Injector change underway
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
Injector change underway
I started to take the injectors out of my 1990 L98. The top came off so easy I thought this was going to be a piece of cake, yea right. I love the way the FSM says take out the lower plenum bolts
I never used the same combo of tools on any of the bolts--had to undo the fuel rails,remove the egr soleniod ,which striped the bolt on the way out,one more thing to fix. Just got the plenums off when the wife with five bags of grocerys comes in from the rain -slips and falls --broke her leg in two places--called 911 threw an ice bag on her and went back to the car--the first cop says why did you hit her--typical cop. Anyway Ive been scraping gaskets for 3 hrs--that gasket remover spray sucks. I guess you have to drill out all the plastic pins that are broke off in the manifold form the old gasket. I checked the manifold bolts and they were all loose about 15lbs when they should be 35 and 45lbs, so I had to take the dist. and egr pipe off to tork all the bolts to specs. Summit sent me the wrong fuel o-rings in the kit so I have to find some of those. Tomarrow its more gasket scraping and off to find a 10mm tap for the goose neck bolt--but other than that how much fun could you ask for
I never used the same combo of tools on any of the bolts--had to undo the fuel rails,remove the egr soleniod ,which striped the bolt on the way out,one more thing to fix. Just got the plenums off when the wife with five bags of grocerys comes in from the rain -slips and falls --broke her leg in two places--called 911 threw an ice bag on her and went back to the car--the first cop says why did you hit her--typical cop. Anyway Ive been scraping gaskets for 3 hrs--that gasket remover spray sucks. I guess you have to drill out all the plastic pins that are broke off in the manifold form the old gasket. I checked the manifold bolts and they were all loose about 15lbs when they should be 35 and 45lbs, so I had to take the dist. and egr pipe off to tork all the bolts to specs. Summit sent me the wrong fuel o-rings in the kit so I have to find some of those. Tomarrow its more gasket scraping and off to find a 10mm tap for the goose neck bolt--but other than that how much fun could you ask for
Last edited by mudslide; May 16, 2006 at 07:17 AM. Reason: misspell
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
Any tricks for getting the gaskets off the alum. parts, I allready have a couple of scratches. The gasket remover only takes of the resadue --didnt do any thing to soften up the gaskets. I had a putty knife and had to tap it along with a hammer , even that just slide over the gaskets--man after 16 years there stuck
Thanks for any help
Thanks for any help
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 2
From: seattle WA
Now I know why your handle is mudslide...sorry, but the way you told it brought back memories...dad and I were taking off a frozen bolt with a cheater..slipped off hit me in the forehead...friggin goose egg knocks me to the ground...he throws me a bag of ice and back to work he goes! I still laugh about it 15 yrs. later.As far as the gaskets go, I use a sharp wood chisel. I wonder if you were having any vac. leaks because of the lose manifold bolts? I think someone else posted the other day about a stripped EGR bolt..and how they fixed it.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
I was wondering the same thing about the vac leak but the injectors tested so bad Ill just retork and hope for the best(yea right) If it still isnt right after this fix Ill wait to winter and rip it all apart. I dont want to waste another summer with it on blocks
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
I brought the plenums to work and keep spraying them and pealing off a layer , allmost done then the fun starts with the ones on the engine. Hey rick the 0-rings that came with the felpro gasket set are black for one, I thought they were supposed to be gray for fuel, plus one looks right and the other looks to small. both lines look the same size to me--I just called the gm dealer and he said it shows to different sizes--do you know if they aresupposed to be the same or different, I will bring my o-rings to the dealer to match them up,but they look the same to me--me with one eye that is
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,968
Likes: 710
From: WI
Dealer wanted $25 for o-rings here, NAPA was $16. Did the EGR bolt strip out all the way in? If not you could use a longer bolt, tapping it would be good though or use a heli coil. The same penetrating oil that you use on the bolt threads, helps to remove the old gasket. You don't need to worry about the plastic guide pins if you don't want to. I did not use them on the new intake. Really sorry about your wife! 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 2
From: seattle WA
Pretty sure they're both the same size, the part number in the FSM refers to them as the same, I don't think I'd be concerned about color, but if you removed the front and rear cross over tubes they have 0 rings too.I'd take an injector with me just to make sure. Hey, I'm sorry about your wifey too...but the way you told it....well, I won't say anything, just get her some flowers.
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Hazel Park MI
Damn slide, rough day with her. Sounds like you've got your patience under control - that usually occurs for me when I know I have the right tools! Sorry about the wife, hope she heals quick. The cops in your neck of the woods have nothing better to do than sniff out DV? Sholuda told him to go get a speeder, or some dude not wearing his seatbelt, or a drunk from happy hour. Geez! 
Sorry about the wife, hope she heals quick. The cops in your neck of the woods have nothing better to do than sniff out DV? Sholuda told him to go get a speeder, or some dude not wearing his seatbelt, or a drunk from happy hour. Geez!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
whooo that happy hour fellow might be me!! This car is driveing me to drink Just got back from gm the o-rings turned out to be the same $2.75 for two not bad. The bolt came out hard I had to tighten and loosen and kept spraying wd40. the bolt has about 2 screwed up threads and it had 1 turn of aluminum on it--I think I should be able to tap it when I find a 10mm tap. I didnt check to see if the bolt hole goes all the way through the manafold into the water jacket--Ill check that tonite. As far as the wife I have her right where I want her--In the spare room,door closed and NO BELL
Just got back from gm the o-rings turned out to be the same $2.75 for two not bad. The bolt came out hard I had to tighten and loosen and kept spraying wd40. the bolt has about 2 screwed up threads and it had 1 turn of aluminum on it--I think I should be able to tap it when I find a 10mm tap. I didnt check to see if the bolt hole goes all the way through the manafold into the water jacket--Ill check that tonite. As far as the wife I have her right where I want her--In the spare room,door closed and NO BELL
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Fuel rail supply/return line orings are different size on the early L98s... not sure when or if that changed. These are tan viton orings. Some hardware stores will have them.
The other orings on the rail are all black. There's no easy way to remove the original gaskets. The metal composite bonds to the aluminum over time. I wonder if GM used adhesive on them as well. Next time you need to pull them off though, they'll come off easy.
The other orings on the rail are all black. There's no easy way to remove the original gaskets. The metal composite bonds to the aluminum over time. I wonder if GM used adhesive on them as well. Next time you need to pull them off though, they'll come off easy.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
Thanks guys, I got all the gaskets off last nite--all clean and waiting for my injectors from 5-0 . I took the bolt to lowes and screwed it in there bolt checker, it says 10mm 1.50 so I buy the bolt and borrow a bottom tap. I thought I should try the new bolt in the good hole --it is to big--so much for lowes bolt center, It turns out to be probably the only american bolt on the car 3/8-16, got a new bolt and I have that tap so I should be set. By the way 1990 the 0-rings are the same.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
Got my injectors today so its time to put this thing back together. I found a strange pc. in the dist. ( see new post-what is this) When I had the dist. out I measured .050 of up and down movement on the shaft --dont know if thats to much. For the runner gaskets what do you guys think -dry or sealer? Thanks again guys
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,753
Likes: 9
From: Louisiana
I installed my runner gaskets as is. Some post I have read...they used sealant on the gaskets. Either way IMO is fine. With the sealant it will just be harder to remove the sealant, but this will usually insure that there will be no leak. Can't help on mystery part.
EDIT: Before going through all the work of installing the injector use the ohm meter and ohm the new ones. New parts don't always mean they will work. After the injectors are clipped in/installed and all the lines connected, you can connect the battery and turn the key on (don't crank) and check for leaks and pressure. Don't get frustrated with the runner bolts you don't want a stripped aluminum intake manifold.
EDIT: Before going through all the work of installing the injector use the ohm meter and ohm the new ones. New parts don't always mean they will work. After the injectors are clipped in/installed and all the lines connected, you can connect the battery and turn the key on (don't crank) and check for leaks and pressure. Don't get frustrated with the runner bolts you don't want a stripped aluminum intake manifold.
Last edited by RRT vette; May 18, 2006 at 10:25 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: north branford ct
Just got the runners and fuel rails on and torked--broke a little piece off the distributer--plastic gromett--dont think it will hurt anything. So I put the fuel gauge on and hit the key 40lbs--5min 30lbs --30min 28lbs I hope this new pink tops are not leaking--there is no leaks up top--figured id stop and drink for a while to chill --ill hit it again tomarrow