Fuel injector replacement... tips/hints?

[Smitty]

Morning guys... any hints/tips on how to replace fuel injectors on a VF Clubbie with the LS3 SV340 engine?

Thing dropped some cylinders yesterday on the way home , scan tool said 'misfire on #1,#3 and #5' Bit obvious that!
but rather unhelpful that message! Replaced the plugs on the whole left bank (as 2 of those had no centre electrode!)
Still missing and scan tool now said 'Ignition misfire on #1 and #3 so replaced the coils and plug leads.
Damn... still misfiring! and finally the scan tool says - Injector failure, open circuit Cylinder #3

So next.. replace one (or more) fuel injectors! Genuine Holden service manual is a slow step by step how to slog
starting with WAIT 2 HOURS before commencing any work on the fuel injectors/fuel rail after last engine run :deal:
Blimey...

TIA

[whitels1ss]

Have you tried plugging and unplugging the electrical connection with it idling to see if it makes any difference?

Also try checking same connection with a multimeter to see if it has any power getting to the injector with the engine running?

[Smitty]

Have you tried plugging and unplugging the electrical connection with it idling to see if it makes any difference?

Also try checking same connection with a multimeter to see if it has any power getting to the injector with the engine running?
thanks...

with the first line, yes I did and made zero difference to that particular injector
and
that other suggestion is rather hard to do ( I did attempt it) The injectors (they are tiny at 40mm ) are buried in the manifold valley under the
steel fuel rail with the no open electrical contact area to touch up a multimeter to.. and trying to push the pointy end of the probes into that very
thin wiring, yeah... well rather hard to do.

Thanks for the thoughts though


ps.. these little mothers are exxie (being BOSCH I should expect nothing less)

[amckiwi]

Can you swap them around to see if the fault follows the supposedly dud one?

[R8HSVHRT]

On the Ls3 they did have problems with the factory injectors holden would change all of them
i would suggest change all of them with better injectors

[Smitty]

On the Ls3 they did have problems with the factory injectors holden would change all of them
i would suggest change all of them with better injectors


yup... the original factory ones are still there, one played up (hence this post) and I have replaced all 4 on the LH passenger bank tonight
(forgot I was out to dinner and started when we got back about8... just finished so 2 hours to replace the 4 ain't bad ) with what is shown
as updated ones (Bosch in their catalogue). Holden also have had a new updated part number since 2017 for these says my Parts Manager mate
when I spoke to him this morning.

Have started it, no fuel leaks ... and wonderful and smooth as I backed it out and drove around the block :driving:


ps... the Holden service manual really is a bit useless, nice pics though

[Smitty]

.. nice smooth drive into work this morning
shift 1,2,... 4 no coughing pig rooting, just smooth turbine like powerrrrrrrr :driving:

[BLACK 346]

.. nice smooth drive into work this morning
shift 1,2,... 4 no coughing pig rooting, just smooth turbine like powerrrrrrrr :driving:

Good to hear. How many k's had they done out of interest? My Neighbour had all 8 replaced under warranty by Holden on his LS3 at less than 40k traveled. The bill from memory if it had not of been covered was just shy of 3k.

[Smitty]

Good to hear. How many k's had they done out of interest? My Neighbour had all 8 replaced under warranty by Holden on his LS3 at less than 40k traveled. The bill from memory if it had not of been covered was just shy of 3k.

82,000 before this first one died ( bit surprised as I thought I should get 100,000 at least despite the horror stories)

$3k ... is OUCH!
My local Holden Spare parts quoted me $229 each (GST inc) = $1830 but had none, and neither did others I rang (did not want to wait 5-7 days)

I rang a mate who is a Bursons store Manager and 1) he had stock = good plus 2) he could do something on the price, discount them for me.

The Bursons invoice shows RRP at $194.99 each but he did a deal at $149.99 each... genuine Bosch and not Chinese copies
(of which I found the online sellers.. parts storesare flogging. Repco sell the genuine Bosch at $262 each !)

But even with these costs... and having replaced mine, I reckon I could replace a full set of 8 in maybe 90mins, say 2hrs max
and that means $3k a little while ago is a ripoff!

[whitels1ss]

Hey Smitty, I think I have heard of another member with problems with injectors on an LS3. (In a thread somewhere?)

Sounds like a pain of a job, I would have expected them to last longer than that.

Just out of interest, not 100% certain but I think those were supposed to be able to run E85?????? Have you ever run any ethanol in there? :confused:


Glad to hear that you have it all sorted now. :cheers:

[whitels1ss]

Hey Smitty, I think I have heard of another member with problems with injectors on an LS3. (In a thread somewhere?)


Yeah, found it, LuisS commented in the thread linked below that it is a common problem.

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?171148-WN-II-Caprice-premature-injector-failures&highlight=caprice+injector

If you don't know who LuisS is, I can tell you that he is a highly respected tuner. :yup:

[Smitty]

Hey Smitty, I think I have heard of another member with problems with injectors on an LS3. (In a thread somewhere?)

Sounds like a pain of a job, I would have expected them to last longer than that.

Just out of interest, not 100% certain but I think those were supposed to be able to run E85?????? Have you ever run any ethanol in there? :confused:


Glad to hear that you have it all sorted now. :cheers:

... thanks mate

yeah I expected at least 100,000 (as I wrote) out of them

and NO... never used E85. Do not use E85 says the fuel filler cap cover (but E10 is permissible)

ignored both, has only had BP Premium 98 in it since new (unless I am somewhere
that does not have it... central NSW! It has had some SHELL98 and MOBIL98 during its life)

I suspect but no-one will confirm that the plugs losing their electrodes (3 on the LH bank)
... one took out the injector (maybe ;) )

[Smitty]

Yeah, found it, LuisS commented in the thread linked below that it is a common problem.

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?171148-WN-II-Caprice-premature-injector-failures&highlight=caprice+injector

If you don't know who LuisS is, I can tell you that he is a highly respected tuner. :yup:

see there is comment there on codes.

when i finally cleared the basic' cylinder misfire' or ignition misfire' messages which threw up no codes (but plug and coil replacements fixed that)
I then got Injector failure, open circuit Cylinder #3 , P0203 (then on checking the Holden Service manual says 'Injector failure, open circuit' for P0203)

[Pickles]

.. nice smooth drive into work this morning
shift 1,2,... 4 no coughing pig rooting, just smooth turbine like powerrrrrrrr :driving:

Well done my friend for fixing it yourself, I would be lost.
Martin.

[Smitty]

Well done my friend for fixing it yourself, I would be lost.
Martin.

... thanks Martin

will have a go these days at most things mechanical (got to use the tools in the shed!)

have made some serious cockups over the years... so always RTFM now (even if rather useless)
but I know my limits... I will not touch autos these days ( a 2 speed ' Glide very different to a 4L60e)
or anything aircon . Heater core swap... ? yep but compressor, TX valve ? naaah plus danger level is high

and thankfully, engine basics in 2023 are no different to that of 1963 when my father asked me to help him
(fix something on the family Holden) Need compression, feed it fuel (with a Strommy or fuel injector) and spark
.. should work :)

[Smitty]

same.. but different sorta!

the other half drives her BMW 1 series M coupe in the driveway last night (not long before I got home)
to see a large YELLOW 'low coolant' warning come up on the dash
so
tells me when I get in, but it is way too hot under the bonnet to go look see in a serious manner
( note - BMW mount TWO water cooled oil coolers on this engine ...one on the oil filter mount and another on the radiator!)

when its cooled down an hour or 2 later (after dinner) unscrew the cap off the reservoir...totally empty :(
and can finally remove all the rubbish (air intakes. air deflectors) from the top of the engine and the large
plastic engine belly pan is a ... green lake of coolant

there is NO way I am going to attempt what/where/how something has failed in this lot of ... crazy plumbing :flamin:

10186


flat top this morning to the local BMW garage


edit.. a bit better pic of this crazy system



10187

[whitels1ss]

Not a lover of BMWs these days,
my brother loves the brand & buys a new one every few years but I can't get any interest there. :nono:

[BLACK 346]

Not a lover of BMWs these days,
my brother loves the brand & buys a new one every few years but I can't get any interest there. :nono:

I have a good mate that loves his new Beamers. His advice to me, never ever own one out of warranty.

[whitels1ss]

I have a good mate that loves his new Beamers. His advice to me, never ever own one out of warranty.

My brother had to replace the battery in his low kilometre M1 convertible recently & it cost him over $1,000.
(From memory it was between $1,200-$1,300..... I have had auto transmissions removed / replaced & fully overhauled for less than that!)
That is partly because the car computer had to be "programmed" about the change. :shock:

[Smitty]

I have a good mate that loves his new Beamers. His advice to me, never ever own one out of warranty.

haha... might be some truth in that

we got extended 7 year factory (NOT dealer) warranty when we bought the coupe plus an amazing service deal... 10 years worth of service
at any BMW dealer anywhere in the country for $1750. Get it serviced any time as per kms travelled in the first 10 years of ownership = nothing to pay
but
the 7 years warranty ran out last August

[Smitty]

My brother had to replace the battery in his low kilometre M1 convertible recently & it cost him over $1,000.
(From memory it was between $1,200-$1,300..... I have had auto transmissions removed / replaced & fully overhauled for less than that!)
That is partly because the car computer had to be "programmed" about the change. :shock:

think he got stitched.... we had to do battery change at the start of last year, it was getting slower and slower to crank, started throwing codes
and not accepting a charge, the genuine replacement BMW battery was $620.. or $630 plus about $120 to replace and program (1/2hr labour charge)
total was $749 I think. Still not cheap.. and curiously RACV Battery service would not do it (battery change.. had to go to authorised dealer they said)