Fuel Injectors for 7.4L/Bosch/Brand/Best pricing

[Actrac]

After reading advise from my earlier post reguarding the 7.4L's I may be getting close to buying the 99' w/ 7.4L. In test drive, it runs "rough" at stop signs, lights, etc. It appears it may need a tune-up at minimum. There was a comment to change orig eqpt. injectors w/ Bosch, I cannot find a supplier for them. I was shocked at price given by Advanced Auto pts. also, some of there offering were $125-150 each! Is $800+ what I should expect to upgrade these?? Any websites/suppliers you guy's can steer me to would be great. If purchased I would like to tune-up,switch to synthetic oil,replace inj/replace the other part under plenum that was suggested. Anything else I can do to "prevent" future problems? Would like to maximize the inherent poor fuel economy. Thanks

 

[Actrac]

I did just speak w/ MotorMan.com he is injector rebuilder/supplier. He was out of new Bosch 4 holers, but has re-builds for $25 each, that more my kind of price. He did say his 0280150569's Bosch 4 hole brand new will work fine in the 7.4 [ they are listed for some ford engine], at $35 each, Is it best to go w/ new?? He sells alot on eBay, and said guy's have been pleased with the 579's in there 7.4's.

 

[someotherguy]

Bosch 0280150973 is the part # I'm familiar with; I don't know anything about the one you posted. You can get them new from 5-0 Motorsport - fiveomotorsport.com , as well as other places. Don't know who has the best price. I paid just over $300 for a set of 8 from 5-0 but I think I heard the price has gone up a little.

I know of at least a couple people that had trouble with "reconditioned" injectors; there's really not much more to the so-called reconditioning process than cleaning the heck out of them and then flow testing, so you're really just getting cleaned, tested injectors - doesn't mean much to me; I'd rather have new.

The other part that was likely suggested was replacing the fuel pressure regulator. There's a lot of them out there; I picked Standard Motor Products # PR217 as I trust the brand name plus the part is made in the USA. About $50 from Summit Racing, which is also where I ordered my valve cover and plenum gaskets.

Be sure to replace the vacuum line to the regulator with hose rated for oil vapor applications. Anything less will deteriorate quickly and you can't replace this line without removing the plenum, lots of work.

Back to the symptoms - usually funky injectors won't be a major cause of rough idling unless they're really bad. The most common symptoms of leaking injectors / bad fuel pressure regulator tend to be hard warm re-starts - cranks forever then finally stumbles to life, coughing out a black cloud of unburnt fuel.

Inspect your distributor closely. Once you start getting well past 100K they're usually toast, particularly at the top bushing; you can grasp the rotor and try moving it side to side - if it won't move then turn it a little to see it "pop up" and then try the side to side again. They're pretty notorious for going bad. I had one with so much slop at around 240K miles that it was breaking the ridges off the rotor by smacking them on the terminals inside the cap.

Richard

 

[Actrac]

Yes, the 973's are the correct number. This seller had 10's of them, but was out when I called. He's selling the 579's new for $35 and everyone has been pleased with there performance in the 7.4's. Based on advise to change the stock Injectors [ sound like good advise], If it helped MPG even 1-1.5 overall it would be worth it.

I went to 5-0 and they list a Lucas single hole injector. Some suggestions here were to go w/ Bosch "4-holers", are these Luca single hole good, of course 5-0 say's they are.

 

[Olddieselguy]

I worked as a drivabilty guy at a Chevy stealership for 10 years. What i found these injectors do is they bleed down when it has a hot soak. Meaning you drive it til the truck gets nice and warm, run into a store for an hour then try to start it. And it acts like its flooded. Go new bosch, its totally worth the extra $$$. i've found them on ebay for cheap. If you are taking the engine that far apart to do your injectors reseal the lower intake manifold at the same time, they are common coolant leakers on these 7.4 "J" engines. Also check the gear on the distributer, i've seen plenty of these where the brass gear wears out and it retards the timing making them run rough at idle.