My 2005 CDI has "black death" around the rear injectors.
Is changing injector seals on this a do it yourself project?
If so, any good write ups, or videos?

Any precautions on working on the fuel system on a CDI? since I know the fuel is under high pressure when its running at least.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

Yowser! On your new CDI? What are/were the symptoms that let you determine this?

There's been a few write-ups recently about changing them out here. Should be a simple enough DIY / doable project.

Any pictures of it to share here?

Based on what I've read having the proper pulling tool is the key (or fabricating one). Why is it called "black death"

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Jim

Black gunk (seeping fuel) gathers on top of the engine. Of course the heat of the engine and atmosphere burns it to a black color. TheDon's newly acquired CDI had/has it, he discovered the week after buying it - from what I recall. Might've posted a pic or two......

Have had it twice in our 03 Sprinter. Cost quite a bit to fix both times, $4000 this past time but we replaced the injectors and glow plugs and had to have our mechanic carefully drill out one of the injector bolts that broke. Not fun stuff. To be fair, the vehicle was probably driven 40K miles with one of the injectors leaking, we just didn't know that was what was causing the smoke.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

Their were no symptoms. I pulled off the 2 motor covers to just do an inspection. When i pulled off the insulation material there was a "tar like" substance around the back 4 injectors, although i am sure not all 4 are leaking. Getting at the area looks pretty easy with the hood at 90 degrees. I just didn't know if the system always had 23,000 PSI built up in it. I would hate to be cracking a line and discover that kind of pressure.
That's on my 2005. It has over 200,000 on it, so a few issues are not that unexpected.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

I did it on my euro spec W202 C220 CDI (OM611 - a 4 pot version of the OM613).

It was quite easy, just took lots and lots of time chipping away at the gunk with a screwdriver whilst vacuuming it up. I found it better to do when the engine was cold and the gunk more solid.

Once I had got most of it off, I started the engine and warmed it up, then my injectors came out quite easily with some cloth-wrapped vice grips.

Once they're out you need to do more cleaning but stuff a rag down the bore to avoid any big chunks falling down there. Also be sure to clean out the clamping bolt hole otherwise you risk stripping it

I also had to buy a reamer to clean up the sealing faces a bit.

Injectors are refitted with a new crush washer, new stretch clamping bolt, and some funky grease that you smear around the bore. Its a funny torquing procedure, and always a bit scary.

But, I had to do 3 of mine and they all sealed fine first time and didn't leak again for the 15k miles until I scrapped it.

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

That's the new one I meant - the one most recently acquired. Last week, was it?

Yes, that's the one.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

The under cover insulation/foam melts from the fuel and heat and is transformed into melted black hardened goo from leaking injector(s) which is ugly and difficult to remove. You have to pull the injectors after removing the black death and install new seals. Not fun. Some folks have found a alternative seal which is a hair thicker which has a better track record. I've removed the insulation foam just for that reason. It's not any louder to my ears.

When I saw black death I thought it killed the engine. With that explanation it sounds like just another maintenance procedure to me.

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Jim

Well depends on how you define the word "maintenance".............


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5BtcpzbseI

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96 E300d

i agree, think the term black death is ridiculous

it is not that big of a deal to fix

although mine already had the foam removed so my injectors did not get as sticky

also did mine as soon as any sign of problem on the first couple then just did them all

but that term scares people and it is not a huge deal

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Courtney
2006 E320 CDI
2008 ML320 CDI

Perhaps a dramatic name for it, but if you do a search for the name, that's what the bulk of the people out there call it, and it is listed as a common issue for these CDI equipped cars in Europe and here.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

very true
that is what most people call it

it is just a scary name for a common repair

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Courtney
2006 E320 CDI
2008 ML320 CDI