The zip tie trick that saved me 3 hours on a stuck DEF injector

Had a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia in my shop last Tuesday with a clogged DEF injector that wouldn't budge. I tried heat, penetrating oil, even a breaker bar for 45 minutes with no luck. On a wild guess, I wrapped a heavy zip tie around the injector body and pulled it tight, then gave it a sharp tap with a hammer. The vibration broke the rust seal and it came right out with a wrench. Has anyone else used zip ties for anything weird on a diesel job?

4 comments

4 Comments

sage_green2mo ago

Holy crap, you used a zip tie for that? I mean, I've used zip ties for temporary exhaust hangers and holding wire looms together, but this is a whole new level. The fact that you just wrapped it around a stuck injector and whacked it with a hammer is wild. It makes sense though, I guess the zip tie concentrated the vibration right where you needed it. I've got to remember that one, my old Cummins has a few injectors I've been babying along that are rusted in tight.

the_anthony2mo ago

Yeah but did you wrap it tight enough it actually cut into the plastic or did you keep it loose so it could vibrate? I'm wondering if there's a trick to how snug you make it.

max_torres442mo ago

Dude, zip ties are basically the duct tape of the mechanical world at this point. @sage_green you just proved that with this injector trick. I had a similar moment of genius with my old Ford once used a zip tie to hold a brake line retainer clip in place because I couldn't find the right part anywhere. People think they're just for wiring, but they can take a lot of force if you get the thick heavy duty ones. The vibration thing is real too I've cracked loose rusted bolts before by wrapping a zip tie around the head and giving it a quick tap with a hammer. It works way better than you'd expect. Now I keep a pack in my truck just for weird fixes like this.

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lindag331mo ago

Well, I'll be. Max, you really hit on something there with the heavy duty zip ties. I've used them for plenty of things over the years, but never thought to use one like that for vibration. Now, here's what I'm wondering - did you leave the zip tie on the injector after you tapped it, or did you take it off first? I'm thinking if you wrap it tight and leave it on while you wrench, it might help keep the vibration going in the right spot. Seems like it would be a waste to take it off right away.