Another one bites the dust (injector stuck)

[Superfreak]

Ugghhh this happened to me a few days ago! Got on the freeway, under acceleration, the engine stumbled, CEL then EPC light came on. Got it towed home and checked for codes:
Misfire Random/multiple cylinder P030000
Misfire Cyl 3 P030300
Misfire Cyl 4 P030400

Wanted to rule out coil packs and spark plugs. Tried swapping coil packs and kept getting error code for only Cyl 3 misfire. Inspected the spark plugs: 1, 2, and 4 are covered in carbon. #3 looked like it was wet with oil.
Car had hard time starting, idle was very rough, and very strong smell of gas. Not much of a mechanic so I towed it to the shop.
Mechanic said that it isn’t oil on the spark plug but fuel. Fuel injector was stuck open and had lots of carbon build up. Thought it would be prudent to replace all of them. Also getting the valves walnut blasted while they have everything off. Very expensive repair and VW said it wouldn’t be covered. Merry Christmas to me…

2017 GTI Sport
60K miles
JB1, Forge Twintercooler, CTS CAI

Bluewater seems awesome and you’ll pay for their outstanding reputation. Actually they suck, disregard my last. I’ve personally had a good experience with Import Mechanics but they aren’t any cheaper. Hardy’s has some good feedback from some members here.

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/hardey’s-auto-werks-review.379346/

 

[MSH]

What would guys pay for 4 injector replacement, and for valve cleaning? I’m getting wildly different quotes. I’m in Boulder, CO btw where everything seems to cost a lot.

Hardey's in Parker is charging me bit over $1k for carbon clean and my MPI install. I bought my new DI injectors from FCP for $400. Hardeys isn't charging me any additional to install them since the intake comes off anyway.
Can you share the estimates you have received so far and the shops?

 

[uberdot]

Anyone notice crazy STFT before injectors died?

 

[MSH]

Anyone notice crazy STFT before injectors died?

From what I have read...yes. At idle if STFT is -30 or more chances are it's a bad/stuck injector.

 

[uberdot]

Ok. Mine is -30 ST pulling out of driveway and/or neighborhood speeds. No codes. Guessing an indie shop has to do this then?

 

[jimlloyd40]

Ok. Mine is -30 ST pulling out of driveway and/or neighborhood speeds. No codes. Guessing an indie shop has to do this then?

Must just be some weird anomaly. Just pulling out of a driveway at normal speeds would make that irrelevant especially considering there's no CEL set. Someone more knowledgeable could explain it though.

 

[MSH]

Ok. Mine is -30 ST pulling out of driveway and/or neighborhood speeds. No codes. Guessing an indie shop has to do this then?

As Jim indicated maybe someone more knowledgeable will chime in but i think you need to look at STFT at idle as well. The concern seemed to be when STFT was -30 or greater at idle. Some of these cars that had injector issues weren't necessarily throwing codes. Also, sounds like some were able to clean things up a bit with FI cleaner like Seafoam.

 

[Anthony3o55]

Hardey's in Parker is charging me bit over $1k for carbon clean and my MPI install. I bought my new DI injectors from FCP for $400. Hardeys isn't charging me any additional to install them since the intake comes off anyway.
Can you share the estimates you have received so far and the shops?

Which fuel injectors did you get from FCP that was $400. Not bad. I got a GTI so I haven't seen cheap injectors. I only seen Genuine VW Injectors part #06A906036K and it's 189$ each.

 

[MSH]

Which fuel injectors did you get from FCP that was $400. Not bad. I got a GTI so I haven't seen cheap injectors. I only seen Genuine VW Injectors part #06A906036K and it's 189$ each.

It looks like only the R's have the Bosch vs VW option on FCP's site. Part # 06L906036AJ. FCP even alerts you when you go to look at the Genuine VW injector (which I'm sure is the same Bosch injector in a VW box lol) that you can save $38 per injector ($100.49 vs $138.49) by going with Bosch instead.

 

[JerseyDrew77]

I know not everyone does Facebook but I've been seeing a lot of this lately on EQT's FB page and the mk7 MQB pages with injectors going bad and/or seals completely breaking down. The 19's with the switch to Continental injectors vs the Bosch injectors seem to be particularly troublesome, but I've seen enough on pre 2019's that with my upcoming MPI install I decided to order new ones from FCP for my '16 R w/ 41k miles. 10k of which has been on E30-E40 on stock IS38 and Vortex Std. Figured with the manifold off for the swap to the Euro manifold and carbon cleaning that might as well for an extra $400 for the injectors. Dave @ EQT has mentioned he pulls his every year and has them flow tested + cleaned just to mitigate the risk.


View attachment 233759

Dave pulls his DI injectors every year? You know how much a pain in the ass it is to get to those injectors? It's something that I would not be doing once a year. Some fuel injector cleaner once or twice a year should be good enough. I only replaced my DI injectors when I had my block built.

 

[MSH]

Dave pulls his DI injectors every year? You know how much a pain in the ass it is to get to those injectors? It's something that I would not be doing once a year. Some fuel injector cleaner once or twice a year should be good enough. I only replaced my DI injectors when I had my block built.

The guy on the 2nd post/screen shot of was a 2017 A3. Engine toast so he had it built. Also he didn't get any codes at all which is scary

 

[JerseyDrew77]

View attachment 234142

View attachment 234143

The guy on the 2nd post/screen shot of was a 2017 A3. Engine toast so he had it built. Also he didn't get any codes at all which is scary

You can't worry about every little thing otherwise you would never drive your car. To pull and clean your DI injectors once a year is a little ocd. I built my block at 82K miles, which at that time, had new DI injectors installed. Up until that, never had an issue with them (knock on wood) and never pulled and cleaned them, just used fuel injector cleaner every now and then.

 

[MSH]

You can't worry about every little thing otherwise you would never drive your car. To pull and clean your DI injectors once a year is a little ocd. I built my block at 82K miles, which at that time, had new DI injectors installed. Up until that, never had an issue with them (knock on wood) and never pulled and cleaned them, just used fuel injector cleaner every now and then.

each to their own I guess. If it gives him peace of mind more power to him if he has the time to do it. I certainly don't have the cycles to be doing that every year. Use to when I was single...now with 2 young kids, a 8 month old pain in the ass puppy, busy ass job...I barely change the oil myself.
I've been doing the same as you...Jectron 2x a year(basically right before an oil change). I'm only replacing my DI injectors since manifold is coming off anyway to be swapped to the euro one for MPI and carbon clean

 

[uberdot]

each to their own I guess. If it gives him peace of mind more power to him if he has the time to do it. I certainly don't have the cycles to be doing that every year. Use to when I was single...now with 2 young kids, a 8 month old pain in the ass puppy, busy ass job...I barely change the oil myself.
I've been doing the same as you...Jectron 2x a year(basically right before an oil change). I'm only replacing my DI injectors since manifold is coming off anyway to be swapped to the euro one for MPI and carbon clean

FWIW Jectron does/did absolutely nothing for my fuel trims. Recently threw my hands in the air and ran a can of seafoam; So far the highest spike I’ve seen is negative 20. Was in mid negative 30s prior.

 

[MSH]

FWIW Jectron does/did absolutely nothing for my fuel trims. Recently threw my hands in the air and ran a can of seafoam; So far the highest spike I’ve seen is negative 20. Was in mid negative 30s prior.

Interesting. Thx for the info. I've used Jectron for ages starting with my mk1 & mk2s from many years ago. Just use it out of habit i guess. I know Ed @ EQT recommends the Seafoam so maybe I'll give it a shot. I've seen BG44 mentioned quite a bit to.