injector rescued from bilge-now what?

[Ardenfour]

like an idiot I turned the engine over with the injector in place but not clamped in - shot out like a cork from a bottle of bolinger. After rattling around the cabin it settled in the bilge where it took me 1/2 an hour to fish it out with rod and loop of line. The bilge is oily since the engine was apart so it got a good coating on the way in and I shook water out after I retrieved it. I connected the pipes and got the correct pattern of spray from the nozzles. Is there likely to be any lasting damage? I know the best thing would be to run the engine a while but that wont happen till I get a hold of a head gasket. Any advice?

 

[Talulah]

Leave it soaking in a bath of diesel.

 

[TQA]

Leave it soaking in a bath of diesel.

+1

 

[Heckler]

like an idiot I turned the engine over with the injector in place but not clamped in - shot out like a cork from a bottle of bolinger. After rattling around the cabin it settled in the bilge where it took me 1/2 an hour to fish it out with rod and loop of line. The bilge is oily since the engine was apart so it got a good coating on the way in and I shook water out after I retrieved it. I connected the pipes and got the correct pattern of spray from the nozzles. Is there likely to be any lasting damage? I know the best thing would be to run the engine a while but that wont happen till I get a hold of a head gasket. Any advice?

If you got a good spray then you have displaced all, if any, water that may have entered. I wouldnt worry about it now.
Stu

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

If you got a good spray then you have displaced all, if any, water that may have entered. I wouldnt worry about it now.
Stu

+1

 

[mtb]

It really needs to be stripped and cleaned or at some point it may seize
Better to be sure
mick

 

[rogerboy]

+1

It really needs to be stripped and cleaned or at some point it may seize
Better to be sure
mick

 

[Ariadne]

Pull the lot, then get them all cleaned and serviced, well that's what I would do. At least then you'd know they are all good for some time.

 

[superheat6k]

Wash it in diesel or spirit, wipe dry and blow out the fuel inlet. It is unlikely any mucky bilge water would have displaced the fuel residue within the injector so I would simply clean it dry and refit it (with the clamp thus time). If its working straight away it will likely be fine in several hundred hours too.