Fuel leak from heck.......

[4x4TruckinGirl]

OK kids.... I know this one is ALL MY FAULT but I need to know what I did wrong...... So recall before I left on my trip I did all the return lines and o rings, but DIDNT pull the injectors. Before I left I fire it up real quick after replacing the fuel lines and all that jazz. The truck fired off without a hick-up. I just got in to night took it for a drive, and good god I am just short of pouring fuel all over the place!!!!!! I know this is my fault, did I not tighten the fuel lines down enough? all but 2 threaded on easily the others took me a little time but then threaded fine. and i tightened them just a tick past tight. Im leakin' on 5 injectors and the truck has no balls.... The leaks do not appear to be coming from the return lines which are all snugly fit on there still........ but i have diesel EVERYWHERE!!!!!

 

[BigRigTech]

Sounds like loose lines to be honest, there is a lot of pressure in those lines when they fire the injector...If there is a way out the diesel will find it.

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

should i just take them all off and redo them? i mean the ones that went on fine went on perfect and are leakin like hell! i know its my fault and it should be an easy fix... just wanna make sure thats all.... thanks

 

[BigRigTech]

I would hit each line with a wrench while it's running and see if you can stop the leak with a little more grunt on the wrench.

 

[69dieselfreak]

what is your definition of tic past tight sounds like u need to get them even tighter can u see where the fuel is coming from

 

[69dieselfreak]

I would hit each line with a wrench while it's running and see if you can stop the leak with a little more grunt on the wrench.

thats what id do

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

Ok I feel better bout the whole thing, I will do this first thing in the morning..... I havent looked under there while its runnin yet I literally drove it for 5 minutes to get something to drink I just got in from Arizona. (oddly enough 69diesel, i went to jerome, az, via cottonwood, AZ) but in the short if you only think they need to be tighter than they are I will just tighten them up some more also....... I appreciate the quick response to a silly question, just needed som reassurance here, lol

 

[69dieselfreak]

what did u think of jerome did u go to the gold king mine

 

[BROWNIEBOY525]

are you sure the caps are all the way down, they should kind of snap into place.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

It's been a long time since I had an injector line off a 6.9, but if memory serves me, isn't there a flat O-ring seal inside each line-nut that also gets replaced whenever the lines are off ??

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Sam, I don't think tis your lines leaking - I just did the return cap and line off my #1 injector (the only one I had that was old) yesterday, and since I couldn't get any diesel leak while bleeding it for air I fired up the engine and cracked the line open - idle immediately changed, it started running rough, the fuel was barely leaking out, but the pressure drop was enough for the injector to stop working properly. Once the line was tight all was good again, smooth idle and all. Point is, if your lines were loose and leaking fuel in the amounts you describe, you'd be also seeing some massive line pressure drops and the engine would idle like crap, you'd definitely know something ain't right. I'd say look at the return caps again, something ain't right there - my buddy Jake's '86 F250 leaks diesel like mad too, and tis the return caps (as I can see them suckers leaking).

 

[gandalf]

Return caps sounds like a good place to look. It sounds like what I went through once, at the start of a camping trip.

We were driving down the road, cabover perched in the back, engine running beautifully, no problem. The car behind us flagged us over, indicated all was not well . He was right. When I looked under the truck, engine idling, there was a steady stream of fuel running down off the rear of the engine. . It was enough that he had seen it while driving behind me. The engine was running fine, but I was dumping lots of fuel on the road.

We were towed back to town and deposited under a shade tree at the dealer. He was closed for the weekend. I found the problem (quite a trick with the old Banks square box turbo), bought a selection of caps at the parts store just as they were closing, replaced the bad one, and we went on our way.

Just a possibility, but take a look at those return caps.

 

[Full Monte]

I agree with some of the previous posts. I think you may have a cap that's not pushed all the way down onto the injector, or has an o-ring that got damaged or rolled on installation. I don't remember if lubrication grease is part of the installation package. Make sure the injector tops are clean and smoothe before installing.

 

[Brimmstone]

Try pushing down on the return caps with a wrench from the side and see if this stops or slows the leaks. I ran out of wd40 doing mine and put one on with only diesel as lube and had a leak till I got it down onto the orings completely. DO NOT put your fingers near the injector lines when the engine is running. The pressure is so high it will inject right through your skin and into your blood stream.

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

Today upon inspection, I tightened up the fuel lines a little, quite a few required another 1/4 of a turn..... I also forgot that I replaced the fuel filter, and some fuel was leaking at the bottom of that as well, it had rattled loose, seeings how I apparently didnt put it on tight enough. After doing all that tightening I only have a damp spot on 2 injectors and it is running a bit better. The idle was weak. It doesnt seem 100% but I also had a lot going on under the hood with the intercooler and stuff. I think its worked out..... which is good because Im leaving for kentucky tomorrow! thanks for the input on everything!