Bad Injector?

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by DRN2001, Dec 17, 2023.

  1. DRN2001

    DRN2001 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 14, 2023
    Eastern MT
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    My Cat Challenger tractor with a 3176 in it has been sitting a while. I noticed yesterday there's fuel dripping out the back of the turbo. I'm hoping it's just a bad injector! If you change one injector, do you have to change them all?
     
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  3. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Just change the failed one if that's the issue. You sure its fuel and not oil slobber out of a failing turbo?
     
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  4. BoxCarKidd

    BoxCarKidd Road Train Member

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    Years ago I worked for a company that only changed air filters by restriction gauge reading. If it is high in the yellow just reset it this PM as it could be from rain.
    A truck came in for regular PM with no complaints. It was dripping oil out the exhaust flex pipe. Supervisor said the turbo is bad replace it. I did and it still dripped oil out the flex pipe. Pulled the records and went through it. Filter had over 400,000 miles on it. Pulled it out and it was all packed up and had one bird in it. That ended the exhaust dripping oil. Would have thought it would have low power complaints, blowing black smoke, etc.
    Never say always and always say maybe. Wonder how much fuel and engine wear that cost.
     
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  5. DRN2001

    DRN2001 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 14, 2023
    Eastern MT
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    Thanks.
    I looked a bit further (after panicking) and the oil pan was full of diesel. I drained and changed the oil. I disconnected the exhaust at the turbo and the fuel poured out. I'm thinking it must have been being blown in there while I was running it last because I don't think it could've gravity flowed that far into the exhaust.
    I'm just waiting for the temp to come up a bit today and am going to head out and take the valve covers off and try and dry out any fuel in there. Then I'm gonna put gas glow in the fuel filter and start her up and see if I can see any glowing stuff on any of the injectors...
     
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  6. little cat 500

    little cat 500 Road Train Member

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    Pull the manifold off and look for the smoking hole.
     
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  7. Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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    I had one fail on my Detroit. Put 10 gallons of fuel into the pan before shutting down. Finding the bad injector was simple. The solenoid was leaking, squirting fuel out. Very obvious once I pulled the valve cover off. Another time, I had a blown tip, fuel was dumping into exhaust. The exhaust manifold gasket was all wet from fuel seeping around the bad port.
     
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2023
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