig down to the Air Quality test, and it failed miserably. So much HC that it wouldn't even register on their tester. :shock:
I run it over to Traftons on Stark[they're excellent]. Bill their resident ACwizard takes a look at her. In no more than 5 minutes, he ID's that injector number 3 is wonky. He unplugs the FI signal wire on number 3 and all of the readings on the gas analyzer drop to normal levels. His suggestion: unplug the #3 signal wire prior to entering the testing station, this solution works, and I get it passed and drive away with new tags, but I'm left pondering what the frack is going on with #3 FI??
My question for the savvy samba wizards
What could cause number three to produce so much extra HC?[unburned fuel] I checked spark plug 3: it fires, and appears ok. So that leaves too much fuel.
I checked the FI plug and it's plug-in looks visually ok. It seems that maybe it's getting stuck wide open and not pulsing.I know there's the little resistors pack too, but I'm not too sure on where to look first. I'll be re-reading the FI chapter of my Bentley. I'm curious though if anyone has a helpful lead or experience with a similar FI issue? Thanks

Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:04 pm

I would have to imagine that it is not spraying a good pattern, or is leaking a bit, or something to that matter. by disconnecting it, It is automatically closing, and it is not firing at all. you are in essence running thru the test on 3 cylinders. if it was shorted out, it would make all the injectors stay open, so i think you could eliminate that. I would go with defective spray pattern or dribbling or something to that effect. I bet if you swapped it out for another one it may run right.

did you verify that you have good compression on the no. 3 cyl? if the compression was too low, that could be sending unburnt fuel into the exhaust

Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:01 pm

Compression and leak down were good when I tested them a couple weeks ago. 140 all around with between 4-8% leakdown across all 4. It had been running like a champ.... Then not as good in the last couple weeks, but I still drove it to Portland over the Wkend and it was reasonable, but not top performance, especially in takeoff and hilly freeway stuff.
The spray pattern :!: That makes good sense, being they're originals, and never been worked on.
I'll pull them and and check.
Keep the ideas coming if any other experiences come to mind Thanks!

Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:32 pm

Shure it was high Hc and not high CO?

Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:45 pm

busdaddy wrote: Shure it was high Hc and not high CO?
Yep, +1100 HC when I ran it through the first time. I went 'around back' and trimmed the mix a bit and it came in at 1050, still way too high [pass is 220] So I ran it over to Traftons. With the #3 FI plug disconnected, it was under 200 HC and 1 CO

Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:15 pm

id recommend buyin a second set of injectors (used) and have them rebuilt @ cruzin performance while you drive around still

they do wonderful work there...

unless you can afford to not drive your bus while the injectors you already have are rebuilt then just send in the ones you have already

Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:18 pm

WitchHunter Performance is in Bothell, WA -- they cleaned/tested my injectors last spring. Turn time is just a couple days.

http://www.witchhunter.com/

Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:20 pm

ive heard good stuff about witchhunter aswell... just ended up using cruzin

Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:23 pm

I would start with adding some FI cleaner to the fuel. If that doesn't clear things up, then I would go for having the injectors rebuilt.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:35 pm

witchunter did ours. Liked their work. Sent them Monday and they were back by Friday. He not only cleans them but includes new internal injector filters too. Be sure to get new o-rings for them.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:27 pm

crusin did the filters and IIRC sent me o rings also... but its been awhile so i could be wrong about the oring but he def replaced the filters

Sun Mar 21, 2010 8:02 pm

yeah turn around time was amazing at wichunter, if you need it back quick, use em, they even include your old seals in case you don't trust that they actually removed anything. super happy customer here.

Sun Apr 11, 2010 3:26 pm

Pulled the injectors today, getting them ready for Witchhunter. Numbered each one, and removed all of it's accouterments. The feed hoses that bridge the injector to the fuel rail are being a PIA though! :evil:
By hand it was not budging so I pinched it w/ vicegrips and can twist it, but the sucker will not pop free of the injector body itself. How much twisting / reefing on this hose is reasonable? W-H asks to have the hoses removed. do I just cut them off? Do they attach a new feeder hoses?
Thanks in advance
:bay_green:

Sun Apr 11, 2010 3:48 pm

cut it with a razor knife and replace it with new when you put it back together ;)

Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:31 pm

^Yeah makes sense, just being cautious :oops: Whats the saying: measure once and cut it.. oh sh!t.. shoulda measured again :D

Edit: mmm ribs... that explains why they're so tough to remove. The nozzle on #4 is loose. I'd guess that's bad. :cry:

Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:51 pm

Got my new injectors today, 2 of the old ones were fubar'd so I got all 4 new.
rant.. BusDepot ought to note on their website the fact that new injectors come w/ all of the necessary o-rings seals etc. Anyone need a package of FI seals?
Otherwise I am excited to see how she runs with these fresh new units.
Mo powa!@! :bay_green:

Sat Apr 24, 2010 5:01 am

Put those seals in your spare parts tool box. They will get handy to have in a couple of years.

Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:17 am

timo78 wrote: Got my new injectors today, 2 of the old ones were fubar'd so I got all 4 new.
rant.. BusDepot ought to note on their website the fact that new injectors come w/ all of the necessary o-rings seals etc. Anyone need a package of FI seals?
Otherwise I am excited to see how she runs with these fresh new units.
Mo powa!@! :bay_green:
I DO!!! I'm wrestling with a possibly serious FI issue and need new seals, can't find them locally and am severly restriceted on internet time to hunt them down (one hour at the library a day and a dozen projects to research, I feel like I'm living in the 20th centrury still...:( )

PM for info... :D

Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:04 am

fyi -

http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=311198261A

Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:13 am

Orange wrote: timo78 wrote: Got my new injectors today, 2 of the old ones were fubar'd so I got all 4 new.
rant.. BusDepot ought to note on their website the fact that new injectors come w/ all of the necessary o-rings seals etc. Anyone need a package of FI seals?
Otherwise I am excited to see how she runs with these fresh new units.
Mo powa!@! :bay_green:
I DO!!! I'm wrestling with a possibly serious FI issue and need new seals, can't find them locally and am severly restriceted on internet time to hunt them down (one hour at the library a day and a dozen projects to research, I feel like I'm living in the 20th centrury still...:( )

PM for info... :D

These seals are readily available around here. Actually only the smaller ones are a seal, and the larger ones are a mount. Your local FLAPS will have an o-ring that can replace the smaller one and the large ones can always be reused unless they are really bad.