Hi,

I need help removing my fuel injectors. If anyone has an info on how to do this to the 3.4L , please please let me know. Maybe someone could scan and send the revelent pages from a repair manual. I searched and couldn't find much info. Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys!--Pam

 

as i remember it's a matter of pulling off the intake plenum and all things before that, and you'll be able to pull them out. You'll have to drain your coolant too.

 

Yeup... basically start at the intake tube and start removing everything that you can. That'll be...

• Intake tube
• Throttle Body
• Plenum (2 pieces)
• Fuel rails
• Injectors

Along the way you'll have plenty of vacuum hoses and some electrical harnesses to remove. Keep an eye on them as you remove them, and take pictures if you feel you need to in order to get everything back together again.

You actually won't need to drain the coolant. I think David (Oly) is thinking that you'll need to pull the intake manifold to get to the fuel rails, and I didn't have to do that on mine.

One thing though is that you'lll want to loosen the gas cap before you pull the rails. If you don't, the resident pressure in the fuel system will squirt fuel through the rails and make a mess. You'll spill some fuel anyway from the rails, but it'll be minimal.


Whatcha' pulling the injectors for?

 

more info...

I found an install page talking about upgrading the injectors on a Tacoma with a 3.4L. There's a pic there showing the rails exposed and the top radiator hose still in place:


The whole page isn't too bad for a set of examples of everything else you need to do - just don't get caught up in everything else they're talking about (unless it's relevent to what your goal is. )

http://www.minitruckinweb.com/tech/0501mt_tacoma/

 

Ah, I had to drain the coolant on my old truck with the 3.0 for the TB. I thought that the 3.4 also had coolant passages through the throttle body, or it doesn't leak much when you disconnect it.

 

Ahhh... That's what you were thinking of!

Yes, there _is_ a passage in the TB, but you'll get only a drip or two when you pull the hose.

 

I was going to send them out for a cleaning. I have a misfire, so I am going to change coilpack #3 because the code reader double reads PO303. I wanted to clean the injectors as a precaution also. My Runner has 203,000 so I wanted to make sure I keep it running well. I plan to drive it until the wheels fall off I LOVE IT! Thanks for the help!--Pam

 

One more question. When I reinstall everything, do I need to have a new gasket of anykind? I suppose I have to torque the bolts to a certain setting? I haven't gotten in there yet, so I am not sure what it's all about. Thanks
--Pam

 

Cleaning the injectors is a great precaution, but you are likely on track (coilpack, wire or sparkplug) for the problem causing P0303.

Here is a breakdown so you can see how the intake comes apart:


Here is a breakdown so you can see how the rails come apart:


You'll need a new intake gasket set to reassemble the intake again and don't over torque those bolts (max 15 ft lbs)!

 

wow, thanks Jamie. The diagram helps out alot!

 

Actually... the one at the plenum on mine was metal and I didn't replace it (though that may have been a wrong choice ). The intake manifold gaskets should certainly be replaced, but they're EXPENSIVE.

 

Bumping this thread to see if anyone knows of any step by step articles on how to do this...
I'm intimidated by handling fuel so I want to make sure I don't do anything wrong...

Is it okay to leave everything unassembled for a couple days as I wait for the injectors to be cleaned? Also, is the intake gasket set really required, and should I get that at the stealer, or order it online if it is?

I was planning to hopefully dig into the truck tonite to get the fuel injectors out ASAP and sent to witchhunter.com, per Mark's (midiwall) recommendation.

 

Umm, I've never seen a writeup, it's pretty much a top-down procedure... Just start pulling stuff off until you get to the fuel rails.

There are then 4 bolts that hold the rails down to the manifold... Pull those and the rails kinda' hinge "up and back" on the fuel line at the rear. You can pop the injectors out at that point.

The injectors fit into the rail with a bit of a "pop" and they'll come out the same way. i.e., you may have to tug on them a bit.


You _will_ spill fuel, but you'll be okay - just work outside, and think about pulling the hood off so you can get at everything easier. You can lessen what you spill by loosening the gas cap, that'll relieve the pressure in the tank.

Remember, gas burns, but the vapors are explosive. No smoking! and don't work on a hot engine! The fuel will evaporate fairly quick and the vapors will dissipate even quicker.



Yeup! just cover up the holes into the intake manifold so that nothing gets in there.


Nope! I don't think I replaced mine any of the gajillion times I had the top end apart... Not until the rebuild. That gasket is pretty sturdy, and it's only an air seal (no fluids).


Cool!

 

Man, you're everywhere and all kinds of helpful. Thanks!

Other than the 15 ft lbs for the intake bolts (throttle body to intake manifold?), are there any other torque specs that I have to watch for?

 

I try.


Ummm, not really... You CAN strip the bolts on the intake manifold (I did) at the rails, but it'll take a bit of work. When you tweak them down, you're looking to get a good compression seal on the injector, and you have to be careful not to pinch the seal lest it tear and you get nice leak going.

Looks like the FSM says 13ft for the bolts on the intake manifold.

 

Before you buy a coil pack, check the resistence on you #3 fuel injector. I had the same problem before. I had a failed fuel injector. It was pretty easy to remove and install. The tb can be removed with the top half of the plenum.

 

so I'm in the middle of the removal and when I removed the coolant hoses from the throttle body, it leaked a little, and gurgled. I was wondering, when I reinstall them, how do I get those bubbles out, or is it okay to have a little bit of air in the coolant lines?

I'm removing the lower intake plenum right now and I can't find the remaining bolts, and then I realized that the supercharger install follows the same steps so I came to find it. I was going to do a writeup with pictures, but the TRD supercharger manual is just as good! I can still post pics if you guys want me to...
link to the manual

*edit-found the last bolt. It's the one top and center of the manifold! :doh:

 

ok, so I got the injectors out, but I accidently shattered the plastic cover on the right side that protects the right bank of injectors' wires when I was pulling cylinder 6's injector out. I didn't know I was putting that much pressure on it, and man, it's brittle! Must be from all the heat.

Do I need the covers? What are they for? I guess I could use some heat reflective tape or something. Does anyone else have any ideas?

 

It won't be an issue... Once you get driving again the bubble will end up burping to the top of the radiator.


Yeup! Mine are like ... gone.


They're a just a nice cosmetic binding and a mild kinda'-cable keep-together thing.


Congrats on getting 'em out!

 

That's a relief! I guess I'll just take mine off. Or maybe trim them so they look nicer.

I can't wait to get them back! I gotta mail them out first though.. lol