TEF1701

I'm about to tear apart the top half of the engine this weekend and replace all of the old gaskets, hoses, etc. that could be leaking vacuum and causing my rough running condition. My question is, once I get the fuel injectors out, is there a way for me to clean them myself? Can I soak them overnight or spray something through them? Can I take them apart? I will spend the money on a professional cleaning service if I need to, but i would love to do it from home.

AudiCoupeGT1986

I've done this before and there are a few ways to go about it. One you get the injectors out, remove the old o-rings and soak them in an injector cleaner. I basically just stuck mine in a jar filled with the stuff. After about a day or two, I pulled them out and sprayed carb cleaner through them using the straw. Make sure you shake the can well and has enough pressure. You should be able to see the small needle valve on the end open up and you should have a decent spray pattern. I've also heard of people using ultrasonic cleaners as well and I'm sure they would do a good job. It's pretty important to check for a good spray pattern. You might have to pick up new injectors if not.

Make sure you use new o-rings when you reinstall and this would be a good time to replace the injector seals/holders as well. I would recommend the green Viton type o-rings as they have a longer lifespan. Careful with the plastic holder as they can be brittle and have a tendency to break and fall down into the combustion chamber. Also, be sure to use the proper torque when tightening everything back in (ie. holders/seals, injectors, etc.)

Hope this helps!

TEF1701

Thanks for the tips! In the meantime I decided to pull my plugs and see how they look. All is good except that my gap was at least .005" too small on all of them. My owner's manual says between .027 and .034. Mine were at .021 roughly. I set them to .030". Not sure how I got that wrong, but it made a huge difference in the idle. Plus it doesn't miss as much when driving down the road. I suspect I still have a vacuum leak somewhere, but this will get me by for a bit.

AudiCoupeGT1986

I'd always check the gap when getting plugs, even if they say they are pre-gapped.

Happy to help!