7.3 IDI Injector Stuck in Head

ClemsonIDI

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Update: got it out and all cleaned up. I think the issue was that the bore had so much carbon built up on the threads the injector just wasn't seated all the way. I screwed it back in and it locks down tight now. I wound up using the bore brush dipped in some diesel kleen. It worked really well. Thanks for all the help!
 

ClemsonIDI

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Good that you were able to remove the injector in one piece. Also happy reading you got the copper gasket out too. Now cleaning off all the built up carbon in the injector bore is VERY IMPORTANT.. Use the shop vac and a sharp pointed screw driver to break loose the carbon. Finally you really need to know of the seat in the head is cut. I suspect it is. Thats why the carbon gets past the copper gasket. Remember there is around 450 plus lbs of compression and as much as 1200 degrees of temps when the engine is running hard. All this pressure and heat will cut copper and cast iron. Look closely at the copper gasket for a black cut. Then purchase a harbor freight dental pick kit. Use the pointed pick to drag it around the seat in the head. If there is a cut in the cast iron seat the point of the pick will stop moving. You then need the seat reamer.
I stuck a pick in the bottom and it still seems rough. Maybe it's more carbon. The washer doesn't have a cut in it.
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icanfixall

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Thanks for the great pics of the gasket. What does the other side look like? This gasket does not look like copper in the pics and.. It appears to have some extra marks telling me it was reused. If you plan reusing this please anneal it. To do this heat it up on any flame till it turns dark. then quench it in cold water. Then clean off the scale from heating and use a flat file to make all the compression marks disappear on both sides. All used copper gasket will work harden from heat. When you anneal them they become soft again and will conform to any gasket seat in the head but a deep cut.
 

ClemsonIDI

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It is copper it's just stained black from all the carbon. The other side was perfectly flat. Appardently someone didn't tighten the injector all the way down when they worked on it last. That's why all the carbon formed inside the camber. I installed new copper washers on all the injectors installed new zd9 glow plugs, both with a healthy dose of antiseize. I'll finish putting my new return system together tomorrow and hopefully get the thing back on the road.
 

ClemsonIDI

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Looking forward to not constantly smelling the massive diesel leak under the hood.
 

icanfixall

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Ok... Sounds like you have things well in hand. These engines are very simple once an owner understands them. Really simpler than any of the newer all electronic diesels.
 

ABNORDY

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Hello, This thread is great with advice, I have an 88 F250 7.3 IDI , I am changing injectors and the #2 injector is stuck, the threads are all the way out, spray a whole can of penetrating fluid throughout a week or so and have tried all the advice from this thread! What say I use a slide hammer? would that mess up the barrel of the hole?
 

79jasper

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The sizes of the holes don't matter much. Just the seat and threads.
I would try the slide hammer.

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Thewespaul

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ABNORDY

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Homemade slide hammer/idi, injector puller. Worked great, it took 5 times, but it came out with the nozzle still attached!. Now to fish the copper seals out and clean bores.

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ABNORDY

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This is a photo of the bore my stuck injector was, I actually think there was no copper washer in there

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ABNORDY

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Yes, there was a copper washer, it's now about as clean as it's going to get, used a 12 gauge bore brush and some good ol Berryman B12

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