Tried the old school hammer method on a seized injector after 15 years of using pullers

Ive been doing this since 2008 and always grabbed my slide hammer for stuck injectors. Last week I was on a 6.0 Powerstroke out in Tucson where the puller just wouldnt grip. Old timer I was working with said just tap it sideways with a brass hammer and work it free. I told him he was crazy but I gave it a shot after I wasted an hour with the puller. Thing popped right out in like 3 minutes. Now I feel dumb for fighting with that tool for so many years. Any of you guys still use the old hammer method or am I just late to the party?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_dylan7d ago

Jumped into this exact spot a few years back on a Duramax. I was always a puller guy too, thought the hammer method was too rough. Then I bent a puller claw and a buddy showed me how a few light taps from different angles can actually shock it loose without damaging the injector. Now I do it as a first try every time. Your mileage may vary depending on the rust situation though, some are just welded in there.

hugo8257d ago

That's a good point about the tapping method, but I think people overlook the importance of heat cycling first. On my 6.0 Powerstroke, I'd run the engine up to temp, then let it cool almost all the way down before even touching the injectors. The expansion and contraction breaks the carbon seal around the injector cup way better than any tool can. If you tap on a cold injector in a northern state like mine, you're just asking to snap it off at the cup.