First off, thanks to all you guys, I read this forum every day and learned so much from the people here. Raise some brews to ya'll keeping IDIs alive!

Need a little help here... I'm getting a leak around a fuel injector, shown in the pic below... I cleaned up the injectors, replaced the two O-rings and installed new return line fittings. The leak is now slower but still there, but on two injectors now.

It runs fine, doesn't stutter like when you crack an injector, just slowly fills the top of the engine with diesel.

Any ideas? Do i need new injector lines or injectors? Should I have put some thread sealant or something somewhere?

Thanks for any help!



______________________________
1994 F250 HD 7.3L IDI w/ Banks Sidewinder and TransCommand
Original factory turbo w/ all components in a box in my garage...

 

Did you replace the caps and hoses? And did you lube the o-rings with vaseline before you put the caps back on???

 

Oops,,,WELCOME TO FTE!!!

 

Caps and hoses are all new, got an install kit from Pensacola.
No vaseline though, is it too late? I'll pull them off and try it.

 

Maybe not,just dont take them off,take a rag and dab around to dry them best you can,also insure when you put the cap on it makes a snapping noise when you push it down.Sorry,I mean dont take the o-rings off

 

i see red clips and old faded clips.

im not having much luck with Pensacola's plastic caps.i don't think they're built well enough.
the second kit i got from them (for spares lol) seems to have better/thicker caps than the first set they sent me.

me thinks there's a reason napa chargers like 90 bucks and Pensacola charges like 30 lol.
lots of people here have used them though.im kinda thinking my first set was a fluke/low quality set.i dunno.

 

I've got a whole nother set, I only did one bank, so I think I'll do the O-rings again, will report on successes! Thanks for the tips.

Haha... the clips are all new, red clips and rubber hose from Banks, Grade-8-color clips and fabric covered hose from Pensacola. I managed to add some "Rustic Feel" to the red ones with my pliers! Kinda a mashup of components here.. the Pensacola kit doesn't account for the return line crossing over in front of the intake on Turbos.

You'd think a brass cap would be a better choice... solid built engine with crappy plastic caps?

 

ah-hah!!! When you put a kit on you should do all of them at the same time...since you have another kit I would start over ...If you dont have vaseline handy motor oil will work..[not alot just a little]

 

You can get away with canging just one bank but if you do one on one side chances are you'll move the one next to it by accident and it will leak. the most important part is to lube the orings then push the caps on intull they are fully seated you will here a snap like Rick said. if you can't get it by hand use a 9/16 or so wreinch to push down on them. You could try taking the wrench and pushing on the cap thats on there to seat it but if the engine has been hot it probly wont work but still worth a shot since you have all the parts to replace it if seating the cap thats on there makes it leak wores.

 

also you may want to try rremoving the fule line and cleaning the end with a lint free cloth if anything gets on there the fule line could leak.

 

While you're at it, you should pick up some viton 'O'rings. McMaster-Carr has them (111 size). If the new 'O'rings are leaking, you may have nicked them. The Vitons will tolerate more crap in the fuel an the Buna types.

 

If you did the O rings dry, there is a very good chance one of them cracked while you were installing them.

And if you pushed the caps on dry, they probably never seated or rolled an O ring.

I put a bit of oil in the palm of my hand and then make sure the O ring has oil on all sides before I install them.
I also wipe I a little oil on the injector top before I install them.

When I put the O rings on, top one first, then roll the bottom one across the top one.

Make sure the cap seats, you will feel them click into place probably more than you will hear it.

One full bank at a time, otherwise you disturb the next cap in line enough that it will be leaking the next day.

After you have them installed, make a consious effort to not disturb them, or you will be doing this job again.

 

I always preferred the Echlin kits from Napa - About $80, However I just bought two $19 kits from Pensacola and the Tees looked sweet, the hose is not good German hose, it's a cheap knock off but should be fine, the spring clamps are not good German ones but seem to be ok and they hold fine, So I bought two more kits!

I found the the only problem with the Pensacola kits was the o-rings, They have a lot of flashing, I don't care, I always toss the kit o-rings for these Viton Return O-Rings - McMaster-Carr Item 9464K24, Viton is impervious to Diesel.

Oil / Vaseline ... Either works, one or the other is required!
I prefer Vaseline.

Ensure it's leaking from the returns and not the steel injector lines!

If your Tees and Hoses are new, you can reuse them if they are not cracked ... The only reason to replace the Tees and Hoses if they are old, damaged or unknown!

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

hey thats good to hear Festus,that there doesn't seem to be any diff in the plastic fittings.

 

I was expecting the injection molding of the Tees to be horrendous and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the Tees for the price!

Out of four kits I found NO internal flaws on the Tees, I didn't bore gage them for roundness though, that would be my only other concern.

-Enjoy
fh : )_~