Safe Removal of the Fuel Rail on a 1991 Laredo 4.0L

I have a 1991 Laredo with the 4.0L I-6 engine & I need to safely remove the fuel rail without breaking it in order to replace the injectors by the end of this month, but the injectors are absolutely stuck in their bores in the intake manifold. This I found out on two separate occasions when I was removing the intake manifold to do work on the engine. I'm more than a little leery of using pry bars, as they are made of steel & may bend, kink, or even break the fuel rail-in-question. I really don't want to remove the injector retainer clips from the rail until after the rail has been pulled. Any ideas from the rest of yous would be a big help, even though I've got a few ideas myself on how to do it. Thanks in advance.

Think of it as opening a paint can. You pry a little in one spot and work your way around. Same here, Pry a bit under one inj, then move progressively to the others. Come back to the first and repeat.

You can try putting a bit of penetrating oil in the little wells the injectors sit in. All the years of grime and dirt can really lock the o-rings in.

If you still can't budge it, remove the clips and pull the rail leaving the injector. You can pry the injectors a bit more agressively since it's just the one and your replacing them.

Saudade said:

Think of it as opening a paint can. You pry a little in one spot and work your way around. Same here, Pry a bit under one inj, then move progressively to the others. Come back to the first and repeat.

You can try putting a bit of penetrating oil in the little wells the injectors sit in. All the years of grime and dirt can really lock the o-rings in.

If you still can't budge it, remove the clips and pull the rail leaving the injector. You can pry the injectors a bit more agressively since it's just the one and your replacing them.

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Saudade has it pegged. Work 1 through 6 a little at a time with a large flat-blade screwdriver or prybay against the injector body, go back and forth until it all of the injectors are loose.

Now THAT'S a good idea & I'll probably NOT re-use the old injectors anyway (at least I hope I WON'T have to re-use them, knock-on-wood), so thanks a ton!

Davinator61 said:

Now THAT'S a good idea & I'll probably NOT re-use the old injectors anyway (at least I hope I WON'T have to re-use them, knock-on-wood), so thanks a ton!

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Just an update: old fuel injectors were surprisingly easy to remove after spraying their bores with Fabulous Parts Blaster about 30 minutes before removing...hardly had to pry at them with either a screwdriver or pry-bar...was able to put the new injectors in & hook everything back up rather quickly...started her up on the second try(had brake cleaner spray residue left in the fuel rail & Amsoil Power Foam in the intake bores to remove carbonic crud)...ran like a top during the 15 mile break-in drive...better acceleration & fuel efficiency appear to be the new norm now...most definitely a worthwhile upgrade to my vehicles fuel system.