Injector Horror Story (Internal engine related)
05-12-2011, 11:50 AM
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Injector Horror Story (Internal engine related) So last night I drive down to seattle to get my car tuned. I had bought some remanufactured used GTP injectors (42# @ 58psi) from zzperformance to install for the job... they were advertised that they would come in near new condition with cleaned filters new o-rings, etc... seemed legit at the time 
. The injectors showed up in haggard condition, they looked like they had been spray painted white by a monkey, chipping everywher, and the pintle caps were all warped 
. I immediately wanted to return them but I had no time since it was my plan to race tomorrow. So we install the injectors (which fit like **** b/c of the paint) and the tuner flashes a new tune with updated injector tables.
I primed the car once or twice to get fuel back up to the rails and turn the key to start it. About halfway through the startup the engine stops cranking and there is a horrible grinding noise that sounded like the starter. We immediately go into diagnosis mode to figure out what went wrong. We turned the engine over by hand from the crank and hear the starter retract and figured maybe it had just gotten stuck half engaged or something. Try it again, same problem... we turn the engine over from the crank again and it almost sounds like one of the cylinders is full of fuel... hmmmmmmm
. put a pressure gauge on the fuel rail and watch it prime to 58 and then drop to nothing in a matter of seconds.
So we start pulling spark plugs... I get to #5 and when I pull it, fuel comes pouring out. Turns out the associated fuel injector is either totally trashed or stuck open, we could blow straight thru it. We pull the fuel pump relay and crank the engine to evacuate the fuel and it is just blowing out fuel like crazy at each compression stroke. We re-assemble the engine with the old injectors and it starts up well to my relief but the starter is definitely making some funny noises. We go to inspect it one of it's 'ears' completely cracked where the bolt goes through it into the engine block.
I guess a $150 starter is cheap in comparison to what could have happened... Hopefully I didn't lose any teeth from my flywheel. Is there any other damage that might result from this that I should look into? Would I notice if I had bent a connecting rod? I drove it home 60 miles with no noticeable weird vibrations or issues...
I am so pissed right now, I have definitely learned my lesson and will never buy a used injector again in my life ... ZZperformance is going to hear it from me today
. The injectors showed up in haggard condition, they looked like they had been spray painted white by a monkey, chipping everywher, and the pintle caps were all warped . I immediately wanted to return them but I had no time since it was my plan to race tomorrow. So we install the injectors (which fit like **** b/c of the paint) and the tuner flashes a new tune with updated injector tables. I primed the car once or twice to get fuel back up to the rails and turn the key to start it. About halfway through the startup the engine stops cranking and there is a horrible grinding noise that sounded like the starter. We immediately go into diagnosis mode to figure out what went wrong. We turned the engine over by hand from the crank and hear the starter retract and figured maybe it had just gotten stuck half engaged or something. Try it again, same problem... we turn the engine over from the crank again and it almost sounds like one of the cylinders is full of fuel... hmmmmmmm
. put a pressure gauge on the fuel rail and watch it prime to 58 and then drop to nothing in a matter of seconds.So we start pulling spark plugs... I get to #5 and when I pull it, fuel comes pouring out. Turns out the associated fuel injector is either totally trashed or stuck open, we could blow straight thru it. We pull the fuel pump relay and crank the engine to evacuate the fuel and it is just blowing out fuel like crazy at each compression stroke. We re-assemble the engine with the old injectors and it starts up well to my relief but the starter is definitely making some funny noises. We go to inspect it one of it's 'ears' completely cracked where the bolt goes through it into the engine block.
I guess a $150 starter is cheap in comparison to what could have happened... Hopefully I didn't lose any teeth from my flywheel. Is there any other damage that might result from this that I should look into? Would I notice if I had bent a connecting rod? I drove it home 60 miles with no noticeable weird vibrations or issues...
I am so pissed right now, I have definitely learned my lesson and will never buy a used injector again in my life ... ZZperformance is going to hear it from me today
Last edited by mattster03; 05-13-2011 at 10:25 AM.
05-12-2011, 12:22 PM
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05-12-2011, 08:08 PM
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Would like to see pics of the injector. I'm from the Grand Prix world b4 and ZZP is a well reputation vendor. Hopefully Matt or Zooomer will take care of you.
05-12-2011, 08:25 PM
#9
Yup, I used to be a member on clubgp years and years ago before I joined this site. ZZP was one of the more trusted sponsors..But in this case sounds like they just spray painted a couple of used injectors they pulled off a customers car, and are selling them as "refurbished" I didnt know they had a in shop flow bench to test injectors..
05-12-2011, 11:50 PM
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I will post some pictures tomorrow. I wish I would have gone to FIC... id be racing at the track tommorrow instead of watching everyone else
05-13-2011, 09:31 AM
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thanks for the story. 
Here's what I received from zzperformance. Here's their website description and their ebay ad description
"Stock L67 (GTP) injectors. Rated at 33 pounds (some refer to them as 36#). Flowmatched, cleaned, re-dyed to look like new, new O-rings installed."
"These injectors are remanufactured and flowed tested (sheet shown in pic). They perform as new and are guaranteed within 2.5% of each other."
"The item has been completely disassembled, cleaned, and examined for wear and breakage. Worn out, missing or non-functioning components have been replaced with new or rebuilt components. It is the functional equivalent of a new part and is virtually indistinguishable from a new part."
Here's what I received from zzperformance. Here's their website description and their ebay ad description
"Stock L67 (GTP) injectors. Rated at 33 pounds (some refer to them as 36#). Flowmatched, cleaned, re-dyed to look like new, new O-rings installed."
"These injectors are remanufactured and flowed tested (sheet shown in pic). They perform as new and are guaranteed within 2.5% of each other."
"The item has been completely disassembled, cleaned, and examined for wear and breakage. Worn out, missing or non-functioning components have been replaced with new or rebuilt components. It is the functional equivalent of a new part and is virtually indistinguishable from a new part."
05-13-2011, 09:46 AM
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The good news is that it appears I may have gotten lucky... though I am still not going to get my hopes up too high. After work yesterday, I pulled the old starter (which in fact had completely broken the mounting tab which sits closest to the engine) and inspected the flywheel teeth. There were no broken teeth, and actally no noticeable damage from the view I had... this was pretty good news. I slapped on a new starter and changed my oil.
Next up was the compression test; I did a sampling of the 6 easy access plugs including the piston in question(forget those ones in the back haha!) and they all read within 5-10psi of eachother. I'm going to take this as a good enough signs to take no further precautions. I'm getting my car tuned for my new FMS 30# injectors today and will be racing (as long as all goes well) tonight.
I have definitely learned my lesson on this one...
Next up was the compression test; I did a sampling of the 6 easy access plugs including the piston in question(forget those ones in the back haha!) and they all read within 5-10psi of eachother. I'm going to take this as a good enough signs to take no further precautions. I'm getting my car tuned for my new FMS 30# injectors today and will be racing (as long as all goes well) tonight.
I have definitely learned my lesson on this one...
05-13-2011, 01:49 PM
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Hope you get this resolve in a good manner. It doesn't looks like the way they do business b4. Well, I haven't been in ClubGP for long time, I might not know. Good luck
05-13-2011, 06:29 PM
#20
I don't want to rain on your parade, but you have work to do. I see this in boats ALL the time...only it's water. They think they lucked out, only to find out later that they bent a rod JUST enough that it will run...until it does catastrophic damage. I would pull the head and do some measuring...or even pull the rod and piston. I don't think I've ever seen a rod that didn't suffer some sort of damage when it locked that hard from the starter. You may have indeed lucked out...but I've seen this so many times that it would come apart if it were mine. Then, go sue that SOB who sold you that crap in small claims court for the damages.