Removing seized or damaged diesel injectors and glow plugs can be a challenge to even the most experienced mechanic.
Sometimes you know you have a challenge ahead and other times it’s that “Oh $#*%!!” moment when things go very wrong.
This is when you need to know what tools and techniques are out there to get you back on track. At Specialist Tools Australia, in their Canberra warehouse they stock a range of top quality tools for just these situations and they also have the technical back up from Cooma Diesel Service’s experienced diesel technicians that have had to deal with these situations many times and they’re happy to share their knowledge.
At Cooma Diesel Service the “go to tool” for injectors is the Govoni Universal Injector Extractor Kit as it allows the technician to find strong stabilizing points away from tappet covers and other components that may be damaged. This kit also allows the technician to attach hydraulic rams or the Govoni Pneumatic Vibration Injector Remover.
Specialist Tools Australia has a diverse range of Injector removal tools for most diesel injectors including connectors and slide hammer arrangements.
Removing injectors and glow plugs without damaging any components can be very daunting – especially if there is a build-up of material around leaking injectors or simply access to components, the injectors themselves or due to the condition of the glow plugs.
Generally, if you can find the correct tool that will attach to the injector and then use a slide hammer, hydraulic ram or other pulling arrangement to extract the injectors with the least amount of impact or jarring will ensure their safe removal – then it is just a matter of ensuring that the recess is clean and that the injector seat is cut square to the perpendicular, ensuring they sit without leaking in the recess when reinserting the new or remanufactured injectors.
But if there is a lot of build-up around the injector and glow plug, where possible remove as much as you can, because if it falls into the engine, it can do more damage. Either the Govoni Pneumatic Dummy Glow Plug or Dummy Injector Air Blowing tools can safely blow out any debris from the cylinder while working on the injectors or glow plugs.
The glow plug is a heating device used to aid starting diesel engines. In cold weather, high speed diesel engines can be difficult to start because the cold mass of the cylinder block and head absorb the heat of SA-5295 – Slide hammer attachments. compression, inhibiting ignition. The glow plug is used to compensate for this heat loss. When the glow plugs are tested and found to be faulty and require replacement; this is when issues can arise.
The glow plug can become seized in the cylinder head recess thread due to moisture or debris entering the thread. This can cause the glow plug to break at the body when the plug is removed for replacement or, alternately, the glow plug electrode (Tip) can on occasion swell over time and become stuck in the head and break off when the glow plug is removed, leaving the electrode in the cylinder head.
Specialised removal and thread repair tools can restore the glow plug recess and threads back to a useable condition ready for the reinstallation of new glow plugs.
Visit specialisttools.com.au for the full catalogue of tools or phone the team on (02) 6280 4334 for technical assistance.