Home Made Fuel Injector Cleaning Machine

[Superdave]

using a computer power supply would work great. they are regulated very well.


If it's an ATX power supply just cut the big white plug off the end and use one yellow and one black as your leads to the injector testers (Yellow is +12v and black is ground).. then find the green wire and connect it to one of the black wires to turn the supply on.

[60dgrzbelow0]

using a computer power supply would work great. they are regulated very well. If it's an ATX power supply just cut the big white plug off the end and use one yellow and one black as your leads to the injector testers (Yellow is +12v and black is ground).. then find the green wire and connect it to one of the black wires to turn the supply on.

Thanks Dave... (and Robert (Robertisaar) too for the original suggestion...)

You could modify a computer power supply for it. I have considered it before, and happen to have an extra one that pushes more than enough power for something like this...

I have great news to report that segues nicely with your original prediction that the 12V 1 Amp Power Supply might not be sufficient when two OTCs are sharing the DC input line. Your prediction was exactly correct. In the course of testing first the single OTC with just three EFIs during the initial Submergence Test to see if the EFI Connectors would short out...they sealed PERFECTLY!... but as you suggested...when I hooked up both OTC Units and dunked all six (6) EFIs and tried to power them simultaneously...the collision lights on both units flickered and the sound of the injectors' pintle valves seemed to labor a great deal while actuating. Having either two separate Yellow/Black connections for each of the OTC units would be the perfect solution...and since I have a handful of older 300-350 Watt ATX Power Supplies...modifying one to work with your idea will do the trick for the next round of using the Dual OTC devices in any/all phases of these cleaning procedures! Thanks again, Gentlemen for coming up with this idea!

PLEASE TURN DOWN THE VOLUME CONTROL ON YOUR COMPUTERS WHEN WATCHING THE LATEST VIDEOS!

http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/60dgrzbelow0/HOMEMADEEFICLEANER/

The UMAX Machine makes such an incredible racket that it over-rides most of what I was explaining...but it becomes more understandable with the sound turned down.


Now...I am happy to report that while sunk deep in a very hot bath of "Purple Power" and while being "juiced and induced" to fire the pintles on all six of the latest batch of EFIs for this test... all the equipment functioned PERFECTLY and the in-dwelling Weather-Water seals on each EFI connector worked as designed by GM. You will see from the photos on my photo-bucket site that I first investigated using a small, plastic container, inverted and punctured to allow just the two-prong connector bodies to poke up through the top. But when the OTCs worked after I accidentally pushed the whole apparatus under the cleaning fluid in the EUMAX tub...and they did NOT short out... I realized I could dispense with this idea entirely and had room then to comfortably submerge all six injectors! By the way... The EUMAX UltraSonic Machine only ran me $58.00 on sale and reduced from $89.00 from an eBay Vendor... I use it for cleaning a lot of parts, bolt sets, etc. ..and it will do a helluva lot more jobs than just cleaning fuel injectors!

It only took a one thirty minute session with the EUMAX Ultrasonic Machine to liven these grungy, dirty and clogged injectors up. Shortly ... I will put them through their paces on "The Frankinjector" machine to see how they look while the EFI Cleaning Solution is flushing through them. It will follow on that I'll do "EFI Fluid Balance" test into the graduated cylinders and I will post the videos of these last two stages so you can observe the outcomes of these two comprehensive cleaning procedures. In the mean time...I'm interested in everyone's impressions about all this and still ready for any criticism(s) to be levied if I missed anything or if there is a better way for any of this to be done.

The last thing that remains is the "Reverse Flushing" procedures to work out and test using the newly designed "Rotating Fuel Rail" to perform this task. After that... I think this project will be complete...and the thread can be closed as needed... Unless of course...more and better ideas come on board! I have an open mind and will alter whatever needs to be done to make this a "Better Mousetrap". Actually...now that this has proven to work...the VERY last thing to do is to cobble together a full set of (6) Injectors that are as closely Flow Balanced as I can get them...and to put them into the car when the re-built motor is finally in place....and then just..."Faaaaahhhhhrrr Thaaaat Muuuuthahhh Up!"

[robertisaar]

^ that is awesomeness.

[60dgrzbelow0]

^ that is awesomeness.

Thank You, Robert...! (The Crowd goes WILD!)

[60dgrzbelow0]

...you could modify a computer power supply for it. I have considered it before, and happen to have an extra one that pushes more than enough power for something like this...

...using a computer power supply would work great. They are regulated very well. If it's an ATX power supply, just cut the big white plug off the end and use one Yellow and one Black as your leads to the injector testers (Yellow is +12v and Black is ground)... then find the Green Wire and connect it to one of the Black Wires to turn the supply on...

Based on these sterling recommendations, I rifled through a half-dozen ATX Power Supplies until I found one that suited my needs and provided the most consistent and highest DC Voltage possible. I took Superdave's information on the wiring hook-ups... but did not want to permanently FUBAR the PS by completely cutting off the 24 Pin Male Motherboard Wire Connector. Instead...to put an electrical load on the ATX internal sensing mechanism, I just sliced a piece of S/S Flat Banding material to the right thickness for insertion inside the connector matrix (Green to any Black) and pre-wrapped it with some Black Electrician's Tape to make a sort of handle for its insertion and removal as needed. Then I just depressed the metal tabs inside the longest Molex lead on the harness and pulled out one Black and one Yellow wire set. Then I simply hooked up my Actron Multi-Meter to the proper (+) and (-) leads and matched these to the Black and Red 12Volt Squeeze clamps on the OTC Unit (Black to Black- Red to Yellow). The OTC Unit powered up just fine... but I noticed that the Red Power Light was particularly bright and strong, so I took some encouragement from this that the ATX PS had it all over the cheap 12Volt - 1 Amp "TOP" Power Supply that I described in one of my photo-bucket videos. The ACTRON Multi-Meter read as 11.91 Volts when stable and dropped to 11.85 Volts when activating the Fire Button on the OTC. (I don't know what the implications of that voltage drop are...please explain if you think it might be a problem).

Next, I decided to attach BOTH of the Three Connector EFI sets I'd made to work with one OTC Unit for each bank of EFIs on "The Frankinjector" Machine and connected them to a single OTC Testing Unit. After attaching all of the six (6) EFI connectors to one set of recently cleaned and flushed out injectors (stock 93-95 VIN "S" Injectors), I depressed the OTC Fire Button and to my very great surprise, they all fired...symmetrically loud and and consistent in their response to being actuated by only the one OTC. If I had suspected that my problem was based on a power drop off, I would never have purchased the second OTC Unit to "divide and conquer" this problem. But nonetheless, my weakness in understanding the implications of electricity have been revealed and in this case, bought and paid for on the steep learning curve. All that remains for this portion of the system upgrade is to do this identical test on "The Frankinjector" with a the system pressurized at 43.5 PSI and the binary cleaning fluid flowing as the OTC tries to work alone to get all six EFIs to fire and function during the cleaning cycle.

The latest images and one new video can be found here on this part of the project:

http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/60dgrzbelow0/HOMEMADEEFICLEANER/

My sincere thanks to Robert and Dave for the leg-up on getting this done... Your ATX Computer Power Supply Solution... Works GREAT!

[robertisaar]

i LOVE these DIY threads....

so much raw potential being utilized....

[60dgrzbelow0]

I LOVE these DIY threads....

so much raw potential being utilized....

[pocket-rocket]

i LOVE these DIY threads....

so much raw potential being utilized....

I wish I had the motivation for doing something like this, but with being sick lately, motivation is not a friend of mine :/

How much did that 2nd OTC injector tester run you?

I really like the idea of electroplating that hold down. I had no idea electroplating was that easy

[60dgrzbelow0]

I wish I had the motivation for doing something like this, but with being sick lately, motivation is not a friend of mine :/

How much did that 2nd OTC injector tester run you?

I really like the idea of electroplating that hold down. I had no idea electroplating was that easy

Mr. P-R... Sorry that you are so under the weather... But not to worry...these kinds of project ideas have the wonderful aspect to them of an indefinite (infinite?) 'Shelf-Life' Kind of the like the packs of Twinkies that WALL-E opens up at bedtime for his room mate (the Cockroach) ...so when you get back in the saddle and start feeling better...they'll always be ready for you to try out when you feel up to it... (err..uhh... The IDEAS, I mean......NOT the Twinkies!...LOL)


The Second OTC Tester I just got was being offered for $99.00---> "OBO" on eBay. I made the Seller an offer of $75.00 and lucked out when he accepted.

Here is their latest offering and lowest asking price for an OTC Unit for a "Buy Now" Buyer:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OTC-ELECTRONIC-FUEL-INJECTOR-TESTER-BUY-IT-NOW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4ceb8b4150QQitemZ330369286480QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

I've been thinking that if the new ATX Power Supply makes it through "Trials" on "The Frankinjector" over the next few days...I might stash the second OTC if I don't have to use one for each bank of three injectors and later...put together A Complete "Frankinjector Kit" with all the necessary parts and pieces pre-fabbed and perhaps sell it on eBay for Best Price.

But I'm getting ahead of myself... Many people have "peeked" in on what I've been doing here while collaborating with a handful of interested 60* "Big Dogs"... but there does not seem to be a wide-spread interest from others in deciding to build their own version of this useful machine. Perhaps they will want to wait until after I fire up the newly re-built engine (with some detailed videos) ...with a nice set of EFIs that have been through their paces for cleaning on "The Frankinjector" and refurbished to a fair-thee-well before becoming seriously involved. My next design for one of these machines will probably involve using the Galvanized Steel Pipe with a pressure relief valve for safety installed, in place of the Aluminum A/C Pressure Cleaning Cylinder... because THAT item and the OTC items are the most expensive parts to acquire for the build.

Once I get my "Moon Over the Mountain" and finish working and proving out "The Frankinjector"...I'll do my own "Step-By-Step" DIY on the Nickel Plating of the OPD Hold Down Claw...and shoot some B4 and After photos and Videos of the process and post them in a new thread to encourage the safe use of this process on some of our V6 60* engine parts...If I can make it work right!

[robertisaar]

I've been thinking that if the new ATX Power Supply makes it through "Trials" on "The Frankinjector" over the next few days...I might stash the second OTC if I don't have to use one for each bank of three injectors and later...put together A Complete "Frankinjector Kit" with all the necessary parts and pieces pre-fabbed and perhaps sell it on eBay for Best Price.

not a bad idea...

and i do think a LOT of people are lurking around, waiting to see what, if anything, goes wrong. something else tells me that a LOT of people are completely confused as to what's going on.

in essence: i think a lot more homebuilt injector cleaners/testers are going to be made soon...

[60dgrzbelow0]

Well... if that turns out to be the case... I would recommend that those who are serious will not suffer from making regular checks on eBay for the following "Big Three" items that are really the Heart and Soul of "The FrankInjector" EFI Cleaning Machine:

(1) Any GM 2.8L, 3.1L or 3.4L 60* V6 Fuel Rail (preferably with the Injectors and EFI Harness thrown in for good measure)

(2) At least one (1) OTC Fuel Injector Tester...OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR EFI ACTIVATING TESTER WILL DO AS WELL!

(3) Either an Aluminum A/C Pressure Cleaning Cylinder with a threaded-"O" Ring sealed brass upper air nozzle and a lower exit fitting at the base...or follow the thread mentioned earlier that gives credit to the man who first made his in 2001 using a GALVANIZED PLUMBING PIPE WITH FIXTURES as a reasonable and much less expensive alternative.

The rest can be cobbled together fairly easy and when I finally get the completed design of "The Frankinjector" done to my absolute satisfaction, I'll post a FRANKINJECTOR PROJECT PARTS LIST on my photo-bucket for all to access at will.

One Last Caveat Emptor and WARNING (DISCLAIMER) from me, known herein as "60dgrzbelow0" concerning the device, known herein as "The FrankInjector":

Anyone (any person or persons) who either builds or attempts to build or use or attempts to use any parts or uses or prepares any pieces or attempts to prepare any assemblies or any sub-assemblies of what I, "60dgrzbelow0" have described herein as components or sub-components of this device herein referred to in this entire post as "The Frankinjector" does so at his or her or their own risk; without any warranty from me, "60dgrzbelow0" as to either the safety or suitability of building anything either exactly or similar to or even like "The FrankInjector" device in any way, shape or form and said person or persons does so without any warranty from me, "60dgrzbelow0" of any kind; either expressed or implied and without any liability whatsoever to me, "60dgrzbelow0", in any way shape or form whatsoever and shall hold me harmless from lawsuits, liability or litigation for any and all time as to the consequences to life and property of any kind or of any such or said person building or attempting to build or use or employ this said device: "The FrankInjector". By the very act of doing anything listed in this Caveat Emptor Warning and Disclosure, you agree that you understand and will abide by any and all terms listed in this message. This device is not designed to be used indoors...EVER!...and requires the presence of a competent adult user of this device who is capable of properly using a fully functioning ABC Fire Extinguisher and the knowledge of its proper use should the machine be ignited, either intentionally or accidentally and a fire occur and takes full responsibility for taking any and all actions to suppress such fires. This device uses compressed air and flammable materials to function and is therefore not a toy and is not intended for use as a toy nor should it ever be tampered with by any minor children or incompetent adult or adults and should not be used when any or either children or invalid person or elderly persons are in close proximity to the device when in operation and the such person or persons in doing so assumes all risk, risks and liabilities incident to the use of this device thereof. It is therefore understood and agreed that, as a part of the consideration for using or attempting to use this idea and or for building or attempting to build the said device and/or uses or attempts to use any portion of the plans or constructs or any aspect of how this device as is described in this or any other postings or used or to build or to attempt to build this device known as "The FrankInjector", as a condition thereof, no claim, suit, action or demand of any nature whatsoever shall ever be made by any person or persons, his or her successors or assigns, against me, 60dgrzbelow0, as the source of the idea to build or attempt to build this device for injury to any person or persons, including death resulting therefrom, or loss of or damage to property caused by, in connection with or by reason of the construction, building, use or mere presence of this said device: "The FrankInjector".

Now THAT warning ought to scare off any of the squeamish, the stupid, the careless, the thoughtless and the dumb who don't or won't understand the inherent danger involved when you use compressed flammable liquids in the presence of any ignition source... until its too late!

[pocket-rocket]

That guy should have said that in his videos, instead of just saying the nickle oxide was toxic...

[60dgrzbelow0]

There are five new videos and more images on the update to this project here:

http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/60dgrzbelow0/HOMEMADEEFICLEANER/

The update on the design and testing of "The Frankinjector Machine" has achieved the following benchmarks and the need to follow procedures in an "Orders of Operation" manner to make the cleaning process of a full set of EFIs as simple, direct and inexpensive as possible.

The modification of a ATX Computer Power Supply to power either one or both of the OTC EFI Tester Units has mixed results. The power coming off of the Yellow and Black DC lines (12Volts @ 5-10 Amps) is more than adequate to make them function. However, the design limitation for how many EFIs any one OTC Box will properly actuate is one (1) to a maximum of three (3). So in order to be able to clean all six (6) injectors when mounted on both sides of the Fuel Rail...both OTC Units had to be employed.

The discovery that complete submergence of the EFI harness does not cause any short circuits lead me to doing the re-cleaning of a full set of 3.4L Rochester Multech EFIs Model # 17103007 that had already been cleaned Ultrasonically. But THIS time, the cleaning ability of the "Purple Power" Solution at 65C and with a thirty (30) minute Ultrasonic cleaning cycle, made the most dramatic and indispensable difference in improving how much cleaner and better they all came out! It was like night to day! The video of the detritus (the 'mung') that wound up in the bottom of the S/S Umax cleaning bucket will be proof enough that to REALLY get these cleaned properly...the pintle valves MUST be activated while the UMAX is working its magic.

The videos will show more that I can explain about the difference, so watching them will give you a mode of comparison against the earlier videos on the subject:

http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/60dgrzbelow0/HOMEMADEEFICLEANER/

Last, but not least...is the matter of Reverse Flushing the EFIs using the Axially Mounted Fuel Rail presently installed on the machine. I'll tackle the design and testing issues on this item next week. After that... I'll be running every single EFI set I can get my hands on through their cleaning paces and tag and bag the sets I want to try out on the 3.4L Re-Build Engine when the time comes. I'll be shooting the motor installation and break-in procedures when the time comes for all to see.

[bszopi]

Just PM me a list of what post numbers you want moved over to a new thread, and I can do it.

[60dgrzbelow0]

THE SUBSTANCE OF THE PM:


Thanks a lot Brad... I know how busy you always are...

I've already excised my original start of this as an Off Topic ( It's already moved over to the Off Topic area of the Main Forum Menu) from the other part of a sub-post that needs to be here...and used it to start another thread called:

Home Made Electroplating: The Benefits and HAZARDS


The parts in this post that need to be attached to the NEW thread and taken out of this one are as follows:

72, 74 AND 76

Thanks for "The Fix"

--==Bob==--