fuel leak i think?

[sootman73]

today i was headed to school and stopped to check if my trans cooler line was leaking. but instead i saw fuel or what i thought was fuel leaking from the back of the engine and it seems like it ran a few different places and was almost pouring onto the ground in like three spots. i drove home really slow(it was leaking on my crossover pipe)

i got home pulled the airbox and everything off and brake cleaned every hose fitting(injector, return, pump connections, etc) i started it up thinking iwould see that much fuel pretty easy. well nothing. the brake clean made everything dry and so i didn't see any wet spots. i revved it hard and everything seeing if i could get some more pressure to present a leak. nothing. the engine valley had what looked like a bunch of diesel fuel at the back so i used a syringe to suck most of it up. i tested to see if it was diesel and it kinda is. must be water mixed in too.

any places that i should look closer at to see if it is leaking?

 

[mark7.3idi]

The return line that go’s to the selector valve my 88 was leaking from their. IT come out at the top back driver side of the motor.

 

[Ironman03R]

Look over everything in the valley real good, check all the return hoses and caps, IP supply line and injector lines. Also the IP itself. I've had the seals in the supply lines start leaking I also fought with return caps leaking until I bought Viton o-rings.

 

[sootman73]

wel i put everything back together because it started raining and i needed the truck(firebird doesn't have a t top). it still leaks! i cant figure where from. the smoke comes from the passenger side of the motor too!

 

[Agnem]

The smoke is probably just the fuel burning off on a pipe. Most likely, you have an injector cap leaking only when the motor is hot. If you haven't done the return lines in a few years, just do them anyway. If you can get the engine clean and dry, you can try dusting the valley pan with baby powder. This will allow you to see where the fuel has been, and where it has run down from.

 

[sootman73]

i know i want to get injectors and a return kit but dont have the money now. i forgot about the baby powder trick with leaks. i'll try it as i already got it dried for the most part.

 

[hesutton]

I've had two big leaks like that in the past. The 1st was the IP. The sucker had sat dry for a couple of years and the seals were not good and it was leaking out of the weep hole. The second was the cross over fuel return line. The one that connect the two banks together. It has a large crack in it. Both covered the valley pan with fuel and it was a bit difficult to track down at first. If it's not the IP (I hope not), then a return line kit will fix you up.

Heath

 

[sootman73]

i found my fuel leak. i'm not really sure what to do though. its the number seven injector. it leaks(baby powder trick) from where the injection line is screwed tight. but not where the line goes through that fitting. like through the threads. its tight and my clamps are on the injection lines so i dont think its a broken line. (I've had a few that broke and they leak out the top of the cap.)

could it be a plugged return line? there is the one piece that goes to that injector and then off injector five it tees to the other bank...

what ya think?

 

[Ironman03R]

I bet you have a cracked line. Do you have the clamps on the lines? When you replace the line it would probibly be a good idea to put new O-rings on that injector while your that far into it.

 

[icanfixall]

Return lines don't usually plug up. The fuel has been filtered really well by that time. If you ran without line clamps and broke some hard lines... Then you probably cracked the number 7 line and its just now showing a break thru. These line clamps are so important. I left them off and it really cost me a bundle at the dealership many years ago... Long before I found this site....

 

[sootman73]

i think its the orings because i checked the leak again and it looks like its coming from the top and bottom of the cap. the orings broke before i could slide them up and off. they're pretty hard. i'm gonna go to the hardware store tomorrow to see if i can find two that will fit to get me until my return line kit gets here.

i thought that line had the clamp but when i unscrewed it it was loose. i still have the clamps but its so hard to make them fit again because the lines dont match up tight any more cuz of a few 6.9l lines and the guy bent them when he removed them and the ip from a truck. i have another line so that doesn't bother me(except its on the bottom of the ip!)

what size orings will i need to get to make this work for a couple of days?

 

[sootman73]

nevermind on the size. found em in the parts bin! now hopefully i can find these at ace or tsc or fastenal

 

[RLDSL]

If you can't get the right squeeze type clamps, get the fuel injection type clamps ( not the normal worm gear hose clamps, the clamps that go all the way around then have a screw that goes down the side that pinches the works together evenly) These will work fine.just don't overtighten

 

[sootman73]

i'm not following ya 100% RLDSL

 

[RLDSL]

i'm not following ya 100% RLDSL

If you cant find the pinch on hose clamps or if the ones you do find wond squeeze tight enough, the fuel injection type hose clamps tighten in a complete even circle around the hose and you can use those on return lines
These type clamps will work. Regular worm gear clamps will not. you will get leaks. sometimes the pinch on clamps fail to seal properly and you need those fancy ones