leaking injectors
- Thread starter bbrooks
- Start date
Doggie Daddy
Veteran Expediter
I don't think that this is a job that you should attempt to do yourself,especially since you do not even know what is involved in even getting to the injectors.
Some things (most) are best left to people who are trained to do the job. Backyard mechanics are pretty much a thing of the past,even on the family grocery getter.
Some things (most) are best left to people who are trained to do the job. Backyard mechanics are pretty much a thing of the past,even on the family grocery getter.
Could be leaking seals but most likely it is a cracked injector tube. They will have to remove the injectors and take out the tubes. You don't mention the mileage so you may want to replace the injectors in that same process.
They will also have to do a full flush (several times) on the coolant system because it is now contaminated with fuel.
I would call a Cat dealer and see what they would do for the whole job. A dealer charging by the hour will likely rape you.
Price will vary depending on whether you replace one injector tube, or one or all of the injectors. The tube by itself isn't too expensive, but the injectors will be. I would put that price at about 1500 to 3500 depending on what they do.
Good luck. I know it is not a great time of the year for that type of news.
They will also have to do a full flush (several times) on the coolant system because it is now contaminated with fuel.
I would call a Cat dealer and see what they would do for the whole job. A dealer charging by the hour will likely rape you.
Price will vary depending on whether you replace one injector tube, or one or all of the injectors. The tube by itself isn't too expensive, but the injectors will be. I would put that price at about 1500 to 3500 depending on what they do.
Good luck. I know it is not a great time of the year for that type of news.
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bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
There is not a problem with getting them out. Take off what you need to get to the valve cover. Take the valve cover off. Da-da. There they are. 4 little bolts and a wire harness and those babies are outta there. Simple, Huh? Yep, even a truck driver could do that, right? Yep, but they have to go back in. No problem. Just reverse the removal process. Right? Well you would think. But wait, did you know that when you pulled the injectors out, oil has run down on top of your pistons and when you put it all back together and hit the starter, that oil has to go someplace. Well guess what? It tries to go out the exhaust, but there is too much in there. So what happens??? Well, in my case, it just bent three of the rods before it locked up. And you don't even want to know what that cost. I was sick, mainly cause I did it. Plus, Cat recommends replacing the 4 bolts per injector everytime you remove them. So, if you aren't for sure what or how to do it, do like I do "now". Take it to somebody who does know. I saw another truck that only had one injector removed and replaced and it too had a bent rod on that cylnder. So it is pretty common with the 3126 if you don't know how to do it. As for your problem, there are cups under the injectors on a 3126. They wear and let fuel in water or oil. Be smart. Pay the price. Or be prepared to pay more if you do it yourself. Me? I do external parts only now, but will not attempt internal again. Lesson learned.
P51bombay
Expert Expediter
So did you ever get the "correct" procedure? Seems like cranking over a bit with the glow plugs removed with take care of it - yes?
Unless it's a Duramax or Powerstroke (or "V" IH), no glows to take out.
If ya have them it does work......pretty thoroughly rustproofs under the hood. Did it on a Powerstroke once, mistake was I left the hood open, walls, ceiling, me.....all painted used Rotella black.
It hid my red face but did nothing to drown out the laughter that filled the shop.
If ya have them it does work......pretty thoroughly rustproofs under the hood. Did it on a Powerstroke once, mistake was I left the hood open, walls, ceiling, me.....all painted used Rotella black.
It hid my red face but did nothing to drown out the laughter that filled the shop.
bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
No glow plugs on 3126. You first reach down on the side of the engine and unplug the injector oiler pump. With injectors out, you place rags over the ports and crank engine over. Like piper said, you ain't seen nothing till you see that baby blow oil. It can make a mess quick. After you crank it over several times, you then take a light and look to see that the oil is out. If you are satisfied the oil is out, you put on new o rings and seals and lube them. Then, very carefully tap them back in with a rubber mallet, keeping them as straight as you can. Replace all 4 bolts with new ones and torque them down. i don't know the torque setting. Plug your oil pump back in and button the rest of it up. Now that is how the Cat mechanic did it. Even though I believe I could do it right now, I would still be thinking of the $9200 time I didn't do it right.
bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
I had what I thought was an injector problem. Fluttering at all rpm's. I pulled all the injectors and paid $50 each to have all of them tested. They all tested good. So that is when the testing guy got to looking at the o rings on them. He noticed one with a pretty good nick gone out of it. So he said to be sure and replace all of them as a precautionary. So I did. $425 from Cat for the 6 sets of o rings. Now all I have to do is put o rings on and put injectors in and hope that was the problem. So that is what I did. And then up jumped the devil. I was clueless what had happened. How can anybody not be able to R&R injectors? But anyway, had to have it towed to Nashville, $425 (cheap, believe me) and to a Cat dealer. $1200 worth of testing later, they still know nothing. So in they went. And the further they went, the worse it got. Anyway, back to your question, According to Cat, to test for my problem and if they went straight to the injectors, $2200-$2400 to R&R the injectors. That is as close as I can come to a figure for you. In other words, run the diagnostic test with their computer, determine it had injector problem, pull injectors, find defective o ring, replace all o rings on my old injectors, new bolts. That's it.
BTW: where did bbrooks go. are you still here or are you letting a Cat man do yours? Ha!
BTW: where did bbrooks go. are you still here or are you letting a Cat man do yours? Ha!
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bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
I guess. I think there is about 4 or 5 on each injector. Plus some kind of a hard fiber washer looking one. I have yet to find one thing for these engines that was reasonable price wise. I was sent to pick up an idler pulley for my truck at Thompson Greene Cat in Nashville. They are strictly wholesale and sale only to dealers (unless you know somebody). Anyway, the bill was made out to a Ford dealership in Nashville for $14 and some change. 3 Days later after the bill had been sent to another dealer and finally to my repair man, it was $220 to me. Now, I have found out, if you have a part number, you can cross it to Dayton idler pulley and it is they who make them for Cat in the first place. $15 online. What a rip. This is why I put truck repair shops right up there with lawyers and bankers.
P51bombay
Expert Expediter
Ya but I'm guessing Cat MSRP has something to do with it as does what dealership brand is getting the part. Apparently the same part for say, a Cat engine costs more from KW than from International.
bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
To answer your earlier question, a 3126 Cat has an "air intake heating system". Below is a warning in the owners manual. I never had a problem starting down to 15 degrees. That is the coldest it has ever been when I started it.
Do not use ether or other starting fluids
as a cold-starting aid in your Model 330. Your
engine uses either an electrical grid or an open
flame inside the manifold, to heat the air/fuel
mixture for cold weather starting. If ether or
another starting fluid is used, the air/fuel will
ignite inside the manifold, which could cause an
explosion and severe injury.
Do not use ether or other starting fluids
as a cold-starting aid in your Model 330. Your
engine uses either an electrical grid or an open
flame inside the manifold, to heat the air/fuel
mixture for cold weather starting. If ether or
another starting fluid is used, the air/fuel will
ignite inside the manifold, which could cause an
explosion and severe injury.
maybe_driving
Seasoned Expediter
just had mine in the shop fuel in the Rad. It was a cracked injector cup, a remaned head from cat was around 2400 with all the parts. They would not take my core so that add 1600 more for a total of 4000 in parts. Now we are just rebuilding the old head because the bottom end is not in the best shape. They said the new top would put to much on the bottom. Going to check on it tomorrow
apollopaul
Seasoned Expediter
This is not a seal problem! It is a injector cup problem. The cups need a special tool to be replaced. I just went through this in Dec. Any good repair shop can fix this. Cost was $500.00 all new cups and injector seals since they had to come out. Good luck
Paul
Paul
bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
If you have a mechanic that will replace an injector cup (just one) for $500, you better stay on the good side of him. Most of these places won't raise your hood for that. And a Cat dealer is the worst. They won't fix an oil or air leak without a $280 computer test run on it. Talk about rape. Thank goodness for Rotella. And did you know there is a fee to enter your repair visit in the computer? They got you.
bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
Where did "bbrooks" go? I wish you would come back and tell us what you wound up doing.