What are some signs of impending injector failure?

[Blakers]

What are some early warning signs of injectors starting to fail on a 5.9 common rail?

 

[Regcabguy]

Van Aaken box on a 2003? My friend's Van Aaken box on his '99 is 23 years old now. Great product.

 

[Blakers]

Van Aaken box on a 2003? My friend's Van Aaken box on his '99 is 23 years old now. Great product.

Yes, I put a Van Aaken box on it when it was about a month old. It's worked flawlessly since. I think it's a Van Aaken C3.2 or something like that. For the most part, I have just left it on 50% forever, changing it only now and then to impress someone.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Hanging idle, no throttle input idling up, Injector knocking, Leaking tips causing white smoke on cold start, Excessive smoking or smoke where there wasn't during acceleration or cruising. Just a few off the top.

Think you have an issue?

 

[Blakers]

Hanging idle, no throttle input idling up, Injector knocking, Leaking tips causing white smoke on cold start, Excessive smoking or smoke where there wasn't during acceleration or cruising. Just a few off the top.

Think you have an issue?

Thanks! I have none of those issues. I was told that hard starting was a symptom, but my truck will start within a few revolutions down to zero degrees with no preheat.

One issue I have that happens every now and then, and seems to be completely random, is when I first start the truck after sitting overnight or all day, I turn the key and get a little loping sound when the engine is cranking over, and then it fires right up and runs fine. What came to mind, could an injector be leaking a little fuel into a cylinder while sitting overnight, then the piston coming up and hitting that fuel? Maybe I'm just paranoid and off my rocker or something? It only does it now and then during a start. Runs fine otherwise. I guess I should look out toward the exhaust pipe when I start it — I would think there would be a big cloud of smoke if there were fuel sitting on top of a piston.

It also crossed my mind that there could be a bad spot on the ring gear, but it happens so randomly that I doubt that.

It now has 324,xxx miles on it.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

hard starting was a symptom

Aye, hard starting is one of the more noticeable ones. My mistake, I over looked that looking at my own experience with previous injectors as I didn't have any hard starting issues.

I guess I should look out toward the exhaust pipe when I start it — I would think there would be a big cloud of smoke if there were fuel sitting on top of a piston.

I would do the same, angle your mirror or have a friend crank it and watch the tail pipe. I did the same thing after installing my new BBI injectors to verify a normal base line of what to expect for a cold start. My previous injectors which I still have in a box(and yet to decode and ID) had given me hanging idle issues, no input idling up and perhaps more. My Tail pipe was rusted from the previous owners poor weld work and it had broken off about a 4-5Ft section right after the muffler on my way home from work one day and for the longest time I didn't have a full exhaust system to monitor for smoke. But there was definitely soot under the bed...

How old are your injectors? Is your fuel system stock or do you have an aftermarket pump and filters?

Maybe I'm just paranoid and off my rocker or something?

I know how you feel, sometimes I get up in the middle of the night and shine a flash light under my truck to check for leaks given all the gaskets and seals I've replaced. Proud to say I have zero leaks of any fluid for now.

 

[Ozymandias]

At 324k I'd seriously consider a set of new injectors if the vehicle is worth the investment.
I switched mine preliminary at 150k, i hate to end up at the side of the road. The ones you buy now are way better then the ones the truck came with from factory.

 

[Ozymandias]

300k is by the way a really really good value for factory injectors.

 

[Blakers]

Thanks for the advice guys! The injectors are stock. The only thing I have ever done to the engine is replace a fuel pressure sensor and a crankshaft sensor (because it got destroyed by a shredded belt caused by a failed idler bearing).

What injectors do you recommend? I'm not really looking for more power. I do have the van Aaken box and it's got plenty of power now. I should start looking.

In the past I've been able to take the truck to the local high school's diesel shop and they've worked on it for free. All I've had to do was pay for the parts. Unfortunately Covid shut them down on working on other people's trucks, but that may have changed now. I'll have to contact the teacher for the class and ask him.

The truck is in good shape for it's age. Very little rust. Doesn't use oil. It has a South Bend clutch that is still strong. I just rebuilt the transfer case last summer. Drives good. I can't see where I could go wrong putting injectors in. A lot cheaper than buying another truck.

 

[Ozymandias]

Sounds good to me to put new injectors in. Many of us here run BBi injectors, not the cheapest ones but the best. https://www.bigbanginjection.com/ I do to, since 2014. There is inly one failure reported from them here in the forum and BBi stepped up immediately to make it right.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Second on BBi. They are the end all be all. I'm using their stock most injector, stage .1. No complaints, no Issues.

 

[Blakers]

New or remanufactured?

 

[Darkbloodmon]

I got my set new in 2019, 2800 for the set with new tubes and free shipping.

 

[Ozymandias]

Either one is fine, but the 0.1 will always be brand new, no remans there.
BBi is the only company where I would recommend to buy remans because of the way they do it. No shortcuts here.

 

[BigPapa]

The ones you buy now are way better then the ones the truck came with from factory.

I rarely find myself questioning any of you posts, Ozy, but I've got to know where this one comes from. Not trying to say you're wrong at all, just wondering. The only issues we've had with the original injectors is either they're basically worn out (high mileage/hours) or caused by bad fuel, DEF in the tank, or some other contaminate. I can count on two hands the number of injector sets we replace in a year on @ 600 buses with the 6.7.

 

[Ozymandias]

Partnumber was superceded by Bosch a couple times. Ours came more or less with first Gen CDI injectors, and Bosch made them better through the years. Got that info from Martin at BBi. First Gens we were happy to see 200k Lifetime, nowadays 500k+ seems to be reachable easily.

 

[Regcabguy]

Martin from BBI can ship genuine new Bosch's from Austria if you desire also.

 

[BigPapa]

Partnumber was superceded by Bosch a couple times. Ours came more or less with first Gen CDI injectors, and Bosch made them better through the years. Got that info from Martin at BBi. First Gens we were happy to see 200k Lifetime, nowadays 500k+ seems to be reachable easily.

Gotcha. See, I knew there was good info behind your post.

 

[Blakers]

Not considering the condition of the truck, is it economically feasible to install new injectors in a 5.9 CTD with 324k miles? Engine runs as good as it ever did, has no blowby, burns no oil, starts great, has good oil pressure, and seems to have as much power as it ever did.

So far no symptoms of bad injectors, but I want to be ready.

 

[Ozymandias]

I'd say so, usually these engines do not have a finite lifespan. But a bad injector can burn a piston in just minutes and therefore end the life, more or less.
So it is a smart move to change the injectors preliminary instead of waiting for the worst to happen.
But maybe that's just me, I'm cautious.