Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

Hi, I'm new to the forums...I have an '87 260E and a '91 350SDL ....the latter I believe has a stuck injector. One day I was driving down the road and all of a sudden blue/white thick smoke just started pouring out of the exhaust. I stopped, made sure it wasn't consuming massive amounts of oil, and checked the level of the radiator fluid. Both seemed ok. Then I drove it home (about 3 miles). It has sat since...and a friend told me that most likely the smoke is just fuel burning off from a stuck injector. I did a little research and found somewhere (don't remember where) someone saying that the 3.5L was notorious for bending rods. Hopefully a bent rod is not the case. Can someone help me? and if it is the injectors, where is a good place to get them rebuilt? and is there any way to remove the one injector without removing the piping from the turbo? ...it seems like a tight fit, but i might be able to get a 27mm wrench in there?

Thanks for your help

Tyler

RE: Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

How many miles are on the 350 and what has been the normal running temperature?
I'm in the throughs of getting to the bottom of high running temperatures and although
I have not reached the point of volumes of exhaust emissions, I'm leaning toward a
compromised head gasket or worse, a cracked head. See my thread, 'Diesel runs hot'
in this section. I'll know more perhaps later today when they check the compression.

RE: Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

Hey mbenzer, there are 220K miles, and the normal operating temperature was a needle width below 90C...once, about a year ago...a radiator hose broke and the temp went over 90C before I shut it off, but the hose was replaced immediately. I've never seen it go above 90 except the once. The reason I believe it's an injector is because before maybe once or twice, it would do that....pour out a lot of smoke randomly for maybe 10-15 seconds while driving down the expressway, and then it would stop. It seems like the same thing as before, except it isn't stopping. And my guess is that these are the original injectors...

Any more thoughts?

Thanks,

Tyler

RE: Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

Those injectors suppose to run above 220k, but rebuilding them (new tips) might not be a bad idea.
Infra-red thermometer will allow you to determinate which cylinder doesn't perform like the others.
That suppose to make the job easier.

RE: Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

Well, I read a guide somewhere that said they should get new tips every 100K...but w/e. I took out 5 of the injectors, leaving the one underneath the turbo piping....too bad i didn't notice as i was taking them out, but upon closer inspection with a microscope, one of the tips is broken in half vertically...there is no way that is atomizing fuel...maybe dripping. Well hopefully replacing it will solve my problem, thanks for the insight folks...i'll tell you how it goes after I get the new injector (should be monday if i'm lucky).

RE: Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

Do you watch Tool Time Tim ?
"Guide" is just manufacturer opinion!
Lot of those engines turn past 300k without replacing anything but oil.

RE: Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

ok...well, it wasn't done by the manufacturer. It was created by thebenzbin.com. very cool place. anyway, obviously something was wrong if the nozzle on one of the injectors was cracked in half. defect, maybe. something more sinister at play, hopefully not. still, I am replacing the injector, and it's a good thing I pulled them.

RE: Stuck injector? 350SDL
 

Removing the cross-over is only a matter of 3 hex bolts........also, make certain you do not get sand, or any other debre falling into the precombustion chamber. I use compressed air to blow debre away from around the injector before removing, then a shop vac to suck up anything left over, then I remove the injector. NOTE rebuilt, or rebuild kit injection nozzles are likely going to be after-market, made in India, not in Germany by Bosch. The India nozzles are junk! Try and find some Bosch/Bosch injectors if you can. You will need to have all six injectors pop-tested and balanced to one another.