Replace your pulsation dampener!!!
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 7,529
Likes: 2
From: Lower Burrell, PA
Replace your pulsation dampener!!!
Upon teardown of my 88 Turbo2 for my N/A -> T2 swap, I pulled the primary fuel rail off, and pulled the cap off to inspect the PD. As soon as I pulled the cap off, fuel dribbled out, and the little screw in the PD fell to the ground. I drove the car home through 5 states like this!! Left go, its almost assured that the engine wouldve caught fire.. Please go replace the PD if you have a S4.. Dont let your car go down in flames!!
Re: Replace your pulsation dampener!!!
Originally posted by Rxmfn7
Upon teardown of my 88 Turbo2 for my N/A -> T2 swap, I pulled the primary fuel rail off, and pulled the cap off to inspect the PD. As soon as I pulled the cap off, fuel dribbled out, and the little screw in the PD fell to the ground. I drove the car home through 5 states like this!! Left go, its almost assured that the engine wouldve caught fire.. Please go replace the PD if you have a S4.. Dont let your car go down in flames!!
Upon teardown of my 88 Turbo2 for my N/A -> T2 swap, I pulled the primary fuel rail off, and pulled the cap off to inspect the PD. As soon as I pulled the cap off, fuel dribbled out, and the little screw in the PD fell to the ground. I drove the car home through 5 states like this!! Left go, its almost assured that the engine wouldve caught fire.. Please go replace the PD if you have a S4.. Dont let your car go down in flames!!
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
Mazdatrix has the S4 PDs for under $130 last I looked.
And remember the S5 PDs can leak as well. They have a little rubber stopper at the end that can leak just as easy as a screw coming out, so just like the S4; replace the S5 rail/PD every 100K as well.
And remember the S5 PDs can leak as well. They have a little rubber stopper at the end that can leak just as easy as a screw coming out, so just like the S4; replace the S5 rail/PD every 100K as well.
Trending Topics
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,417
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh Pa
there has been much debate about replacing the PD with a banjo bolt.cause if it where just that easy to fix the problem then y woud mazda and damn near every other car manufacturer still us some sort of a PD on every FI car?
but i have a banjo bolt in place of my PD and have seen no ill effects
but i have a banjo bolt in place of my PD and have seen no ill effects
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally posted by Relisys190
Hey Mildice. would installing a banjo bolt suffice?
-markus
"It would do away with the PD, BUT.. would drivability suffer at all?"
Hey Mildice. would installing a banjo bolt suffice?
-markus
"It would do away with the PD, BUT.. would drivability suffer at all?"
On the S4, you can replace the PD with a bolt, however
(and that is a big however) Although many people claim that using the bolt will have no bad effects. But...
as posted before:
the PD takes out pulses from the injectors opening and closing.
Just like if you suddenly slammed/turned off the water in your sink, you'll hear a clunk of the fluid as it stops in the pipes (or in our case the fuel rail). Every hear a cluck when the valve for your toilet stops filling the tank? its the same idea.
Well that clunk is happening once every firing of the engine... so what? Thats about 1800 times a minute at idle, a large clunk from just one injector switching on and then off... well alone the two that happen on each fuel rail. And what happens when there is two or four injectors firing??? Could there now be pressure waves from the injectors opening and closing? Yep. So maybe now, with nothing to absorb those pressure waves, one injector may not be getting the full amount of fuel pressure...
I know what your thinking next," Whooops you mean the engine could go lean only on one injector???"
Sure can, but maybe it only goes lean at 4000 RPM to 5000 RPM or maybe only 2500-3500 RPM that shouldn't effect the motor right??? And to top it off, its almost impossible to trace down why it's going lean, unless you are looking for shock wave in the fuel rail.
there is a reason why PDs are on every imported fuel injected car made in the last 20 years, and every domestic fuel injected car for the last 10. It's because there are too many fuel issues from lines being stressed and breaking to injectors running lean because nothing is controlling the shockwave, if you don't have a PD.
Just like if you suddenly slammed/turned off the water in your sink, you'll hear a clunk of the fluid as it stops in the pipes (or in our case the fuel rail). Every hear a cluck when the valve for your toilet stops filling the tank? its the same idea.
Well that clunk is happening once every firing of the engine... so what? Thats about 1800 times a minute at idle, a large clunk from just one injector switching on and then off... well alone the two that happen on each fuel rail. And what happens when there is two or four injectors firing??? Could there now be pressure waves from the injectors opening and closing? Yep. So maybe now, with nothing to absorb those pressure waves, one injector may not be getting the full amount of fuel pressure...
I know what your thinking next," Whooops you mean the engine could go lean only on one injector???"
Sure can, but maybe it only goes lean at 4000 RPM to 5000 RPM or maybe only 2500-3500 RPM that shouldn't effect the motor right??? And to top it off, its almost impossible to trace down why it's going lean, unless you are looking for shock wave in the fuel rail.
there is a reason why PDs are on every imported fuel injected car made in the last 20 years, and every domestic fuel injected car for the last 10. It's because there are too many fuel issues from lines being stressed and breaking to injectors running lean because nothing is controlling the shockwave, if you don't have a PD.
Last edited by Icemark; Nov 11, 2003 at 12:25 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 7,529
Likes: 2
From: Lower Burrell, PA
So knowing this Mark..did you replace it with a BB, or buy a new PD? Would there be anything wrong with just putting that screw back in the PD, maybe with a bit of locktite on it?
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
On both; I replaced them. The rebuilt S4 13BT that I put in the vert before; I used a custom receiver/holder and GM performance PD. On the current motor, the rebuilt S4 13B with S5 intake I replaced the PD with a brand new S4 one. I like the S4 PD/rail design better as it allows easy changing or upgrading of the PD (although I did have to swap PD sides when using the S4 rail lower rail with the S5 intake because of clearence issues).
As far as replacing the screw, it is very very difficult to get it in the correct depth. Its common to see someone put the screw back in too deep (and rip the membrain) or not allow enough PD travel, or too shallow and have the PD not dampen enough and then rip from too much travel.
As far as replacing the screw, it is very very difficult to get it in the correct depth. Its common to see someone put the screw back in too deep (and rip the membrain) or not allow enough PD travel, or too shallow and have the PD not dampen enough and then rip from too much travel.
Nothin But a G Thang
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,213
Likes: 0
From: Houston, Texas
ill just reiterate what i wrote in my own post about my recent fire and another thread about the pd...my car just went up in flames most likely b/c of this so i urge everyone to do whatever is nessesary to keep their pd's from leaking...its not fun fighting a fire with a garden hose you had to grap from a random persons house.
I have suggested this before and feel confident to do so again. On s4's, you could simply pop the cover off the Primary Fuel Rail and put a liberal dab of Silicone Sealant on It. Of course, after putting the screw back In place. I did this 4ys ago with no adverse effects.
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
a clicking sound while the engine is running means that the PD is working.
However you can not gauge if the screw is in on a S4 PD unless you pop the plastic cap off.
However you can not gauge if the screw is in on a S4 PD unless you pop the plastic cap off.