I Have pictures if you would like to try this e-mail me
ken@kengarrad.plus.com
In the above there is a complete assembled unit and an exploded one of the parts (after dismantling)
The regulator valve is located just behind the oil filler cap and is retained by two torx screws.
Procedure make sure the car engine is cold, remove the wire plug from top. TAKE CARE PETROL WILL SPIRT OUT with next step. With the torx tool undo the two screws one turn each side repeat this 4-5 time or until the valve can be lifted to release the petrol pressure TAKE CARE. You may have to wiggle and pull the valve. Then take off the unit completely.
Drilling the hole is best done on a bench drill if available as it is a fairly delicate operation. If not you should gently ( a couple of small taps as opposed to a hefty one)centre punch a pop mark to stop the drill slipping. Place the valve in a Vice horizontally with the two fixing flanges pointing vertically up and down the end of the vice do not grip too tightly as not to squash the unit maybe use some cloth to help. You now SLOWLY drill a small hole in the pop marked place ie at about 90degrees to the holes in the two flanges. The pen tip in picture show position. It should be about 4mm from the edge using a 3to 4mm drill.
Hole position at pen tip, one hole on opposite side of flange as well.
You have to drill through the outer case about 1mm until you just get through and see the join between the black plastic coil holder and the mount flange so check every few revs of drill. Drill another hole on the other side of the solenoid case at a similar position. Now carefully, with a junior hack saw, cut out the remaining part between the hole and the case edge keeping the blade as parallel as possible to the length of the valve (without cutting into the rest of the case)so that you have a slot as in the picture below. THE hard bit is done
Note and mark with marker pen the position of the mount flange in the case. Carefully insert a small screwdriver in the slot between the black plastic and the mount flange and prize out the innards of the valve by first one side and then the other or better by using one driver each side at the same time pushing the driver heads towards the back of the valve (see pic). Be patient and don’t use excusive force.
Once the flange has moved continue until the innards come out. At this stage turn the mount flange until the end that was inside is pointing to the ground, if the valve doesn’t fallout it is jammed and you may need to tap it on a softish surface to extract it. This is in fact the trouble that tightness is enough to stop it working. If it doesn’t come out use a pin to gently push it out from the other end. Once remove take the solenoid first, hold it by the plastic guide between your thumb and fore finger so that you can rotate it ,wrap a small piece of 100 grade wet & dry paper around the solenoid and rotate it in the paper. This part is hard and may take a couple minutes of rubbing to make the difference needed. DO NOT OVER do it remember you only have to reduce the diameters by part of a thousandth of an inch also rub the recessed end of the metal solenoid. The hard bit has been done the unit can now quite easily be removed again and more taken off if it fails to cure the problem. Use the same technique to do the plastic guide about 20-30 seconds and the fat part of the valve again 30 seconds do not rub the thin part just make sure it is clean. You now have to make sure that all parts are cleaned to remove any filings by cleaning in fresh petrol, do not skimp this be meticulous use a syringe to squirt the hole through the solenoid or agitate vigorously in the petrol.
Examine the components making sure there are no burrs on the flange made by the drill or saw. If any protrusions gentle file them flat, indentations do not matter. Check the rubber O ring for cuts or splits or just replace if available. Make sure that the valve and solenoid move very freely within the mount flange, the valve should fall straight out when upended. If not sand paper a little more, clean then try again. Assemble the innards together as in top picture and hold up right so they stay in position. Moisten the innards with petrol to assist insertion to the O ring in the unit. Align the marks made on the two parts and lower the case onto the innards and press together using a little twist to insert the O ring, re-align and press together as far at you can with your fingers. You can now protecting the ends with paper place in a vice and press together so that they don’t fall apart no need to press all of the way as this will be done when it is tightened to the engine Now insert the assemble unit back in the engine (lubricate with petrol, align and press with a gently twist and wiggle to make sure the O rings are not damaged when inserting. Once the O- rings are in, press the unit fully home. Insert the screws and tighten both 1 turn at a time so that the unit is pulled together evenly and completely. Replace plug. Turn on ignition and check for leaks if none start engine and quickly again search for leaks continue to check for a minute or so. If any leaks found probably an O ring is damaged and will need to be replace. If so allow engine to stand and cool before removing again.
The car should now be OK if the problem reoccurs the same procedure can be re-done but of cause it will now be a much simpler operation No drilling ect.
(unlucky) owner of a 2001 2.0 IDE with a "Fault in Fuel Injection System" warning. There are no other lights like MIL engine light on, no stored fault codes, no faults on the steering wheel diagnostic check, just the Fault in Fuel Injection amber warning.