Keeper ring on top of fuel injector

nobody has really conclusively answered the question (what the thing does exactly) but 1MK came close.

 

Without that keeper the oring will roll off the injector when removing.

 

now this sounds like it could be a valid answer.

 

The Tacoma is not the kind of vehicle you should be asking dumb questions about. Don't get me wrong, we can and we all will, but to the extent is a bit too "green" in the scale of mechanics. Especially when he keeps trying to cut corners and half ass everything he is touching. This is not the type of car you learn how to build a motor from. If you want to do that, you should do it with a junker vehicle which cost less than the weekly average McDonald's employee paycheck to buy.

I'm not trying to be mean, hell I'm all for helping people. If he is new to this, he is new, which is fine, but for god sakes don't be cheap when it comes to a major rebuild and definitely do not try to half ass things when they were installed the way they were for a reason in the first place. If he doesn't know what he is doing then take it to someone who does know.

Yes they have. It's a secondary sealing system to keep the injector leak free, steady, and in place. If you examine the inside of your fuel rail you will probably see that it is stepped on the inside so that both rings will seat in there. If you are missing one you will leak fuel all over the place and if you leak enough you'll start a fire. I don't know why the huge curiosity about it and what perplexes you enough to make a thread when it most likely costs next to nothing to pick up that seal from either the dealer or aftermarket.

 

I haven't followed the entire saga that has clearly played out since his rebuild began, so my backstory is limited.

Proceed.. kindly?

 

so jmaack is saying its purpose is pretty much as an accessory to stop the gasket (O ring) from rolling off. but you are saying it is a part of the actual seal [part of the gasket(-like) mechanism itself] without which the thing is likely to leak. that sounds conservatively reasonable because i have seen the O ring (actually replaced them) and it alone does not look like something i would rely on sealing it leak-proof.

this is more or less the kind of explanation i am looking for. the rest of your rant i couldn't care less about.

 

I've swapped out one set of injectors for a larger poundage. That missing piece was hard plastic. I just don't know how it can be a sealing surface when it is not soft.

Also when looking fuel rail factory or aftermarket there are no steps to use that piece as a sealing surface.

Which leads me to believe it again doesn't seal.

 

Both your and 12TRD's answers seem plausible to me. Yours is more optimistic, his is more conservative.

 

however, i see a problem with your assumption: a seal doesn't have to be soft to seal. e.g. head gaskets are made of metal, i.e. not soft, yet they seal between the block and head(s)

 

But they do compress.

 

that's true. but don't all kinds of gasketing solutions require some level of compression in order to engage sealing ?

 

I wouldn't rely on the that o ring by itself to stop a system from leaking. It's wimpy. It is made of viton, however, and viton is one of the best sealing materials out there used as a standard for all fuel systems at this juncture in the automotive game. My point is, it's there to ensure leak free fuel delivery. Go to a parts store or dealer and go get one if you are missing it.

 

How does this one seal with only that one oring.

 

i don't think they sell the plastic rings solo, you would have to buy a whole new injector, which is around $40 incl shipping

 

Search for fuel injector specialty shops in your area. I have some around where I live. Very useful in a pinch. They should have this kind of stuff on hand.

Also, check your fuel rail and see if it stayed in there. This is why care in disassembly is JUST as paramount as care in reassembly. If you don't bag your stuff up as you go or have some kind of organizational structure you will lose things which will cost you $$ down the road, which it appears as if you having right now.

 

what is the life expectancy of a fuel injector ? does it make sense to replace ALL OF THEM after 120K mi ?

 

Replace them when they are clogged and/ or you have outgrown their max flow capabilities. Mileage results may vary from one set to another. Rarely do they fail and stop opening when energized.

You'd have better luck replacing a fuel pump at 120K than a set of injectors.

 

how do i know it's clogged?

i was thinking of doing that, actually