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fuel rail and fuel line disconnects

S

SVT#4967

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
322
Location
Michigan
I've started doing my head gasket job on my 98 SVT and I am having a bit of difficulty with the fuel system.

first, how do I disconnect the fuel lines without the special tool they show in the factory manual? Or do I just leave the lines connected and position the fuel rail out of the way like where the battery goes or something?

second, I'm used to Honda's that have an inline four engine. To remove the fuel rail you just unbolt it and lift it off the injectors. It's not that simple it seems with the V6 and the injectors orientated the way they are. Is there a trick or something to removing and installing the fuel rail and injectors?

thanks for any help you can provide.
 
you can either get the proper tool, there are not expensive or you can remove the fuel rail from the LIM and possition aside.

to remove the rail is not hard at all. first release excess fuel pressure at the valve. next remove the four bolts and the secondary linkage and remove the rail. try to get the injectors to come with the rail as you will spill fuel if the injectors pull out of the fuel rail.
 
where can those tools be purchased? Online or in local stores?

I have removed the bolts and the secondary linkage that goes across the fuel lines. I've also relieved pressure at the valve. It's just didn't seem to want to come up to easily. Should I be grabbing the injectors and pulling up on the injectors or should I be lifting by the rail and hope the injectors stay in the rail? Is there any trick or just pull straight up?

I tried pulling it up, tried to wiggle it a bit but I wasn't sure and didn't want to damage anything so I figured I would stop and come on here and ask before continuing.
 
as I recall all you need to do is pull up on the fuel rail. it doesn't matter if the injectors say in the rail or not as I recommend replacing the o-rings anyway, but do note the rail will still have fuel in it and it will spill not matter how careful you are.

you can get ac/fuel line discconect tools at your local parts store. you want one of the following or seomthing similar

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PBI&MfrPartNumber=648339&CategoryCode=2109

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PBI&MfrPartNumber=648722&CategoryCode=2109
personally I would go to sears for this set, this is what my father has and it works well
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...+&+Equipment&sName=Automotive+Specialty+Tools
 
I guess I'm just cautious is all, I'll give it another shot after work today.

yeah, I'll be replacing the o-rings, already planned on that. Not worth going through all this to later have an injector leak cause I didn't replace the o-ring. Was thinking about sending the injectors out to be cleaned a flow tested while I'm working on the head gaskets and brakes, do you think this is a good idea or a waste of money/time?

ah, ok. Thanks! The first ones (multi-colored) look like what they show in the manual. The Sears near me shows those Lisle tools in stock. I'll have to go check those sets out today and pick up a set. I would prefer to remove the fuel rail so it doesn't have a chance to get damaged while I'm doing other work.
 
I got a set like in the first pic, it was like $5 at autozone, and it works on A/C as well as fuel lines. Makes it very easy to remove the fuel lines with those, don't try to remove it without the proper tools. Good luck.
 
thanks, I'll have to check them out.

quick question... to reinstall those spring couplings on the fuel lines, do I just push by hand with no special tools?
 
SVT#4967 said:
thanks, I'll have to check them out.

quick question... to reinstall those spring couplings on the fuel lines, do I just push by hand with no special tools?
Click to expand...


just push them back on and make sure they are tight be pulling on the line, also spraying some WD40 or something similar on the spring before removal will help them come off.
 
thanks for the tip.

also, are there any o-ring on the fuel line that will need to be replaced? I sorta recall seeing something that looked like o-rings in manuals diagram. Just double checking.
 
SVT#4967 said:
thanks for the tip.

also, are there any o-ring on the fuel line that will need to be replaced? I sorta recall seeing something that looked like o-rings in manuals diagram. Just double checking.
Click to expand...

yes there are o-rings on the fuel line but I have never head of anyone changing those, but I am sure you can if you want to
 
I would agree to buy the fuel line disconnects from any parts store. I got a pack of 8 sizes for about $7 or something. They come in very handy to have around whenever you mess around with cars. As for the fuel rail, you will need to wiggle it from the front of the motor to the back of the motor while pulling up and it will start to come off. Make sure you take out the 4 bolts that hold it to the LIM. The 4th one is easy to miss and you may still have it bolted down! When I said wiggle it from the front of the motor to the back of the motor, that means passenger side (front) to drivers side (rear of motor).

Good luck. And the fuel lines can be a little pain to disconnect but you will get it.
 
Reebs said:
I would agree to buy the fuel line disconnects from any parts store. I got a pack of 8 sizes for about $7 or something. They come in very handy to have around whenever you mess around with cars. As for the fuel rail, you will need to wiggle it from the front of the motor to the back of the motor while pulling up and it will start to come off. Make sure you take out the 4 bolts that hold it to the LIM. The 4th one is easy to miss and you may still have it bolted down! When I said wiggle it from the front of the motor to the back of the motor, that means passenger side (front) to drivers side (rear of motor).

Good luck. And the fuel lines can be a little pain to disconnect but you will get it.
Click to expand...


yeah, I'll go out today after work and take a look at those sets and pick one up.

I know what bolt you are talking about. I removed the 3 obvious ones and before trying to remove the rail I looked again and noticed the other one near the secondary linkage stuff. So I do have all four bolts removed and the rail does move but it just figured it should have come off easier, agian I'm used to inline4 Honda's.

Thanks for the tip on the wiggling from front to back, I will give it a shot.
 
I went to Sears and checked out a couple they had they. Then went to Murray's and checked those out, they had some nice aluminum ones but for 14-18 each no thanks. Then I went to AutoZone which had some aluminum ones (for less than Murray's) and the style that is shown in the manual.

I liked the aluminum ones but figured for how often I was going to use them it probably wasn't worth it. So I was left with deciding between the ones at Sears for 9.99 that snapped around the fitting and the ones at AutoZone that wrapped around the fitting with a spring holding it closed. The deciding factor for me was that if the fitting were cold (working on the car in the winter) and I go to snap them around the fitting it may break so I got the ones from AutoZone that looks like the ones in the manual and have a sprung hinge. Plus the plastic on these were sturdier than the ones from Sears.

I get home and bolt the fuel rail back down and give the fittings a shot. One thing held me up through, the opening on the back on tool for the hose to pass through was too small! So it was getting stuck on the rubber hose. I took a drill and opened the hole to allow the hose to pass through and then I was able to get the fittings free. A lot easier than I thought. A slight snap of the tool told me the spring was pushed back and I was able to separate the fuel lines allowing a bunch of fuel to come out. Good thing I had shop rags under it ready for the fuel to come out.

Then it was onto the fuel rail... I used Reebs tip on the fuel rail. I grabbed the fuel rail with one hand and with my other hand I grabbed one injector at a time. While wiggling the fuel rail back and forth I pulled up on each injector working my way down the rail until all the injectors had come free a little bit. Then the rail just lifted up and out.

Thanks for everyones help!! I'm sure I'll have some other questions along the way.

These are the disconnects I bought from AutoZone...
 
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