New copper washers everytime you pull injectors?

[Trying my best]

When I get some time I am going to pull my injectors and have them pop tested, do I need new copper washers when I put them back in? Or will the old ones be fine? The injectors are a few months old, but I suspect something my be wrong.

Thanks

 

[turbodiesel94]

They should be replaced. When you torque the injectors down the washers get crushed to seal out combustion gasses.

 

[OLDBULL8]

I've used those washers many times over again, just make sure you sand off any carbon on them, there will be a little bump in the center of them if the injectors were torqued down correct, the side towards the injector, just install them again in that direction and torque the injectors correctly.35-40 ft. lbs or tight as hell like I do.

 

[Arborigine]

We used to anneal old copper head gaskets. Just heat to where the color starts to change to red and drop them in water. Soft copper is almost as good as new.

 

[icanfixall]

Well all the above is possible but how much do you want to spend on making a mistake and fill an injector bore in the head full of carbon. If a compression leak is happening you will cut the injector gasket area too. Annealing copper is easy as explained. If I were to reuse a gasket after annealing it I would use a double cut fine file to make sure its flat without any impressions. Only then would I reuse it. Now as oldbull posted it can be done over and over but I'm not willing to take that chance when its easy to replace the gasket. Any injection pump repair shop will have them... Plus they usually come in any return line kits. So anyone thats done a return line kit has spares...

 

[argve]

Yep I have reused them many times as well. Just as Oldbull described. But I can agree with icanfixall they are cheap and can see where he is coming from.

 

[Trying my best]

Thanks guys,

Because I'm a rookie, I'll pick some new ones up when I have my injectors tested.

 

[redmondjp]

+1 on having some extra injector washers on hand. I have had three diesels, and the main problem with doing so is trying to remember when I have stashed them! I finally made up a small "diesel" toolbox that contains my diesel compression tester and GP and injector hole adapters, injector line nut flare wrenches, and so on, and I keep the spare washers in there. It's a great place to keep all of the related "tune-up" parts such as return line hose & clamps and o-rings too.