7.3 IDI Injector Stuck in Head

ClemsonIDI

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I was trying to fix a fuel leak on my idi today and discovered the rear injector on the drivers side seems to be stuck in the head. I put a wrench on it and it turns freely but it wont back out. I guess that means the threads are stripped in the head? I read that other people have an issue with only getting half the injector out. That's not my problem. I cant get any of it out, I'm hoping this doesn't mean the head is ruined. Has anyone else run into this problem!? Any help would be appreciated. This is my work truck, so I'm trying to avoid putting it in the shop if possible.
 

icanfixall

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Welcome to the forum. Have you had this truck for a long time? Reason I ask is might be someone before you removed this injector and did not or reused the copper gasket. Never run used copper injector gaskets. They take a set and work harden. Then they leak and cause exactly what you describe. You can remove the injector by using some penetrating oil. Squirt it on the injector to head area. It will ease down between the injector and the head. Not a chance you ruined the threads. Take a look at any injector. See those huge threads. At the very most you may have a ruined cut seat in the head. Even that is easily repaired with a seat reamer. Ebay has them and many members here have a few...
If you get the body of the injector out but the tip stays in the head just grind off the body threads.. you know those huge ones or turn them off in a lathe. Then screw the cleaned of threads back into the bottom tip threads and rock the injector from side to side. You will have plenty of caked on carbon to remove from this injector bore in the head too. Use a shop vac to keep sucking it out so it does not fill the injector tip and then you can't get the injector to re thread into the tip.
 

ClemsonIDI

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Thanks for the reply. I've had the truck for a few months. I was in the process of putting new glow plugs, return lines and seals on when I discovered it. I don't see how the threads aren't stripped. You can spin the injector in the hole but it won't back out or get tighter. It will make a squeak noise when it turns. There is also fuel spraying out from around the injector. Not the return line cap but fromy where the injector seats in the head.
 

ClemsonIDI

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Ok. Ill soak it in pb blaster and give it a try in the morning. I guess i need to go ahead and order a set of injectors. Not exactly the first thing i had on my list. Oh well, i might go with the R&D stage ones. We'll see.
 

ClemsonIDI

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I forgot to mention that non of the big threads on the top are showing. They are all still fully threaded into the head. Will I still be able to pull it out with vise grips like that? Thanks for the help.
 

icanfixall

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Yes you will be able to pry it out just as long as the body threads have disengaged with the head threads. I'm sure you will find the bore caked up pretty well and the nozzle tip will still be in the head. This is why I suggested grinding off the injector body threads. Then you thread it back into the nozzle tip and pry everything out. Or get the body out. Chip away the carbon and use a shop vac to suck out the carbon so it wont fill the nozzle tip. then thread back in the injector body and pr it out.
 

ClemsonIDI

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I've read about grinding the threads off but that does help me. I can't see them because they won't come out of the head. I can turn the big nut on the top of the injector all I want to but it doesn't back the body out. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding.
 

F350camper

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here is what you are dealing with. To me it sounds like part #14 has come unscrewed from part #9. Hope that helps.

When people talk about grinding the threads, they are talking about grinding the threads on the end/right side of part #14. that helps lock it into part #9 so you can get it out.

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F350camper

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one bit I left out, to me it sounds like the two halves DID come apart but carbon is holding it in there. are you able to tighten it back down?
 

ClemsonIDI

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No it won't tighten back down. I understand the other problem people have with the body coming out and leaving the nozzel still inside the hole. If they had come in 2 wouldn't the body unscrew. Mind won't.
 

F350camper

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OK, not a good sign that it wont tighten back down. But I still think the whole thing has come apart and the outside edges of everything from the #14 to the #10 on that picture are so carboned up that its all stuck.
 

ClemsonIDI

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Yeah I didn't think so either. The threads have to be stripped for me to be able to put a wrench on 4 and turn it freely in both directions without it loosening or tightening.
 

ClemsonIDI

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This is the first time I've tried to remove it. I have no idea who could have stripped those giant threads. I'm really not sure what to do.
 

F350camper

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I don't think they are stripped. You'd be surprised how hard it is to free it from that carbon.
Keep after it with the Pb blaster, and vice grips and pry bars.
 

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