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Injector line re-usage.

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Alright fellows, the time has come at 200,000km for me to do rocker arms on my 6.4

 

I know the shop manual and pretty much everything else says "Don't re-use the injector lines". I was planning on re-using the line from the HPFP to the fuel rail. But the individual injector lines, what say you guys about re-using them?

 

The torque spec spells out loosely tightening the line to the injector before torquing the injector, so obviously I'm going to skip that step since I am trying to avoid removing the injector and spending $21 each on injector line/seal kits. What are the guys who are re-using them using for a torque spec?

 

This is on my own personal truck. On a customer's truck I'd change them, but on my own stuff I'm interested in saving myself almost $200 (with taxes) on lines and seals, since I'm already into it a shit pile for a radiator, front brakes, and rocker arms this week. Fuck me. Never rains but it pours. And it's not even like it's shit that I can ignore - it's my daily driver. LOL.

 

Any input would be appreciated. The guy who runs our local injection shop said he'd have no problems re-using the injector lines as long as they went on the same injector and the truck passed the HP fuel test when everything was reassembled.

 

Thanks in advance guys!

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seriously, I have reused fuel injector lines few times. No leaks, I just tighten them real good.Unfortunately, I would not reused copper washers, they do leaks on me.To this date, I never understand why we cannot reused lines, motor mount bolts,  plus other hardware.

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I'd be less worried about the HP fuel test and more worried about a seepage leak, but I think it would be a small risk.  I don't see the relationship between used lines and the HP test at all.   :shrug: You "could" put it together and run it with the valve covers off checking for drippage if you wanted to waste a bit of time.....

 

:grin:

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I have reused a couple of the lines on one job I had taken on where I did not have to pull all the injectors, on re-torque I went 90*, or an additional 1/2 flat after the 60* turn. No leaks post repair, passed HP test, and I even checked with dye since I was curious if I could have caused an immediate leak. That was about 6 months ago and no complaints of rising oil levels either.

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Injectors do not need to come out to replace the rocker rails. I recall someone posting here that an instructor or an engineer had told them that the high pressure lines [CAN BE]  or [have been successfully]  reused up to 4 times. I too have done so without any known consequences however I do replace them when swapping out rocker assemblies leaving the injectors right where they are. What I do reuse every time is the fuel rail supply lines which are impossible to replace in chassis with the engine assembled. Never had a leak there and since it's an external connection it's easy to detect a leak there anyhow.

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I know the injectors don't have to come out, but it has been a while and the torque spec for the line is done with the injector loose at first - I presume to seat the line to the fitting.

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Fuel Injector Supply Tube
 

Removal and Installation

    [*]When installing a new fuel injector supply tube, the fuel injector must be removed and a new O-ring seal and sealing washer installed on it. Additionally, whenever a fuel injector supply tube fitting is loosened, a new fuel injector supply tube must be installed. Therefore, the steps required to remove and install a fuel injector supply tube are included in the fuel injector procedure. For additional information, refer to Fuel Injectors in this section.

Copyright © 2014 Ford Motor Company

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And there is a sequence of half torquing the injector and line.

 

Installation

  • NOTE: Lubricate the fuel injector and O-ring seal with clean engine oil.

    Install a new O-ring seal and a soft steel combustion gasket on the fuel injector.
    • Make sure the bead on the soft steel combustion gasket is facing the cylinder head.

    [*]

    NOTICE: Failure to tighten the injector correctly can lead to engine failure.

    NOTICE: To prevent engine damage, do not use air tools to install the fuel injectors. The fuel injector hold-down clamp bolt retainer that extracts the injector can dislodge and fall into the oil drain hole.

    NOTICE: If the fuel injector hold-down clamp assembly bolt retainer is damaged or missing, a new fuel injector hold-down clamp assembly must be installed, or the clamp assembly will not be able to remove the fuel injector.

    Install the fuel injector, the fuel injector hold-down clamp assembly and the bolt.
    [*]Tighten to 2 Nm (18 lb-in).

    [*]

    NOTE: Use a back-up wrench on the fuel injector fittings.

    NOTE: Use a crowfoot wrench to aid in tightening the fuel injector supply tube.

    Install the new fuel injector supply tube in the following sequence.
  • Remove the Fuel System Caps from the high-pressure fuel rail and the fuel injector one at a time prior to assembly of each tube.
    [*]Position the new fuel injector supply tube between the high-pressure fuel rail and fuel injectors and fully hand-start and seat the tube fittings onto the mating high-pressure fuel rail and fuel injector high-pressure connectors. Snug the fuel injector supply tube fittings using the inside-out step sequence (the 2 inside tubes then the 2 outside tubes).

    [*]Using a torque adapter, tighten to 2 Nm (18 lb-in).

    [*]Tighten the fuel injector hold-down clamp bolt.
    [*]Tighten to 38 Nm (28 lb-ft).

    [*]

    NOTE: Pre-tighten the fuel injector fitting first, then the fuel rail fitting.

    Pre-tighten the fuel injector supply tube fittings.

    [*]Using a torque adapter, tighten to 12 Nm (106 lb-in).

    [*]

    NOTE: Place a visible mark with a permanent marker on the high-pressure fuel rail and fuel injector threaded connection. Turning the tube fittings one flat of the nut is equal to 60 degrees.

    Final tighten the fuel injector supply tube fittings.
    [*]Tighten the fittings 60 degrees.

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I know, but if I have the lines and the procedure says to have the injector partially torqued when you do the first step on the line. So I figured if you could find the injector seals seperate you could save some ching. I'll go look and see if I do actually still have them.

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I may have a set of lines Aaron, I will check in my box tomorrow. I have also been told that the tty line fittings can be reused 3 to 4 times, but without anyway to verify how many times they have been installed, replacement is recommended. This being your own truck, you are likely certain that they have never been reused. You could always put dye in the fuel and run it with the valve covers off post repair to verify you have no leaks. 

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I go ahead and torque the injectors to 28lb-fts first before installing the line. I also install the lines finger tight and snug up with a wrench, then tighten all lines to 1/2 turn each. Another tech taught me this procedure. Done several this way and haven't had any issues with them.  Can't say that I've reused lines though.

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