Fuel injectors

CRGARZA361

MEMBER
FORD F-150

I have a 2001 ford svt f150 with the 5.4l supercharged V8 with 64,000 miles. I had it park for a year, started driving it 8mos ago replaced the fuel filter and cleaned the tank 6 mos ago, this past weekend I changed the sparkplugs and imediately noticed my truck began to sputter. It stutters like it's runnin ooutta gas but has fuel. Can I clean the injectors myself on a weekend and if so do I need any parts for the injectors ( i.E. O ring gaskets, etc.) Do I nee to prime them before putting them back and if I do will I need a special tool. Thanks for your help

Chris from Texas

1 Reply

INDYUKE

MECHANIC
416 POSTS

Before you clean the injectors, it sounds to me like the problem started to happen when you changed the spark plugs. I believe that truck needs a special type of spark plugs, and being supercharged, the gap will be different than a normally aspirated engine. Also I believe you will have problems if you burn anything less than premium in it. Let us know.

However if you'd like to clean the injectors, you will need to remove the upper intake manifold to get to the fuel rail, and relieve the rail pressure before you remove the injectors. You don't need any special tools to remove and replace. New o-rings are recommended. A light film of vasoline around the o-rings makes the injectors slide back in without a lot of trouble. Don't touch the ends with dirty fingers. One tiny grain of dirt and you then have a plugged injector.

Cleaning is harder. I'd have a shop sonically clean and test them. You could soak them in injector cleaner overnight, put them on a 5-6v battery next morn and cycle them while running cleaner through them yourself though. The only problem is it's a mystery as to whether or not it "took" until they are back in the truck, unless you come up with a way to measure injector output under pressure before you put them back in.