C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

leaking fuel injector?

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Old 07-04-2014, 11:26 AM
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C4 Vert Bob
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Default leaking fuel injector?

I was smelling fuel on my 92 stock LT 1. I opened the hood and saw fuel pushing it's way out of the injector where the wiring connector plugs in! It looked as if the fuel pressure actually pushed the blue insulator out of the top of connector. How common is this type of injector failure? Trying to decide whether to replace one or all of the injectors. 32K on the car.
Old 07-04-2014, 12:38 PM
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GKK
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The 92's had the stock Multec injectors which are known to fail eventually with todays Ethanol fuels.

The coil insulation eventually gets eaten away by this fuel and shorts out the injectors. Bosch III replacements from member FIC (Jon Banner) http://fuelinjectorconnection.com/sh...php?groupid=72 is the usual remedy.

Fuel Injector replacement on an LT1, is very simple!...









.

Last edited by GKK; 07-04-2014 at 12:41 PM.
Old 07-04-2014, 01:27 PM
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C4 Vert Bob
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[QUOTE=GKK;1587284693]The 92's had the stock Multec injectors which are known to fail eventually with todays Ethanol fuels.

The coil insulation eventually gets eaten away by this fuel and shorts out the injectors. Bosch III replacements from member FIC (Jon Banner) http://fuelinjectorconnection.com/sh...php?groupid=72 is the usual remedy.

Fuel Injector replacement on an LT1, is very simple!...


I was on their site. Thanks for the reinforcement.
Old 07-04-2014, 08:14 PM
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leesvet
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Yep....

BTW
NEVER replace 1 injector. FIC sells matched sets, all flow tested and matched. Its the same work to change 1 as it is 8...and foolish to leave 7 problems sitting there staring at you. They WILL come back to bite you. one at a time....

When you do the inj swap, PLAN on rebuilding the rails as well for the same reason. The plain rubber O-rings used to seal the rail sections AND the regulator will harden and crack from the ethanol blends. ALL rubber suffers at the hand of this useless and dangerous fuel that the "greenies" forced us to burn.
anyway,
the rails will tweak and twist and that finishes off the O-rings. It leaks, then car-b-ques follow.

Never twist an inj once its been seated in the o-ring. Try to have each inj 'aimed' the right direction when you seat the rails on top.
Do as much research on the swap as you can by finding all the past threads on this afternoon job. The LT is easy. The L98 is a bitch...1st time at least.

Now is also a great time to toss the TORX bolts in the intake ( LT torx???) and replace with Allens.

Seat injectors 8 at a time, place the rails ON the 8 inj, and "snap" the rail in place. You MUST hear a very clear audible SNAP that tells you the injectors DID pop up into the rail socket and are securely set inside their perspective O-ring. You really got to bounce hard on the rails to make them POP on...You'll know when it is right.
No snap, no seal. Car-B-Que later......

Grease up the pieces as you assemble with vasoline or dish soap. I prefer vasoline because its a petroleum product compatible with the fuel, and it melts and vanishes the instant that heat appears.
Inspect your inj plugs too. Any bad or broken can be cut off and replaced with new. The "Help" shelf at the parts store has these plugs for about $5 ea. With pig-tail. Solder in and go.

One more TIP......

after seating the rail on the 8 new injectors, connect the fuel line. Tighten ALL fuel lines/seals.
STOP.

Put pressure test gauge on the rails.

Turn key to ON....BUT DO NOT CRANK the engine. You ONLY want the fuel pump to run the 2 seconds. LOOK at the pressure gauge ! Watch it. Turn key a 2nd time and WATCH the gauge.
Keep turning the key to ON so you build fuel pressure to the normal 40 psi and STOP. it will take 3 or 4 times turning the key to ON. Remember the system is FULL of air...

Now, get under the hood and start sniffing. Like you have a cold...
Sniff, look, feel with a tissue for GASOLINE leaks. I use a Kleenex to wipe around each inj. ANY sign of fuel shows up on the tissue very easily.

you want to find any leaks NOW before you finish bolting things back on. The LT does not take a lot more to finish but you want to PROVE the work is solid before you DO finish up. You NEED to find ANY leaks now before you fire the engine. If you skip this important step...again, Car-B-Que later....

if the fuel pressure test gauge holds the pressure for at least an hour, most of the pressure, and there is no sign of a leak or smell, finish the other misc stuff and go.

The improvement in how it runs will be immediate. You will be shocked at how much smoother it is and how much better it starts and runs over all.

Like I said, do a search and read different threads to find all the tips and secrets to this.

Have fun !

OMT

FIC has some great instructions on You-Tube. Go there and do a search "Corvette fuel injector swap" or search FIC and you will find some good video that's very helpful.

32,000 miles and it need injectors. This is the perfect example of what I tell folks all the time. Its NOT a matter of miles...its AGE. Time, alcohol and cheap parts to start with all combine to make you meet Jon and family.
Jon is 1st class and will guide you thru the entire process. FIC is the gold standard of customer service.

Good luck!
Old 07-04-2014, 09:49 PM
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Originally Posted by leesvet
Yep....

BTW
NEVER replace 1 injector. FIC sells matched sets, all flow tested and matched. Its the same work to change 1 as it is 8...and foolish to leave 7 problems sitting there staring at you. They WILL come back to bite you. one at a time....

When you do the inj swap, PLAN on rebuilding the rails as well for the same reason. The plain rubber O-rings used to seal the rail sections AND the regulator will harden and crack from the ethanol blends. ALL rubber suffers at the hand of this useless and dangerous fuel that the "greenies" forced us to burn.
anyway,
the rails will tweak and twist and that finishes off the O-rings. It leaks, then car-b-ques follow.

Never twist an inj once its been seated in the o-ring. Try to have each inj 'aimed' the right direction when you seat the rails on top.
Do as much research on the swap as you can by finding all the past threads on this afternoon job. The LT is easy. The L98 is a bitch...1st time at least.

Now is also a great time to toss the TORX bolts in the intake ( LT torx???) and replace with Allens.

Seat injectors 8 at a time, place the rails ON the 8 inj, and "snap" the rail in place. You MUST hear a very clear audible SNAP that tells you the injectors DID pop up into the rail socket and are securely set inside their perspective O-ring. You really got to bounce hard on the rails to make them POP on...You'll know when it is right.
No snap, no seal. Car-B-Que later......

Grease up the pieces as you assemble with vasoline or dish soap. I prefer vasoline because its a petroleum product compatible with the fuel, and it melts and vanishes the instant that heat appears.
Inspect your inj plugs too. Any bad or broken can be cut off and replaced with new. The "Help" shelf at the parts store has these plugs for about $5 ea. With pig-tail. Solder in and go.

One more TIP......

after seating the rail on the 8 new injectors, connect the fuel line. Tighten ALL fuel lines/seals.
STOP.

Put pressure test gauge on the rails.

Turn key to ON....BUT DO NOT CRANK the engine. You ONLY want the fuel pump to run the 2 seconds. LOOK at the pressure gauge ! Watch it. Turn key a 2nd time and WATCH the gauge.
Keep turning the key to ON so you build fuel pressure to the normal 40 psi and STOP. it will take 3 or 4 times turning the key to ON. Remember the system is FULL of air...

Now, get under the hood and start sniffing. Like you have a cold...
Sniff, look, feel with a tissue for GASOLINE leaks. I use a Kleenex to wipe around each inj. ANY sign of fuel shows up on the tissue very easily.

you want to find any leaks NOW before you finish bolting things back on. The LT does not take a lot more to finish but you want to PROVE the work is solid before you DO finish up. You NEED to find ANY leaks now before you fire the engine. If you skip this important step...again, Car-B-Que later....

if the fuel pressure test gauge holds the pressure for at least an hour, most of the pressure, and there is no sign of a leak or smell, finish the other misc stuff and go.

The improvement in how it runs will be immediate. You will be shocked at how much smoother it is and how much better it starts and runs over all.

Like I said, do a search and read different threads to find all the tips and secrets to this.

Have fun !

OMT

FIC has some great instructions on You-Tube. Go there and do a search "Corvette fuel injector swap" or search FIC and you will find some good video that's very helpful.

32,000 miles and it need injectors. This is the perfect example of what I tell folks all the time. Its NOT a matter of miles...its AGE. Time, alcohol and cheap parts to start with all combine to make you meet Jon and family.
Jon is 1st class and will guide you thru the entire process. FIC is the gold standard of customer service.

Good luck!
Great info. Thanks!
Old 07-05-2014, 02:27 PM
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H Watkins
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Great information (above)!

I just priced a one day rental for a fuel pressure tester kit from O'Reilly's. It was very complete with various adaptors and a hand-held micro processor. But the darn thing was $117 for 1 day.

Amazon has several testers. I'm sure EBay is likewise. They are cheaper to buy than rent.

Any advice on brand names or what to look for in the item descriptions?
Old 07-05-2014, 10:14 PM
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I bought mine from Harbor Freight for somewhere around $40 a few years ago. Works great and came with all the adapters.
Old 07-06-2014, 08:06 AM
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Originally Posted by H Watkins
Great information (above)!

I just priced a one day rental for a fuel pressure tester kit from O'Reilly's. It was very complete with various adaptors and a hand-held micro processor. But the darn thing was $117 for 1 day.

Amazon has several testers. I'm sure EBay is likewise. They are cheaper to buy than rent.

Any advice on brand names or what to look for in the item descriptions?
I thought the deal with O'Reilly's "rentals" is you put the amount on a credit card and get a full refund when returning? Rental =Free?
Old 07-06-2014, 09:17 AM
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Come to think of it, you should be right. I'll check back to confirm the return policy on tool rentals.

Thanks!
Old 07-06-2014, 09:23 AM
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That IS the O'Really'? tool rental policy.

You sorta buy the tool,. then get a refund when its returned. That's the only way they can keep tools. Too many folks were taking advantage of the "loaner" tools and just keeping them and never coming back to that store or breaking the tools and refusing to pay. This may be harsh, but its fair. I've had $900 is "rented tools" out before....

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