94 850 - smell of gas from engine and heater

ir637113 · Post by **ir637113** » 28 Dec 2016, 11:28

Hey guys,

Was working on some minor repairs on my 850 wagon (replaced a LOT of vacuum hoses, including from the charcoal canister behind the manifold) and finished last night. Driving it today, I noticed a gas smell coming from the heater, and a co-worker told me it smelled like gas in the engine when they walked by. Haven't checked the fuel injector seals yet, but I'm wondering what some common causes are (i also read it could be from the charcoal canister lines - any chance I could fix that without taking the manifold off again?)

Any help and insight would be wonderful - I don't do much to my car other than routine stuff (heater core, radiator, starter, etc.) This whole thing with the vacuum lines is about as in depth as I've ever gone with an 850.

Thanks in advance!

ir637113 · Post by **ir637113** » 28 Dec 2016, 15:05

Update - small leak from an injector. The left bolt hole for the fuel rail was a little stripped, and looks like that bolt came loose. Anything I can do other than retapping or helicoiling?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 28 Dec 2016, 15:40

ir637113 wrote:Update - small leak from an injector. The left bolt hole for the fuel rail was a little stripped, and looks like that bolt came loose. Anything I can do other than retapping or helicoiling?

Short of just replacing the manifold that is about it.

...Lee

Jaguar xjs · Post by **Jaguar xjs** » 28 Dec 2016, 17:32

In aluminum I'd use a keen-sert vice a helicoil. A keen-sert will provide more grip in the aluminum. Check McMaster Carr and they have fast and cheap delivery.

Gordon

ir637113 · Post by **ir637113** » 17 Jan 2017, 07:53

Thanks for the notes, guys. For right now, I'm going with tightening the bolt as much as I can and paying attention to any smells. Haven't had anything since I posted. If the manifold wasn't such a pain and I hadn't taken it apart so recently, I'd pull the mainfold off my broken down 850 and swap them. If it gives me any issues, I can retap or helicoil it when I need to.

Post by **abscate** » 18 Jan 2017, 07:02

You could try seating the fuel rail well, maybe with new seals, then applying JB weld to the hole and screwing in the fuel rail screws and letting it set up for a day.

If you get the hole completely clean and degreased, that should hold.You could probably even hold it down tight enough with a ziptie to stop the leak

ir637113 · Post by **ir637113** » 18 Jan 2017, 07:26

abscate wrote:You could try seating the fuel rail well, maybe with new seals, then applying JB weld to the hole and screwing in the fuel rail screws and letting it set up for a day.

If you get the hole completely clean and degreased, that should hold.You could probably even hold it down tight enough with a ziptie to stop the leak

I debated on doing this originally, and if I was certain I'd never have to change my injectors, I'd go for it. I might try to zip tie fix and see. But I'm not having too much of a problem with just tightening as much as possible and leaving it alone. I don't mind retapping the hole if possible - I've got a buddy who says that it shouldn't be a huge hassle (not as much as changing the hoses from the charcoal canister - THAT was a PITA)

Post by **abscate** » 18 Jan 2017, 09:58

I don't even think the rail really seals the Orings as much as just prevents them from walking out. Orings seal by being an interference fit between the two circular surfaces, not by pressure down, usually.

There is also no fuel pressure on the Orings, they just have to seal from vacuum leaks, if I understand where you are leaking correctly.

ir637113 · Post by **ir637113** » 24 Jan 2017, 08:45

When the bolt works its way loose, it was leaking from the connection between the rail and the injector. If the bolt is secure, there's no problems. I haven't had an issue the the month-ish since I decided to just tighten it as much as possible and see, but I picked up a metric tap and dye set at an estate sale ($10 for the whole kit - score!), so if it ever becomes an issue, I can give it the proper fix.