CIS Injector Cleaning

[F22Chris]

I'm pulling the injectors on my 86 Scirocco to flow test them as its super sluggish, and has little power up to 3k RPM.

My question is what's the best injector cleaner that actually works?

I want to soak them before I take some Barry B12 and blast them out.

This is my mother in-laws favorite car as a kid, so I'm trying to do something nice and get it running well for her.

[cp[mike]]

Seafoam and B12 seemed too mild in my opinion. I've tried letting them sit in a cap full of it and it didn't help a ton. I find Brake Cleaner to be much more effective. I usually push the tip/plunger in and out a bunch of times with some fluid up inside there, and scrape out the area surrounding the needle tip, then blow on them from the inlet side while pressing the tip open. Usually a good time to replace the screens on the inlets, too. I usually try to also get the injectors back installed and running the same day, while they are still fresh, to make sure they are pressurized and flushed with gas before they have a chance to sit on the shelf and really dry out again. Might also want to do the Fuel filter at the same time, and don't worry about the fuel pump or screen, those don't really ever get dirty. I usually try to do this job when the tank is around like, 1/3 full, then I add a full bottle (usually rated for 20 gallons) of Injector Cleaner or Seafoam in the gas tank. Then when you are running it, any crap still left loose inside the injectors will be washed out. Drive it for a while then fill up.

[F22Chris]

I'll just use acetone then. The set up I'm working with is actually mechanical.

Injectors looks like this


Inside

[deevergote]

Another option would be to have them professionally cleaned. It wouldn't be cheap, but you know it would be done right! Though with those old types, the pros may not be able to do much more than you could do yourself. I know for the injectors in our CB7s, having them professionally cleaned and balanced works wonders.

[F22Chris]

Deev, I was thinking about getting an ultra sonic cleaner from Harbor Freight. Just drop them in one at a time in acetone, and cycle it so it doesn't overheat.

But yesterday going through some things with a VW buddy. We found the timing was good on the crank & cam, but the distributor was like 45 degrees off, and the spark wires were completely wrong.

So I think the injectors are fine, but it's still absolutely a fuel problem.

I changed the front fuel filter on this thing, and it weighed like 2 pounds..

We looked under the thing near the fuel tank, and it's got the original fuel filter/pump/accumulator....... And it's rusted...

Not only that, but the shit costs like 350 bucks for the pump and accumulator. On top of the banjo bolts that I'm almost positive I'm going to break. And I might as well put a new tank in there too.
Honestly thinking about just running digifant 2 or a carburetor swap with a 30/32. Idfk.. Or just an ABA swap all together.

But I did get another VR6 Jetta that I'm excited about making my new daily!

[Accrdwgnguy]

I cleaned and "rebuilt" a set of injectors for my C10 years ago when I put the TPI on. The injectors were actually clogged and wouldn't cycle. I made a rig with a 12v wall transformer, an injector plug and a pushbutton. Soaked them in B12 and then attempted to cycle each one until they freed up. Got a new set of seals, screens, and caps from http://www.mrinjector.us/ to reseal them, solvent is going to blow up the seals on those injectors like a balloon.

You can get a small ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight and run the injectors thru it if you want to be really fancy.

[deevergote]

Hit up RockAuto for parts, if you haven't looked. They have lots of stuff on clearance right now.