The 1VD-FTV engine, found in 70 Series and 200 Series LandCruisers with a DPF, has built a reputation for reliability. But as these vehicles age, we’re seeing changes in the types of failures affecting their Piezo injectors. Historically, most injector failures were electrical—quickly picked up by the ECU and easily diagnosed via fault codes. However, that’s beginning to shift.
The High Cost of Testing 1VD Piezo Injectors & Diagnosis
Traditionally, testing injectors in these engines hasn’t been a common practice. The costs associated with removal and refitting alone sit at around $1,000 in labor, and when you add in testing, gaskets, and freight, you’re looking at an additional $550-$600. This brings the total close to the cost of simply replacing all four injectors.
For many years, this made testing largely redundant. A skilled technician could assess injector performance directly through the ECU, saving customers time and money. But now, with the increasing age of these Piezo injectors, we’re seeing a new set of challenges.
New Failure Modes: When Testing Becomes Useful
The most common failures up to this point have been electrical—open circuits or solenoid malfunctions, clearly identifiable via fault codes. Now, however, we’re seeing more wear-related failures, particularly around back-leak and bypassing issues.
These failures don’t always trigger fault codes because they occur within tolerances the ECU still considers acceptable. Yet, they’re severe enough to cause rail-to-rail pressure issues, rough running, knocking, missing, and general engine instability. This is where testing 1VD Piezo Injectors becomes valuable, helping identify injectors that are underperforming but not yet triggering ECU warnings.
A Cost-Conscious Solution: Targeted Injector Replacement
While the ideal solution is always to replace the full set of injectors, we recognize that this isn’t always financially viable. To keep vehicles on the road and minimize costs, we can work with repairers, Testing 1Vd Piezo Injectors and validating individual poor performers—replacing only those injectors showing significant failure.
This is not a perfect fix, but it extends the life of existing injectors while avoiding unnecessary replacements. For those dealing with aging 1VD injectors, this approach can be a useful middle ground between full replacement and running the risk of engine performance issues.
The Bottom Line
If your LandCruiser is exhibiting symptoms of injector issues, but no fault codes are present, it might be time to consider injector testing. We can help repairers identify failing injectors, ensuring only the necessary replacements are made—keeping costs down and your 70 or 200 Series on the road.
For more information on testing and replacement options, get in touch with us today – or book your testing now using this link