fuel solenoid

[Don in Missouri]

Who do I get this thing out? Truck left me stranded last night. I highly suspect the fuel solenoid, but I can't get the old one out. We removed enough bracektry to get an open-ended wrench on it, but the wrench won't stay on it. Is there a special tool? Options I'm looking at now are either remove the rear section of the injection pump, so I can put it on the workbench and put a pipe wrench on the solenoid, or grind down a box end wrench and hope I can squeeze it in there.

 

[Greenleaf]

Thinking they are all of the same size... ... . A 15/16 or 24mm open end. Cut off the top of the brace that is secured to the pumps head. The part that sticks up beyond the top of the head. Then grind down a open end wrench and you'll get it to turn.



Under the body is a ball point pen spring and a plunger. Pull that out as well and look see at it as well.



Have you tested it prior to removal?



Scott

 

[Don in Missouri]

We removed that brace. I will trim it before I put it back, so it is not in the way next time.



How do you test it?

 

[1stgen4evr]

Wrench

I heated a 15/16 and reshaped it to fit on the solonoid without slipping off and was able to get it out ok. I didn't cut the bracket but merely bent it over with a large adjustable wrench. I had a few metal fragments around the plunger tip on mine. When it failed, it was like I had switched the truck off. I was sitting at a red light hammer dead.



Don't pay dealer cost on this item. They are much cheaper at rebuild shops. There was a post indication that the solonoid from a VW would work.



James

 

[Greenleaf]

Without taking a look in my service manual for the test procedures... ... ... ... ...



I tested a known bad solenoid. With 12v DC to the solenoid (engine not running, using a jumper wire from battery) it makes no sound.



With power wire(s) removed from the solenoid, check the unit with a DVOM set to ohms. Connect wire to the treminal and annother to a clean/paint free area on the body of the solenoid. It should read open or zero. The one I tested has continuity and showed 8 ohms which means it's shorted to ground and will not work.



Has anyone else tested one in a similar way??????



GL

 

[Scot]

Turn the key to the run position. When you plug the connector on, you should hear a click and see a small spark. Sometimes that terminal will get corrosion and cause a no-start/run condition.

 

[dpuckett]

I have removed a few, and used a set of 10" Vice Grips. They will angle whichever way you need, can adjust to ANY size, and if you do it right, they wont slip.



-DP

 

[Don in Missouri]

Thanks! A little penetration oil and a bigger set of vice grips finally got it out. The open end wrench kept slipping. I ground on the closed end, but never got it to gon on preperly.



By the time I got it out of the vehicle, it tested just fine. I still think (hope) it might have been sticking intermittently. It was time to change the fuel filter anyway, so I did that and bled the lines. It is doing fine now.



I trimmed the bracket on the rear of the injection pump, so it would be easier to get to next time, and I wil carry the old solenoid as an emergency spare.

 

[A Johnson]

It's a little late but I usually take a hammer and a long 3/8 extension and give them a good smack and they mostly spin right out. This seems to work well with most o/r type fittings. Just use a little caution so you don't disfigure it .



A Johnson

 

[arrowsmith]

I had ont that would stick closed when it was hot. It wouldn't start untill it colled off.

I have used a long punch and a hammer to get them loose.

Arrowsmith in Missouri

 

[Don in Missouri]

It's a little late but I usually take a hammer and a long 3/8 extension and give them a good smack and they mostly spin right out. This seems to work well with most o/r type fittings. Just use a little caution so you don't disfigure it .



A Johnson

3/8 extension? Are you saying you are able to get a socket on it?

 

[A Johnson]

No, not saying I can get a socket on it, I use the 3/8 extension as my drift punch because it is a good hard peice of metal and I use a brass hammer on the other end as I do not want to disfigure it to a point where I can no longer get a ratchet on it.



I should have just said drift punch.



I did take a 15/16" crows foot and did some major grinding on it so it will fit after the solenoid is loose.



A Johnson