Hi guys,

Yesterday when driving the car it started to smell of fuel and got progressivly worse. The smell inside the cabin became unbearable. I could see the fuel dripping out under the engine bay after I got home, but I dont know where to look

I think I can hear a repetitive "hiss", "hiss" comming from the back of or under the UIM (fuel pulsation damper?). Any ideas if the hiss sound is the boost or the fuel leak? (as I also have a small vacuum leak that only shows on my boost guage but not on the PFC?)

I recently had to replace the LIM gasket so had practically everything disconnected at that stage, could I have disturbed something then? I did the gasket about 4 weeks ago and the problem only happened yesterday tho, and my seven is my DD.

Advice on the fuel leak would be appreciated, was worried that the car was gona catch fire when I was driving it!! Its been parked up since.

AFAIK fuel system is stock!

Any guidance appreciated.

Thanks,
George

 

Well the first place to check is the fuel pulsation dampner that comes off the primary fuel rail near the rear of hte engine bay. This is prone to leaking and is the number 1 cause of fds burning to the ground. Remove your UIM and take a piece of wire and connect the GND and F/P connections in the diagnostic box near the battery. Once you have connected them with a piece of wire turn your key forward but dont start the car, this will trip the fuel pump and keep it running so the system stays pressurized. Then start looking for the leak. Hopefully you have alreadly purchased a fire extinguisher to stay with you in the car.

 

Ok I will try that. Would this account for the hiss hiss sound that I am hearing?? And do I have to replace the Fuel Pulsation Dampener if this is cause of leak? If so, is it expensive??

I will also buy a fire extinguisher!! (I always thought that having a fire extinguisher in your car was a bit over the top until yesterday!!)

 

when do you smell fuel? constant or under boost? If its under boost, its you lower intake gasket. thats of course you dont see the leak at the fpd!

 

The dampners are about $116.00 from malloy or you can delete it. Here is a link to delete it. Just go under the How To section and look for FD fuel pulsation Dampner elimination.

http://www.banzai-racing.com/

 

Just had the Lower Intake gasket replaced so I would hope its not that....the smell is constant when car running and gets especially bad when stopped at lights ect

 

I hope you keep an extinguisher in there.

 

So everyone keeps saying!! I have been told that it is most likely a leaky hose that connects to the primary fuel rail. How do I get at that??

 

It certainly could be the hose that connects to the primary fuel rail. IIRC there was a recall changing that fitting from a banjo bolt to one of the high pressure crimp fittings. Do you remember what yours had when you took off the LIM? Either way, I'd pull the UIM (and whatever else is necessary depending on whats left on your car) so you can see/trace the path of the fuel lines (they originate under the brake master cylinder, run to a set of hard lines bolted to the rear iron, and clamp on to the FPD/FPR after that). Then I'd hard wire the pump on (F/P to GND), key on the car, and look/sniff for the leaky connection.

 

Hi,

I have narrowed down the leak to be under the UIM...as far as I can tell it is somewhere near the secondary fuel rail. When replacing the LIM gasket something or other regarding this rail had to be disconnected (this is the only bit of the job that I was not present for, typical)...so I reckon its something there.

I used the diagnostic box to keep the FP primed and could hear the fuel pissing out under the UIM.

People have told me that some bolt on the secondary rail my not have been torqued down enough?? And someone ese told me that some bolt may have been over torqued causing a split fuel hose??

Any further suggestions??

 

If it's pissing out with the pump on, you should be able to see the leak if you pull the parts obscuring your view. There are a number of things that could be leaking, and you can't be sure what it actually is until to grab a wrench and go look.

 

Point taken, just gona have to take the UIM off and whatever else to be sure.

1 questio tho, after the leak is fixed, how do I know whether it is safe to start/drive the car...I mean, there is gona still be a fair bit of fuel that leaked before the fix.

Is there anything I can do to get rid of it??

 

While you're in there, sop up any fuel that accumulated in the depressions on top of the engine (the FPD has a tendency to spill fuel here). Other than those spots, the fuel should just run off to the ground or just evaporate. If you don't smell fuel, you should be good to go. Just make sure to re-test the integrity of the system after you've apparently fixed it, before you start the car.

 

Just take a shop towel and soak up the fuel that is sitting on top of the rotor housings. If you get 95% of it the rest will dry up in a hurry. Just take a light amount of air pressure to it and get it all the way dried up.

As overtightening on the secondary rail I assume whoever told you that was referring to the front banjo bolt on the secondary rail, you would see the leak from there even if your car is still sequential. Best bet is to remove the UIM and prime the pump again. Good Luck

 

Thanks guys,

Do I need to de-pressurize the fuel system before detaching any hoses?? And if this is totally necessary do I do it as per the FSM via fuel pump relay? I just thought that this proceedure could make the engine run lean before it cuts out!!

I wil let you know how I get on!

George.

 

Ok, got the job done there today...the leaky hose was the one that connects to the banjo bolt on the secondary rail.

However, my PFC is now showing an error reading rgarding the VMOP (metering oil pump sensor) Sensor of 0.00v!!

Did I forget to re-connect a connector somewhere ansd if so can anyone tell me what it looks like and where it is??

Thanks.

 

You should not have been near the connectors for hte OMP for what you did. The OMP connects into the emissions harness(harness under the UIM that controlls the injectors and everything else) over near the oil filler neck and alternator.

It is possible for these to go bad so it may need replaced.

 

Hey DJ,

I had to strip the air pump and alternator t be able to get in at the busted fuel line!

Can you tell me what colour connector is and how big small it is??
Will I need to strip things out again??

Christ sake!!

 

On a sequential car yes you will probably need to remove the alt but I am not sure. It is the huge black connector(s) that are hidden next to the driver side of the Alt.

 

Just went out and snapped a pic for you.

 

Tanks for the pics DJ,

Was just out looking with a torch and everything looked connected, then I noticed a chewed harness or two...cant believe it ....it looks like the two wires running behind the belt in the picture below have been chewed up by a belt...WTF
I remember the guy trying toget some slack on these when trying to get in at the fuel line.

Once again the only bit I wasnt around for...went to motor factors to get some bits for them!!



The above picture is what it should look like but those two harnesses that run alongside the oil metering lines ahve been shredded...

How ***** am I now??

I know that as you run t the right you will find connectors on the ends, however if you follow both these harnesses to the left where do they go, I knowone is to the metering pump but where does the other go, or does it go to metering pump too??

I am trying to figure out the best way to fix this and what the harnesses are called, and also if they are hardwired into pump or connector??

Please help, im at the end of my patience!!

 

Here are some pics of the mess I am left in now!! I knew that my RX7 liked drinking gas/petrol but I didnt know that it liked to eat wiring aswell!! Just as I though I could start to enjoy the car, f##k.






What is the best way to sort this mess out???

 

Its not as bad as you think. Remover your intake and primary turbo intake elbow and upper and lower intercooler piping. There are 3 bolts that hold the OMP onto the front cover. Before undoing those disconnect the two OMP lines that carry the oil to the oil squirters. They are 10mm headed bolts and are on the omp itself and are facing the passenger side front wheel.

Once those two bolts are removed( they are banjo bolts so dont lose the copper washers) then remove the 3 10mm headed bolts that hold the OMP to the front cover. Two are easily accessible and the 3rd is toward the bottom of the OMP on the far side. It is easiest to reach with 1/4 ratchet and short extension. It is tight in there and isnt easy to do but can be done.

Now that the omp is detached from the front cover, disconnect the connector I show you the pic of if there is any wiring still attached. There are a couple clips on the front cover that are supposed to prevent the trigger wheel from eating the wiring like it did, make sure to clip those back around teh wires and omp lines when you reinstall everything.

Repeat the process in reverse and you are good to go, its not fun but not that big of a deal.

 

Thanks DJ,

I will use those instructions!!

Are you saying then that I need to take the omp out and fit a new wiring harness?? Or repair whats left of the chewed one??

Also, are both of those harnesses for the omp is is one of them for something else??

Thanks for all your help.
George.

 

Just buy a used omp with the harness already on it, you can repair the wires but it is risky. I know your location probably doesnt make it easy to find used parts but if you could get a good used one with a good harness I would go that route.