Vitifonz

I put $10.00 worth of regular 87 octane gas at $1.34 a gallon = 7.5 gallons almost 1/2 tank on Monday(10/15/01). Today 10/18/01 I'm almost empty and only driven 65 miles, WTF!!! What do I have to do to get the car to spec? I also noticed strong gasoline smell while car is warming up? BTW it's a 1989 N/A GXL, any suggestions? Thanks....

Juan

iTrader: (28)

sounds like youre running rich. if it makes you feel any better my car only gets 13 mpg (and most of my driving is on the freeway).
See sig for my mods. Is your car stock?

Vitifonz

That's the hole thing it's STOCK just for a straight pipe and high flow cat with stock cat-back? I dunno maybe I need a major tune up all filters,plugs,wires and fluids?

HOZZMANRX7

iTrader: (43)

This sounds WAY to familiar!!!!!! You may have an engine fire potential brewing.

When you smell gas, immediatly open you hood and look into that space under your Intake plenum between the alternator and where the plenum connects to the intake manifold.

Shine your flashlight in there. If its wet, TURN OFF YOUR ENGINE NOW!!

I had this happened and had an engine fire to deal with. Took major negotiations to keep my insurance company from totaling my car.

One of the cronics of a 2nd Gen is Pulsation Damper failure. Its that little round thing with the plastic cap on the end of the primary fuel rail your shining your flashlight at.

If this is the case, don't drive your car until you repair. Buy a NEW one from your dealer or other source of factory parts, like Racing Beat or Mazdatrix.

Once you pull your intake off the manifold, its easy to replace. Just fit a (I think 14mm) wrench on the nut connection between the Damper and fuel rail. Twists right off. Just be careful and don't loose the brass washer. Put the washer on the new one, screw on and tighten the new Pulsation Damper, put your intake back on, and you good as new.

Vitifonz

Thanks HOZZMANRX7,
I will look into the "Pulsation Damper failure" this could be the problem? Also car smoking more often than before: once in the morning and then again after work about 10 hours latter? the car is parked now I don't want the car burning up...What would this cost me to fix any instructions on how-to-do this?

Scott 89t2

I doubt that's your problem on an 89, it's the 86-88 ones that fail.

HOZZMANRX7

iTrader: (43)

Scott,

Your probably right. I'm not as familiar with the Series 5 2nd Gens, but I do remember reading that the Pulsation Damping is build inside the fuel rail.

BUT, the smell of gas still infers there is a sizable fuel leak somewhere.

Vitafonz,

I kinda gave instructions in my first post, but Scott is right about the Series 5's (89-91) fuel rail design being different. However, the root problem is you smell gas. When the engine is cold, the leaking gas won't vaporize very fast while when hot it vaporizes almost instantaniously on a hot engine block. SOOO, what I suggest you do is find that wet spot (there is a subversive pun in my comment :-) ) :

Open your hood, have a good flashlight ready, then start your engine. Then shine your light following the fuel lines. They start on the drivers side toward the back of the engine, 2 rubber hoses coming from two metal lines. Shine the lines under the intake Air Chamber.

If you see no wet, then look where I mention in my first post, under the Air Chamber next to where the intake hooks to the intake manifold. THAT is where I would expect you'll find the "wet spot". Although I doubt it, check around the secondary injector fuel rail. Thats the rail you see running outside the intake while standing on the passenger side.

If you find that leak, then fix that leak right away. From your comment of using excessive gas, I would expect your leak to be quite noticable. So, your chance for fire higher than you'd like. But, remind, do this while the engine is cold to ease your detective work and lessen the chance for that fire to happen.

If you find no wet spots, then look under your car for dripping gas. The fuel lines run underneat along the drivers side back toward your gas tank. If you jack up one corner of your car, you should be able to follow the lines from underneath with your flashlight without too much trouble.

You've got a fuel leak somewhere, just need to find it.

Good luck!!

Henrik

To check for leaks, put the key in the start position but dont start the car and then jumper the fuel test connector (its the two pin connector on the passenger side shock tower). This will pressurize the fuel system without running the engine. Look for leaks.

Henrik
87TII

PS. I had a similar problem, raw gas smell at startup but it went away after warmup (probably because it would evaporate fast enough on the hot engine). Checked it out and found the hose from the primary to secondary rail was leaking. With the engine running and fan spinning I couldn't see or smell anything.

Vitifonz

Thanks guys, I'll check the fuel lines and under the car to the tank couldn't check it out this weekend raining alot dwn here!!! So will try to car pool till I get that checked out. Also was thinking of getting the fuel rails blueprinted and up to spec.?

fastrotaries

while you're at it... have your injectors cleaned , balanced and blueprinted. i did this with mine and along with a new O2 sensor and new plugs my mileage went up to about 16-17 mpg in the city...... before that it was at about 12-13.... big difference i would say... good luck

Vitifonz

I'll get to it and keep you guys posted....

HOZZMANRX7

iTrader: (43)

Best place I know for this is here in the LA area. Here is the URL for their web site.

http://www.rceng.com/

Around $20-25 each, and well worth it. The difference in performance by my VERT after doing that was really noticable. Also fix's that nasty flooding after sitting problem caused by leaky injectors.