Leaking Fuel Injectors on Volvo engine... What was the problem?

There is nothing wrong with them but we have our fuel injectors checked and calibrated in Malta, by Charlie Vella,Yacht Services Ltd to make sure they are in top working order in preparation for our Atlantic crossing. 

The engine is performing okay on our crossing to Sicily, but there appears to be a strange smell at times, noticed more by Pippy than Cap'n Buck who was not very well and had been having medical treatment in Malta for acute back pain.

On arrival in the Egadi Islands Capn Buck notices fluid in the engine tray which he thinks may be oil.  We agree we have to go into Trapani and have the engine checked.  Trapani Boat Services fit us into a very busy harbour and diagnose leaking fuel injectors.  They say the injectors have to go off to Bosch to find out what is wrong with them.  It is Friday so we are up for several days of expensive marina fees to sort this out.

We write an email to Charlie Vella, Yacht Services Ltd, Malta, advising that we are having a problem with the work he has done.

Once we have the injectors re-installed and the problem diagnosed we send our report to Yacht Services Malta as follows:  

New washer installed

Faulty washers

Dear Charlie

"The injectors have been re-installed and checked and are running OK at this stage. There is no leaking from the injectors as before.

We have been working with Trapani Boat Services, .... The following comments are.... after discussion with Bosch once the injectors were serviced by them.

Diagnosis of Problem:  Fuel was leaking from the injector body.  The problem was solved by Bosch Assistance, specialist injector engineers in Marsala.

Note:  Injectors installed in engine are not Bosch – they are Japanese.  This is normal for Volvo to use Japanese injectors - but you used the wrong washers for these injectors.  

The fault was caused by the following:

1.       Bosch state that the injectors were incorrectly assembled in Malta due to incorrect copper washers being used – two holes not four as required, causing fuel to build up under pressure and leak.

2.       The injectors were not polished at all when serviced in Malta.  This is standard procedure when servicing – injectors were polished in Marsala by Bosch Assistance, specialist injector engineers. Cost 390 Euro."

(The word polished may not be correct, but there is a process which should happen to prepare the surface before re-installing and this had not done been at all. Maybe they should be cleaned... could have been lost in translation.)

We request our money back from Yacht Services Ltd:

"Charlie please can you refund us for the work you have done incorrectly which has caused us considerable expense.  ..."

Following below is the reply from Yacht Services Ltd Malta, basically telling us to get lost.

Unfortunately this is the way things sometimes work in the Med with less than acceptable quality of work.  Once you move on there is no guarantee for work done, even if it is done badly as in this case.  At no time do we get any kind of apology or concern expressed by Charlie Vella.

However, perhaps the following comments from Mr Vella are correct?  We would be very interested to hear any comments from people who think they may know the answer.

...

The injectors in question were serviced according to all Bosch requirements and were supplied with new washers as required.

I would like to comment on the assertions made by the Italian in the following manner;

1] It is not true what he said that the washers supplied were not correct. In fact there are two types and both fit this engine. It does not make any difference whether they have two holes or four holes since the back leakage is minimal.

2] It is true that the injectors were not polished, since the injectors do not have any parts that need polishing. Instead there are a number of procedures that have to be done during the repair process. It is obvious that our work was done as per Bosch specs since no one queried the performance of the engine in any way or form.

3] Finally the leak as claimed is surely from the return of the injectors AND NOT FROM WITHIN THE INJECTORS. The procedure to replace or just tighten the return upper nut does not entail removing the injectors from their place, but is done on site. A job which normally takes about thirty minutes.

Should you need further clarification on the matter do not hesitate to contact me through Mr Charles Vella.

Well, we are the big losers in all of this argument and Cap'n Buck is eventually diagnosed with a very large kidney stone which has been the cause of his acute pain.  He is now back in good health again having been hospitalised and treated in Palma.  

We do feel aggrieved at the way we have been treated.  We had put a lot of work Charlie Vella's way and he benefited from our referrals big time.  Nice one thanks.