air in fuel...again.

[Mat J]

I put in my new motorcraft glow plugs to get rid of the bosches and I was careful but still bumped some return lines.

It started right up when I was done putting the plugs in cold, and then a few hours later I went out and it took about 10 seconds.

Today it took about 13ish to start and I held my foot to the floor to help move more fuel. It was puffing alot of white a few seconds before it fired then alot of black.

My return lines look pretty old and I want to get new injectors or find a spare set to get mine pop tested but I dont really want to spend that money right now. I had this problem before and it fixed it self.

If I get a new return kit do I need to replace my injectors or I will need another kit again right?


Is there anything else I can do maybe just put on some new return lines and clamps and not the o rings and stuff or did I screw myself?

I know the return kit isnt expensive but I hate to have to do another one in a couple months when I do injectors.

 

[FordGuy100]

No you do not need to replace the injectors when you do the return lines. The little plastic T pieces that are on the injectors simply just pop off the injector. If you put in new injectors, you dont have to do the return line kit as well.

 

[Mat J]

oh ok that is good news then, I thought the o rings got damaged each time so they couldnt be reused.

I know I dont need to replace the injectors to do the return lines, but I had thought each time the injectors were done the returns had to be.

 

[Diesel JD]

I disagree with Justin, at least the orings need to be replaced. Many people will tell you that you have to use a new kit, but when cash is tight, you can get away with just replacing the orings. Personally I would either ignore it until you buy new injectors or just replace the orings and then reseat the caps with lots of white lithium grease and save the return kit for when you do the new injs.

 

[Mat J]

ok thanks, russ said the new injectors will come with more o rings and everything else will be reusable. I would just live with it for a little bit but i hate to put the extra wear on the starter and its just annoying.

 

[Mat J]

Also I know this is just mask for the problem but since im not leaking any diesel out just getting air in some how, I think im going to use this as a chance to put in an electric fuel pump, and take care of the injectors and returns in a couple months, so im not doing the same job twice.

 

[FordGuy100]

I forgot about the O-rings. You might have to replace them. But....I think if you are careful on taking off the plastic T piece I figure you could get away with the O-rings being ok if they are fairly new. Obviously you cant go and pull the caps off of 20 year old injectors and think the O-rings will be ok. But for a few months, I would think they would be alright. Thats just me though...

 

[Diesel JD]

I forgot about the O-rings. You might have to replace them. But....I think if you are careful on taking off the plastic T piece I figure you could get away with the O-rings being ok if they are fairly new. Obviously you cant go and pull the caps off of 20 year old injectors and think the O-rings will be ok. But for a few months, I would think they would be alright. Thats just me though...

Hope you don't take it personally bud, we actually don't disagree that much I have done what you speak of, it works. Gotta replace the orings though. Some here argue you must replace every item every time, and in a perfect world that would happen but life is not perfect and for most of us $30 is 30 bucks, know what I mean?

 

[FordGuy100]

No man its ok . I actually totally forgot about them to begin with . I was just thinking as long as they were fairly fresh, and you were careful putting the caps on it might be ok to let them slide. But then again, O-rings are pretty cheap. That leads me to a question though...where would you buy only the o-rings? like harbor freight or something I guess?

 

[Diesel JD]

I bought hardware store ones but they don't least nearly as long as the ones that come in a return kit. Oldbull posted a link to some diesel site that had the orings only and they were viton rings. Those be the ones you want if you have a choice. Also diesel specialists down here in FL (Altamonte Springs) sells fuel injection orings by the box. I had thought of getting a box to have on hand, and be able to help folks out in a bind but most just replace the return kit if they can and of course Russ and Mel are using Delphis which do come with the orings already installed. For anyone interested in reusing the caps, be really, really careful how you pop them loose. My last set I wasn't cause I already had a new return kit but I busted the nipples off about half or more of my leakoff ts.