Couple bad injectors - Diesel Forum

Sequoia · 05-08-2007, 02:42 PM

Sitting home today instead of working due to injector failure. As some of you may recall, had a breakdown about 2 weeks ago due to a Glowplug Control Module. As some of you correctly assessed, this could not have been the problem.

Today, drove to a location to hook up a trailer and as soon as the hitch hit the ball, the truck started running like crap. Same thing as before. Would not run above idle.

I aborted the tow mission and let the truck idle a bit and finally it ran smooth enough for me to limp it to the same dealership as last time. Service Manager personally assisted me and got me right in even though they were very backed up. 10 minutes later he says, "You got a couple of bad injectors". He asked me what fuel I put in it and was satisfied with my answer but warned against anything but USLD. No problem.

Injectors will be in Wed. or Thurs. At least THIS time I am a lot more confident that this is the real problem.

Anyway, the service manager went on to say that they have only worked on one other 2008. Helps a little to hear that. At least they aren't lined up out the door with issues.

Diesel Jay · 05-08-2007, 03:15 PM

Do you know if your oil level had risen? Did you get a check engine light?

- Jay

MackE7 · 05-08-2007, 03:17 PM

Was your exhaust pipe sooty ?

I've got a theory that any truck with a sooty exhaust pipe has bad injectors. The new regs won't allow a sooty exhaust pipe.

**KINGTUT** · 05-08-2007, 03:27 PM

They are working on a TSB to address cracks in the injectors. It is a known issue to Ford. The TSB should be out soon.

Sequoia · 05-08-2007, 03:36 PM

I did get a Check Engine Light. Can't say if the oil level had risen. Had it changed two weeks ago when I had the last issue but have not checked since then. Before I had the oil changed, it was a bit overfull. I remember reading your post on this Jay. This may be a bit different. The truck ran rough the other day and I thought "uh oh, here it is again", but then it smoothed out and ran fine till today. Seems like the injector might be fine, but maybe whatever controls the firing of the injectors is screwing up. That's my guess.

No sooty pipe Mack. I noticed after the reflash and regen two weeks ago that there was the slightest bit of soot on the pipe. Very minute. It has not gotten worse since I first noticed. So pipe is pretty clean.

newbie_101 · 05-08-2007, 04:58 PM

Is the cracked injector a result of over torquing? I thought that issue was discovered and resolved weeks ago.

Diesel Jay · 05-08-2007, 05:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The new regs won't allow a sooty exhaust pipe.

[/ QUOTE ]
That assumes the 6.4L is actually meeting the new regs. But, if that were the case, then CARB wouldn't be requiring a complete audit of the 6.4L at the end of this month. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
Is the cracked injector a result of over torquing? I thought that issue was discovered and resolved weeks ago.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure we know the absolute source of the cracking, but it's the barrel of the injector body that is cracking -- sometimes halfway around the body. There are a few rumors/theories as to the cause, but I'll wait for more info before I can confirm it.

- Jay

jayhirsch · 05-08-2007, 06:43 PM

Do the injector problems ( don't know how many there have actually been) show up at very low mileage? I just hit 800 miles on my 2008 and it runs fine...am I over the hump?

mikal · 05-08-2007, 08:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
had a breakdown about 2 weeks ago due to a Glowplug Control Module. As some of you correctly assessed, this could not have

[/ QUOTE ]

Did this glowplug control issue cause them to "stick-on" over heat etc? Did they pull and check any glow plugs?

frobozz · 05-08-2007, 10:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
had a breakdown about 2 weeks ago due to a Glowplug Control Module. As some of you correctly assessed, this could not have

[/ QUOTE ]

Did this glowplug control issue cause them to "stick-on" over heat etc? Did they pull and check any glow plugs?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't think you could overheat a glow plug. I mean, perhaps the life gets shortened or something, but every time you turn on the key, they stay on for about two minutes, and withstand all that combustion going on around them. Stuck on glow plugs sure would be a drain on the battery and alternator though!!

Duncan

DP007 · 05-08-2007, 10:59 PM

A Stuck on glow plug will cause the glow plug tip to fall off and usually do major damage to the engine. GM had this problem with the glow plug module a while back and replaced a few motors.

Dave

frobozz · 05-08-2007, 11:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
A Stuck on glow plug will cause the glow plug tip to fall off and usually do major damage to the engine. GM had this problem with the glow plug module a while back and replaced a few motors.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know GM (pre-Duramax) diesels had a problem with swelling glowplugs, which would then break off tips when you tried to remove them, but I hadn't heard of any doing that from staying on too long. I can't imagine what could get worse than being on a couple of minutes already, and withstanding combustion temps and pressures all their lives!

Just in case you ever wondered what a glow plug looks like when on, here's a new one before I put it in my '97:

http://www.backglass.org/duncan/lit_glowplug.jpg

Duncan

jhughd · 05-08-2007, 11:13 PM

Frobozz, I had a 90 Chevy, 6.2 and GM replaced the engine twice under warranty. They said the glow plug failed on, and burned the tip off, letting it fall on top of the piston. The piston had a hole the size of a quarter but never quit. Never started either, after shuting it down. This was the case on both engine failures. The second failure happened to 4 cylinders, two on each side. They said it was the glow plug controler.

JD

mikal · 05-09-2007, 12:38 AM

I guess what I am getting at his problems with the injectors started after the glowplug controller issue,,, maybe two did over-heat and a tiny piece of the tips foaled the related injectors....just a guess.

Sequoia · 05-09-2007, 09:11 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I guess what I am getting at his problems with the injectors started after the glowplug controller issue,,, maybe two did over-heat and a tiny piece of the tips foaled the related injectors....just a guess.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thought is that the original issue (glowplug control module) was an incorrect diagnosis. The truck is reacting the same exact way now as it did then, and THIS time it's injectors. Makes more sense to me since the truck starts and idles fine, but breaks up and sputters when given any throttle.
Yesterday, it smoothed out and I was able to drive it to the dealer. So, I really don't think it was the plugs at all,but was the injectors both times.