DIY Professional Injector Cleaning Using NAPA Echlin Product - Or How I beat The MAN!

MrBlvd

Registered User
As most of you know, the next best way the clean your injectors next to pulling them and sending them off for the ultrasonic process is to have pressurized cleaner fed into the fuel rail. In this process, the fuel pump is disabled and the car runs off the cleaner directly. The unfortunate part of all this is the kits from NAPA are ~ $400.00 (3M also sell a similar product line).

Anyway, it has always pissed me off that they charge so much for this kit knowing the actual cost is probably 20. Then it occured to me ... I wonder if the threaded connection on top of the can is the same as that found on AC coolant cans? If so, then I could simply use the valve and gauge on my AC kit, cut the quick disconnect off, and then make use of a barbed fitting to splice the proper schrader fitting on for the fuel rail.

Off to NAPA ... guy puts the can on the counter ... I get a can of AC coolant off the shelf and put it on the counter next to the cleaner ... @#$%@#$% .... the threads are different ... these guys are not stupid, they want you to buy their overpriced kit (and if I were them I would have done the exact same thing!!!) ... Well at this point it is getting personal ... I buy the cleaner (just under $13.00) anyway determined to figure a way out to make this work! :mad:

The following pictures speak for themselves, I am not going to bore you with the details other than: I had to use a dremel to grind the stem down in order to get the cleaner to flow & make sure you clean all parts before using ..no chips in the injectors please. Also, make sure you check for leaks everywhere.

This works, I noticed a definate difference, I did forget to clamp the return line to the fuel tank so the car only ran for ~ 5 to 7 minutes instead of the 15 to 20 ... I will be getting another can! :cool:

P.S. Go to Harbor Freight and buy their fuel pump test kit ... for ~ 13.00 you get the gauge shown and lots of fittings!
 

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More Picts ---- Beat The System

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A few more picts

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Why not use the AC setupthat pokes a hole in the side of the can?

Jeff

That's what time it is.
 
That has potential

I have never seen this arrangement before. Where have you seen this? Also, how does it seal?
 
I know it was around in the days of R-12 and I used it with an adapter for 134A. It just clamps around the can and punches a hole in it. There is an oring I think. I borrowed it from my Dad, but there around I haven't seen one in a store in a while, but I haven't looked for one either. I'll see if I can find one.

Jeff
 
Here is one version of the side mount can tap:

85530L.jpg



Link:


http://www.ackits.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AMA&Product_Code=85530
 
Not bad for ~10.00 & shipping

A tee fitting with a flow control valve / pressure regulator downstream of the fitting fed into the schrader valve fitting and a pressure gauge on the tee's "post" and you would be good to go! The only potential issue might be any sort of sealing issue due to variances in the diameter of the cans. Most likely this is a non-issue.

Based on what I read, you do need the ability to regulate the pressure. The pressure needs to match that downstream of the fuel pressure regulator / fuel pump of the car at idle. The needle valve was still able to do this even after I "hacked it up". A straight puncture into the side of the can would allow full flow ... easy to regulate with the valve or regulator though.

It's time for some clean injectors w/o having to brake the bank! ;)
 
There is an insert for different size cans, and you can control flow to some extent with the valve that screws into it. I actually clean injectors on the side (I have the machine and ultrasonic cleaner mentioned) but even for some of the new systems like the CPI on GM cars it's near impossible to clean them on the stand as they were put into use after my machine was built. So I use the method you are using on those cars (err trucks). Since you are there add a pressure gauge to moniter the pressure.

Jeff
 
i really dont see the point , i never saw dirty injectors in my sc but in the broncos ive taken injectors out and sprayed the screen out with gumout i dont think anything would help without taking them out , one time my turbo coupe started missing and smoking i put stp gas treatment in it was fixed in about a mile
 
Trust me SC injectors are just like any other injector. Sometimes I have had a set of injectors that would only drip even with 60psi on them. You don't know how clogged they are until they are removed and flowed before and after cleaning. Besides you can't tell just by looking at them.

Jeff
 
Some additional information

Some additional info on this subject matter ... posted on 5/7/03
See the 3rd paragraph

Vernon Cradier
Guest Posts: n/a

Re: Problems with a miss in the Bird on the "track&quot

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pat and Bill, an injector balance test would help locate a weak one. I was thinking along the lines of observing a misfire, but if it is caused by a weak injector that test would help. Since you have some scanners Pat see if they can perform that test. If I remember right the balance test in the SC test each injector at three different RPM's so it would work on anybodys engine.

The tool I use to diagnose ignition problems on the SC and older cars is called "Insight" by Matco. It is your basic old school oscillioscope shrunk down to handheld size. Do you remember those old cabinents with a heartbeat style display for each cylinders ignition, well thats one of the things it will show and record. It's pretty invalueable for this type of diagnostic work. You can also use it to monitor sensor outputs in real time, like crankshaft sensor waveforms etc. It uses an inductive pick-up for every cylinder monitored. My step father spent over 5K on it and I don't think he really ever uses it. Now that I work for him it gets used way more than before. It's a lot of trouble to hook up to a car, on the SC there would be about 10 leads.

On the injector flushing subject, Pat find a trustworthy shop that has the proper hook-up hose to run real injector flush through the rails pressure port. Napa sells this stuff under the Echlin line as "Pro Clean", Scotch 3M has a similar product "Multi-port Injector Cleaner" but it cost about 2-3 times more for similar results. You pull in the car at operating temp and disable the fuel pump (unplug the inertia switch). Wrap the fuel supply and return lines with shop towels on the soft rubber section near the rail connections then clamp each one firmly with alligator jaw locking pliers. I use two on each line due to wasteing cans in the past from partial sealing using just one clamp. Then you remove the scrader valve core from the pressure fitting on the fuel rail and screw on the proper size adapter that connects the hose to the can of flush. connect the other end to the can and secure it vavle up in the engine compartment. On the SC I have to wire it up behind the intercooler as there's no room anywhere else within reach of the hose. Open the valve, start the engine and let it idle. The engine runs on the chemicals as well as it does on gas. It usually takes 15-20 minutes to go through the can. When it's done you just remove the can and put everything back in order and drive away with a big improvement in drivability, power, and mileage. The higher the mileage the bigger the difference it can make as they flow like a new set again. This stuff is really effective, it cleans valves, ports, and chambers also. I charge $60 to do it, $20 for the product and $40 labor.

Pat try regapping the plugs at .045 if you retain the stockers. Due to my igniton observations this gap will work well at WOT with the Motorcraft DIS and 15 lbs of boost. The .035 is more necessary for distrubutor based, single coil ignitions like the Mustang 5.0. Our ignitions put out 64K volts at WOT with .047", enough to not blow out with boost. The stock gap while better for reducing part throttle emissions won't always allow the spark to jump across at WOT conditons, this results in a misfire and dead cylinder. With stock gaps you can observe soot in the exhaust at WOT, especially with stock A/F ratios. AWSF-32PPs are what I run and recommend to anyone who will listen. They work better for performance driving. They aren't a colder heat range but they don't protude from the chamber roof like the 34s. Because of this they don't absorb and retain as much heat from combustion, the 34's are hanging out there still red hot as the next charge is being pushed in which isn't a good thing for on track driving as you do. Some of the guys are afraid of them, consider Ford specs as gospel etc. but they work just like I've always said they would, do, whatever. These 32's come with a .047" gap so all you have to do is check them for gap and defects then put them in. They are the 3.8 Mustang DIS plug.

Speaking of which make sure you run a thick oil at the track (and on the street if you drive hard in summer). I run 20W-50 exclusively here in Texas. This will help control temps also.

Vernon
 
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