injector removal

[LaGrasta]

Cleaning the fuel system as my newly acquired 2003 V11 has been sitting for a decade. I have everything apart, replacing filters and fuel lines along the way. Lastly the injectors. They seem to be attached via two allen head screws, nothing more. These screws barely rotate and frankly feel like I'll break them if I insist. Is this the correct way to remove them? Please help, before I break something, lol!

[docc]

Both @Lucky Phil and @MartyNZ have experience with this (difficult) disassembly. They are "Down Under" and "Under-Down-Under", so put down those ViceGrips and step back from the bench for a few hours!

 

[MartyNZ]

On my bike the injectors were held into a plastic housing with two phillips head screws. These screws were retained with locktite.  

Are these the screws you are asking about? 

Anyway, one way to remove tight screws is to use penetrating oil and heat. Heat softens locktite. With a plastic housing, heat conduction is poor, so heating the screw head with a soldering iron may help. How hot you ask? About 60°C max should be safe. You can hold your finger on 60° for a few seconds without burning.

[LaGrasta]

Exactly my issue @MartyNZ, thank you. Heating the head of the screw; excellent idea, can't way to try it.

[Lucky Phil]

4 minutes ago, LaGrasta said:

Exactly my issue @MartyNZ, thank you. Heating the head of the screw; excellent idea, can't way to try it.

Heat can't hurt(up to a point) but if it's retained by red or green Loctite then anything less than about 180-200deg C is pretty pointless as that's the temp required for it to release. Heating the head of the screw is also a bit pointless here as the loctite on the end is so far away on a long screw. Try some boiling water on the throttle body itself where the screw threads into it but I don't think it will help. BTW treat those aluminium half moon injector feed line retainers with care they are easily damaged and have been unobtainium for years. When you get them out just have them professionally done, it's very cheap and they can give you a spray pattern and flow report. Cleanings one thing but the spray pattern is important as well. I'm only making my own rig because very few places clean and flow test side flow injectors. Everyone does top feed injectors like the V11 Sport has. 

 

Phil

[MartyNZ]

13 hours ago, docc said:

 They are "Down Under" and "Under-Down-Under"

You should know that the south pole is at the top. The attached map shows this clearly. 10 million penguins can't all be wrong. 

[Scud]

Those screws have a tiny hex head, which can round-off easily. I'd suggest getting some replacement screws while they are out. 

I didn't know those "half-moon" retaining clips were unobtainable - thanks for the heads up. 

[Lucky Phil]

8 hours ago, Scud said:

Those screws have a tiny hex head, which can round-off easily. I'd suggest getting some replacement screws while they are out. 

I didn't know those "half-moon" retaining clips were unobtainable - thanks or the heads up. 

Here's a tip for these allen heads and also phillips head screws that are known to be tight or going to be problematical. Buy yourself some WATER based valve grinding paste NOT oil based and put a blob on the tip of the tool before inserting into the screw head. The paste triples the grip of the tool. When your job for the night is to remove the leading edge panels on the wing of a jet and the total Phillips head screw count is around 600 screws and they've been installed for a year or two you lean all the tricks. There are others as well, for another day.

Phil  

[LaGrasta]

I managed to remove all four injector screws, and only buggered the head of one. Fortunately it was after I had already backed it out a few turns so I managed to cut the head off, remove the injector, then remove it the remainder of the way with pliers.

Yesterday, I bought new 5mmx40mm screws. I bought both counter-sunk heads, but also a set of the knurled style allen bolts. I think I may go with those as they seat nicely, and still expose enough head to use pliers should they get stuck again. Hopefully I'll be riding this bike enough, there will be no need to ever remove them again!