AFN Nozzles: Replacement & Performance

Hello,
The fuel injectors in my Audi (AFN engine) are now due for replacement after 170,000 km.
Until a few days ago, I only thought the problem was money, but that's not the case.
After contacting various parts dealers, the Bosch service center, and a VW pharmacy, the situation appears to be as follows:

- Bosch no longer sells replacement nozzles for the AFN (reason: none, it's just like that ).

- New Bosch parts for around 1100 euros (unacceptable).

- VW sells replacement nozzles for approximately 480 euros.

- Beru and Delphi offer replacement nozzles for approximately 420 euros.

Now the question arises: What led Bosch to stop offering the injectors as replacements? Were there problems with the replacement injectors? Or is this simply a matter of 'product policy'?
Are the AT nozzles that VW sells not also manufactured by Bosch?
I generally don't have anything against Beru or Delphi, but I want to avoid buying AT nozzles if, for example, it has been shown with Bosch that there are problems with them.

Does anyone have any further information?

Regards,

Andy.

Hi,

I don't have an answer to your question, but...

How exactly do you determine that your nozzles need to be replaced?

Last week, I inquired with VAG about when the part needs to be replaced and why.
They just said, '...we haven't done that before. Occasionally, we might use a needle injector.'
'It's broken, but you don't need to replace the nozzles.'

I also read the thread where Bosch specifies the durability of these devices, and I know...
The statement made by the VAG employee isn't entirely accurate. But why would he lie to me?

Regards,
arne

How exactly do you determine that your nozzles need to be replaced?


Knocking, exhaust smell (if the nozzle no longer produces a proper spray pattern). There are many reasons why nozzles should be replaced. After all, you don't want a hole in the piston.

Best regards, WarLord.

Fuel injectors for the AFN engine were available in the shop until 2012.

Best regards, Rainer.

WarLord wrote:

After all, you don't want a hole in the piston.

Hi WarLord,

Do you know of any cases where a piston was damaged by an injector (not NHG) ? I only know of cases from the internet involving tuned cars. However, it seems to happen occasionally with the third cylinder (NHG) due to the longer injector needle. I still consider it an urban legend . There aren't any such cases in this forum either... in fact, there are members who have driven over 300,000 km with their original injectors.

Do you know of a case where a piston was damaged by an injector (not a direct injection system) ?

yepp...

Two units. One is a chamber diesel and the other is a TDI, both in their original condition.
The diesel engine's glow plug is burnt out, which likely led to unfavorable ignition. It's a vehicle designed for short distances. The injector is leaking and carbonized.
The TDI looked like it had a classic clogged injector nozzle (a stream is shooting out far because the other injector holes are blocked). A very cheap fuel injector.

Both vehicles had over 200,000 kilometers on the odometer.

CU Gremlin.

The TDI looked like it had a classic clogged injector nozzle (a stream is shooting out far because the other injector holes are blocked). A very cheap fuel injector.


Hm, are you sure that fuel comes from the regular gas station? I once read (in another forum) that it's actually the same fuel (with the same additives), and only the sign changes; it's the same driver, but from a different company (like Aral, Esso, or Shell).

Best regards, WarLord.

Gremlin wrote:

The TDI looked like it had a classic clogged injector...(a jet sprays far out because the other spray holes are blocked). A very cheap fuel injector.

Hi Gremlin,

Okay, that could also have happened with a new nozzle, if there's dirt inside, or . You can't really compare a chamber diesel to a TDI either. I'm not 100% convinced . People who sell the nozzles, of course, say that something like this can happen . It would be interesting to know if there are more examples of this problem .

Well, there are certainly more people who have died in this way and who were then decommissioned and replaced with new cars.

Best regards, WarLord.

You can't really compare a chamber diesel to a TDI.

Why? Both types have nozzles that drip. And they both have the same negative side effects.

CU Gremlin.

Is this noticeable?

Jerky movement, smelly exhaust, less steam than before, black smoke. I'm having a problem with the smelly exhaust and the black smoke.

Best regards, WarLord.

Hi,
So, I think the reason why one has to replace nozzles has been clarified.

My TDI has been smelling like a cheap Eastern European vegetable truck for a few weeks. In addition, some of the injectors are making a quiet but strange and irregular ticking sound.

Unfortunately, no one has been able to answer my questions yet.
Okay, I'm going to expand on this by asking who has experience with replacement nozzles and their long-term performance (over 70,000 km).

Hoping for more responses...

Best regards, Andy.

Andy wrote:

Hi, ... does anyone have experience with replacement nozzles and their long-term performance (over 70,000 km)?

Hi Andy,

Ask Rudi. He has Bosch AT injectors in his Golf. I had those injectors in my Golf for 15,000-20,000 km before he bought them about a year ago.

By the way, the injectors from VW are also processed by Bosch and sold as AT injectors. Where you buy them doesn't matter at all.

It is possible that Bosch outsourced the refurbishment of the AFN injectors to a subcontractor who directly supplies the automotive industry.
It's possible that Bosch service centers are not interested in selling AT nozzles.
Or that the inventory of new AFN nozzles is too high, and that AT parts are currently not being manufactured.

I find it hard to believe that there would be problems with reworked products. The reworking process usually takes place under conditions similar to those used in manufacturing.

@Andy:

Quote:

So, the reason why one has to replace nozzles, I think, is now clear. My TDI has been smelling like a cheap Eastern European vegetable truck for a few weeks. In addition, some of the injectors are making a quiet but strange and irregular ticking sound. Unfortunately, no one has been able to answer my questions so far. I'm going to expand this to ask who has experience with replacement nozzles in the long term (>70000 km).

Okay, I can definitely relate to the issue with the smell in my TDI (engine code AGR). By the way, my injectors have about 143,000 km on them.
I will also be carrying out a precautionary engine swap/inspection soon, as the risk of premature engine failure is too high for me.

Can you describe the irregular ticking in more detail?
"I noticed, but only when the engine is warm, a certain irregularity in the sound when it's idling. Specifically, one cylinder seems to be misfiring slightly, meaning its running noise is different from the others. However, this noise or difference can only be heard inside the car, when the radio and ventilation are off. When the hood is open, it's difficult to distinguish it because other noises become too dominant."

By the way, the engine also feels weaker, and there's a slight tendency for increased soot production under full load. But above all, the smell...

Regards,
Alex.

Okay, I forgot to mention this: My 1Z engine knocks at certain RPM ranges (1,700 - 1,900 and 2,000 - 2,100).

Best regards, WarLord.