Brown liquid around injectors

[Semnoz]

I'm getting things prepared for removing the camshaft/rocker cover (to replace the swirl throttle assembly) and thought I'd start by cleaning up around the injectors as I'd read about potential build-up of black carbon-type deposit that makes injector removal really difficult. I'd even got some Wynns air intake/carb cleaner ready to give everything an overnight soaking.

So I was relieved to find I had none of this black baked-on stuff, but instead everything looks oily. And stranger still, the injector wells in the cylinder head appear to be full of a lightish brown liquid (see photos below). I've tried soaking this liquid up with kitchen towel and it almost resembles an oil/water mixture.

Engine is running very nicely with no visible leaks anywhere. I don't see any bubbles or movement in this brown liquid when the engine is running, so nothing makes me suspect anything is leaking up out of the cylinder head, e.g. injectors are sealed OK. The top halves of the injectors and high-pressure fuel pipes are all bone dry. Shame to have to break it all apart I guess....

Any ideas what this brown stuff is ?

Perhaps an obvious question, but presumably I need to soak everything up to prevent anything dripping down into the cylinder heads ?

Last question (for now) but are the original injector clamp bolts on a D244T4 not usually torx head ? Mine are hex bolt so I'm wondering if they've been replaced at some stage, although I suspect injectors are original.

Photos are of injectors 4 and 5 (1, 2 and 3 all look identical).

[green van man]

Has the engine bay been washed recently?

I put the pressure washer around the landrover engine bay regularly with a pre soaking of neat traffic film remover. The injectors on that engine sit flush with the head but if there was a well it could well take a fair bit of running to evaporate the accumulated water/muck off.

Paul.

[Joe Harding]

Originally Posted by Semnoz

I'm getting things prepared for removing the camshaft/rocker cover (to replace the swirl throttle assembly) and thought I'd start by cleaning up around the injectors as I'd read about potential build-up of black carbon-type deposit that makes injector removal really difficult. I'd even got some Wynns air intake/carb cleaner ready to give everything an overnight soaking.

So I was relieved to find I had none of this black baked-on stuff, but instead everything looks oily. And stranger still, the injector wells in the cylinder head appear to be full of a lightish brown liquid (see photos below). I've tried soaking this liquid up with kitchen towel and it almost resembles an oil/water mixture.

Engine is running very nicely with no visible leaks anywhere. I don't see any bubbles or movement in this brown liquid when the engine is running, so nothing makes me suspect anything is leaking up out of the cylinder head, e.g. injectors are sealed OK. The top halves of the injectors and high-pressure fuel pipes are all bone dry. Shame to have to break it all apart I guess....

Any ideas what this brown stuff is ?

Perhaps an obvious question, but presumably I need to soak everything up to prevent anything dripping down into the cylinder heads ?

Last question (for now) but are the original injector clamp bolts on a D244T4 not usually torx head ? Mine are hex bolt so I'm wondering if they've been replaced at some stage, although I suspect injectors are original.

Photos are of injectors 4 and 5 (1, 2 and 3 all look identical).

I would be ever so interested in a write up of your work on the swirl flaps. I have to do ours sometime.

[GrahamBrown1]

The early euro 3 D5 in p2 cars had a different injector clamp and also torx head bolts. Euro 4 d5 and onwards has the 8mm bolts. If I remember right there was also a difference in the locking collar on the injectors as well.

[skyship007]

It's just mud. I would make sure the underguards fit correctly and rinse it off after spraying lightly with screen wash or Fairy Liquid. Try not to use any type of degreaser or other solvent unless you buy it from the engine manufacturer or Volvo. They can be bad news for some types of oil seal. Never use a pressure washer in any engine bay!

[Semnoz]

Originally Posted by Joe Harding

I would be ever so interested in a write up of your work on the swirl flaps. I have to do ours sometime.

I'm not even sure what's wrong with mine yet. The issue isn't the small plastic link arm from the motor, it's the entire swirl assembly it attaches to. The part with the ball joint that the link arm connects to is there, but it doesn't feel like its attached to anything and has a lot of play. There is also a lot of oil leakage in that area. Either the ball joint arm has snapped off the swirl shaft, or someone's already removed the entire swirl assembly and left the external 'arm' in place. I won't know until I get the cam-cover off.....currently sat waiting for the postman to deliver the new swirl assembly kit.

I won't breath a sigh of relief until I know the injectors are out, the new swirl assembly fits OK, I've thoroughly cleaned in the inlet manifold and EGR valve assembly, and that the swirl control motor is functioning OK (I think I can get it to calibrate via VIDA).

It's going to be a pain of a job but I just want everything perfect. This is the only bit of the car that isn't spot-on.

I'll certainly do a write-up, unless it all goes wrong

What's the reason you want to work on yours ?

[Semnoz]

Parts arrived during the afternoon and look OK.

So I started disassembling everything on the engine. All was going OK, and 4 of the injectors were showing movement as soon as I loosened their clamp bolts. Perhaps I got a bit complacent at this point and then proceeded to remove all the fuel pipework. Those 4 injectors came out OK, but one is really siezed in place. I've just stopped after a couple of hours banging and levering to get it moving. I'm able to rotate it about 5 degrees by smacking it with an extension bar and mallet, so hopefully that's a good sign - but I really hate having to use force on anything, especially parts like this.
I've left the well soaking with inlet/carb cleaner so will continue in the morning.

What worries me now is:

• The engine block will be really cold in the morning
• I can't easily refit the injectors and pipes to run the engine and attempt to push the injector out that way

[GrahamBrown1]

I would say if you have movement that’s a good sign. Leave it to soak over night and then try and pry the other one out. Clean as much crud away from the base and try and fill it with carb cleaner. You can also try and rotate it back and forth quickly to try and free it some more.

[green van man]

In my experience carb cleaner is highly volitile and evaporates quickly leaving no lubrication.
In the case in question I would use duck oil to soak it. Duck oil has degreasing/decarbonising properties but also leaves a lubricative film when it evaporates thus hopefully aiding removal.
Carb cleaner can of course be used to remove the duck oil once the injector is out.
As you have some movement, duck oil will work itself into the joint as you move it, cleaning and lubricating as it goes.
I have successfully got corroded bolts out of fittings that have spent 16 years in a seafront environment using duck oil, back and forth and patience. Rush it and you'll break it so go steady.

Paul.

[Semnoz]

Thanks guys.

Good news and bad news:

Good news is that after installing everything back to go for a drive (in an attempt to dislodge the injector), it ran really well with no leaks.

Bad news is that while trying to twist the injector back and forth, I managed to break the top nut that holds the solenoid onto the injector body:



I'm fairly sure that means I need a replacement injector, unless it's possible to buy the top half ? I've started a new thread to ask about injectors.