Anyone know the technique for removing fuel injectors without breaking the plastic tabs? I've tried 5 on a spare manifold assembly and broke a tab on everyone. I dont want to do it for real on my car until I can do it without breakage.

 

Tabs meaning the ones that the harness snaps onto? As far as I know you just have to be gentle. The car is old, all those heat cycles that plastic is just brittle. I broke two on my 03 when I took mine off. When I put it back together I just pushed the harness on to them, they never popped back off the injector. If mine did I was just going to jam something into them to make it hold.

 

No not the harness connector, there are 2 slots each side of the injector that you are supposed to clip on a special extractor tool . I've tried screwdrivers, pliers and then I bought one of those small pulley type extractors for battery terminals that are just the right size to fit in the slots, but as I pulled with it the slots just collapsed. Not prepared to buy the real tool just yet, but I'd like to remove them soon for cleaning and refurbing

 

Hello everyone: I too want to remove my fuel injectors on my 2002 XJ8, but the OEM Jag Manual states that two special lever type tools, JD-231, is required. I tried to internet search but only one place, https://jlrequipment.service-solutio...3&catID=336258, "Jaguar Land Rover Equipment Workshop" has them for sale @ 46.96 Pounds per tool! and you need two of these. PLUS shipping! Ouch!. PS: they use a different/crossover part number of 303-539 . Tried eBay and Google, but the above site seems to be the only one that has these tools at rip off prices. They seem to have the market cornered. Does anyone know were I can buy the pair of tools at a reasonable price?? Even used? Or is there an alternate method that one can use without breaking the injector's tabs, as was cited by the original Sender's note? I just want to clean mine and I own a injector cleaning machine to do each injector separately: that's a much better cleaning than just dumping chemicals in the tank. But for those who really need to replace or remove for more critical issues, any info would be of help all you 4.0L engine owner's to work on this type of poor design. Too bad they just didn't have a simple rail capping off the injector like on many other engines. PS: I just went through replacing the fuel pump and this has soured my opinion of Jaguar engineering, at least on the XJ8, so far.. Thank you

 

I'm pretty sure that the early cars are different to later engines - there is no separate fuel rail - it is part of the inlet manifold and the injectors are fed with fuel from the centre not the top. I did the same as you with an old manifold, and had the same problem. I think you could make up two special tools by bending two small screwdrivers about 1 cm from the tip and using one each side of the injector to carefully lever it up out of the manifold. New "o" rings are available - but not sure about the gauze filter "cage" and plastic end-cap on the base (which just pulls off with care.)

 

David, I'not too concerned about the replacement parts, the place where I'm (hopefully) sending the injectors to can get them. I just don't want to butcher them getting them out and I'm skeptical about the in situ cleaning systems as you cant see the spray pattern and they don actually check any aspect of the injector function, sorry Terraclean!

 

Just to be clear - we're talking about injectors that look like this ?


In which case, I found that gentle leverage under the plastic "base" from both sides at once managed to pull the injector up. There's a tiny bit of damage, but as the "O" rings do the sealing, and the metal clamp ensures they won't "blow out" - I don't think that will matter very much.

 

David,
Those are the ones, i would prefer not to damage them but if thats what it takes?

 

I just had a look to remind myself, and it is hardly noticeable - just a couple of very tiny "bruises" on either side of that circular base.
I will be interested to hear if, when you have had them done, you notice any difference. Mine have done 130k miles and, like you, I bought a used inlet manifold with injectors with the eventual intention of getting those spares refurbished to replace the originals. Just haven't got round to it yet !!