427 engine (part 2) - RHS block

[vetteguy61]

It looks like you"re getting a good grip on all the loose ends Aaron left. You made me think about my spark plugs now. I better look and see what they are. Hope you can get it sorted out so you can drive it more. Good luck on getting that sensor out.

 

[Rich Z]

I decided to put that hood strut that got broken (and I hope I fixed with JB Weld) back in place so I could stop using my nifty keen bamboo hood holder opener. Connie was over there helping me so that hood wouldn't slip and slam my face into the fender. So I loosened up the nuts holding the hinge to the frame, got the fixed strut in place, and was trying to realign everything when I pulled up on the hood, and sonofabitch (please excuse my French)... the OTHER strut is broken too. The rod that screws into the bottom connector that snaps onto the bracket on the frame just pulls right out of it, just like the first one did. So it looks like another JB Weld fix.

Best I can surmise, they BOTH got broken when Chris Harwood most likely jerked the hood open violently at some time or another. That would have most certainly caused this kind of damage. Since I know that first one was broken while still at Harwood's shop, I don't see any reason why they both didn't get broken at the same time.

I guess if the JB Weld doesn't hold, I either have to buy new ones (these are the stainless *bling* variety, or else put my original stock ones back in place.

 

[Rich Z]

Still smelling gasoline around the car, so today I pulled off the inspection panel at the rear of the left gas tank to check those fuel connections. Nothing obviously wrong there. But I feel like the darn thing is a ticking bomb.....

 

[Benjamin]

Still smelling gasoline around the car, so today I pulled off the inspection panel at the rear of the left gas tank to check those fuel connections. Nothing obviously wrong there. But I feel like the darn thing is a ticking bomb.....

When chris bypassed the stock intank pump and fuel lines, did he cap off the factory feed lines and or return lines? this can vent the tank and cause you to smell gas when there is no liquid gas to see

 

[Rich Z]

When chris bypassed the stock intank pump and fuel lines, did he cap off the factory feed lines and or return lines? this can vent the tank and cause you to smell gas when there is no liquid gas to see

Actually, the ends I saw were not capped off. So that certainly sounds plausible. And there are several hoses here and there just dangling underneath the car. Honestly, I would have thought that Aaron would have checked on all that kind of stuff while the car was there at his shop. That's all I would need is for some spark to get struck underneath my car with gasoline fumes coming out of hoses....

Guess I need to get under there and just plug off anything and everything that is open.

Thanks for this tip, Ben.

 

[mickeystoysz16]

Since it is a C5 did you ever check to see if the recall notice for these cars applies to your case. I know my Z16 fell under the recall notice but I have never smelled gas or seen it leaking on the floor, so I have not taken it in for work.

 

[Rich Z]

Since it is a C5 did you ever check to see if the recall notice for these cars applies to your case. I know my Z16 fell under the recall notice but I have never smelled gas or seen it leaking on the floor, so I have not taken it in for work.

Do you recall what exactly the recall was all about?

But honestly, dince just about everything concerning the fuel system is new and not factory stock, I doubt any recall would apply to this car any longer.

 

[mickeystoysz16]

It has to do with the quick disconnects and the crossover between the saddle tanks. If you still have stock tanks the dealer may be required to replace under the warranty anyway. Just call and ask you never know. :shrug01:

Below is the information and source that I originally found it.

http://z16.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3347

Summary:


#10150: Special Coverage Adjustment-Fuel Tank Quick Connector Leak - (Aug 13, 2010)


Subject: 10150 - Special Coverage Adjustment - Fuel Tank Quick Connector Leak


Models: 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Condition
Some 2004 model year Cadillac XLR and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles may have a fuel tank leak at the quick connectors that are used to link the left and right fuel tanks. The customer may notice a fuel odor while the vehicle is being refueled, driven, or after it is parked. If the leak becomes large enough, a small amount of fuel may be observed dripping on the ground. The leak may also result in a diagnostic code being set and the illumination of the Check Engine light on the instrument cluster.

Special Coverage Adjustment
This special coverage covers the condition described above for a period of 10 years or 100,000 miles (160,000 km), whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership.

Dealers are to replace the leaking fuel tank. The repairs will be made at no charge to the customer.

For vehicles covered by Vehicle Service Contracts, all eligible claims with repair orders on or after August 16, 2010, are covered by this special coverage and must be submitted using the labor operation codes provided with this bulletin. Claims with repair orders prior to August 16, 2010, must be submitted to the Service Contract provider.

Vehicles Involved
Involved are certain 2004 model year Cadillac XLR and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles built within the following VIN breakpoints:

Year: 2004
Division: Chevrolet
Model: Corvette
VIN From: 45110258
VIN Through: 45125500

 

[Rich Z]

Does that only apply to the 2004 model year? Mine is a 2002.

Sorry, I can't log into that site to check for myself...

 

[mickeystoysz16]

As far as I know it is only 2004. Sorry I didn't know what year yours was.

 

[Rich Z]

No worries. I'm just glad that some of you are looking out for me... :thumbsup:

 

[LS2POWA]

Is there a certain area around the car where the gas smell is more prevalent? Or equal all the way around..

 

[Rich Z]

Is there a certain area around the car where the gas smell is more prevalent? Or equal all the way around..

I can't really tell. I can smell gasoline as soon as I walk into the garage, and the door is on the opposite side that the car is in.

I ordered a UV leak testing kit, so maybe that will help. I wiggled the injector on cylinder #6 a bit, but haven't started up the car to see if that might have helped. Also ordered some new O-rings, just in case. I might have to pull all that stuff off to get to that MAP sensor anyway. Hopefully I won't make things worse rather than better in the process...

 

[CorvetteJohn]

I am going to tell you a story about a gas smell. Earlier this year I kept getting a whiff of gas in the garage and I didn't let it bother me. I had sometime before that removed the intake and then the injectors so I had taken the fuel feed lines to the fuel rails off.

Now the scary part one day I left home and in about a quarter mile the car went pure sick and hardly ran so I turned around and nursed it home. Like a dummy I pulled it into the garage and got out to the smell of gas and fumes rolling out from under the hood. I also had a wet trail following the car into the garage. I quickly popped the hood and when it was up I had an engine that was covered in gas I mean it was laying in pools between the intake and the heads. I ran for the fire extinguisher and stood there with the car in the garage and gas boiling on the engine.

Fortunately the gas did not ignite and I didn't burn the house down.

What I found had happened was that the o ring seals on the fuel lines that I had taken apart to do the injectors and remove the intake had gone bad. The moral of this story is this. Sometimes people forget to replace the o rings every time when they break the fuel line apart and I would guess with all the work that was done on your engine tuning and rebuilding the engine etc those fuel lines have been apart and put back together without using new o rings.

Just to let you know how close I came to burning up my car with the stock fuel pump in the 1/2 to 3/4 miles I drove the car from the time I left home until I got back I pumped 1/4 of a tank of gas all over the place.

So even if I am wrong on your car keep looking until you find the source of the fumes.

 

[Rich Z]

I am going to tell you a story about a gas smell. Earlier this year I kept getting a whiff of gas in the garage and I didn't let it bother me. I had sometime before that removed the intake and then the injectors so I had taken the fuel feed lines to the fuel rails off.

Now the scary part one day I left home and in about a quarter mile the car went pure sick and hardly ran so I turned around and nursed it home. Like a dummy I pulled it into the garage and got out to the smell of gas and fumes rolling out from under the hood. I also had a wet trail following the car into the garage. I quickly popped the hood and when it was up I had an engine that was covered in gas I mean it was laying in pools between the intake and the heads. I ran for the fire extinguisher and stood there with the car in the garage and gas boiling on the engine.

Fortunately the gas did not ignite and I didn't burn the house down.

What I found had happened was that the o ring seals on the fuel lines that I had taken apart to do the injectors and remove the intake had gone bad. The moral of this story is this. Sometimes people forget to replace the o rings every time when they break the fuel line apart and I would guess with all the work that was done on your engine tuning and rebuilding the engine etc those fuel lines have been apart and put back together without using new o rings.

Just to let you know how close I came to burning up my car with the stock fuel pump in the 1/2 to 3/4 miles I drove the car from the time I left home until I got back I pumped 1/4 of a tank of gas all over the place.

So even if I am wrong on your car keep looking until you find the source of the fumes.

Yeah, that's a pretty scary story. And I certainly have no intentions of driving the car till the fuel leak(s) is/are gone.

Which reminds me, I really need to get a fire extinguisher for the garage. Probably the house too, as I have no idea where the one I have (had?) over there is, and even so it's a good 20 years old anyway.

 

[Rich Z]

Is it just me? Am I just being hyper critical that Aaron would have used trailer hitch wire on the passenger side O2 sensor cable he spliced in, and something similar to Radio Shack wire on the driver's side? Not to mention that the driver's side spliced cable is laying directly on top of the header.

I talked to Aaron yesterday, and he didn't see the problem. "It's just wire" he said. So heck I don't know, what would you guys feel about this if this was YOUR car?

 

[navy2kcoupe]

Pretty much, "wire IS wire", and since most people don't go poking around under
their cars they wouldn't notice something like that. Insulation, however, IS NOT insulation,
and THAT'S what you should be concerned with. Me, being the anal person that
I am, would DEFINITELY be in there making it look better as well as rerouting the wire
to keep it as far away from those headers as I could. I would be finding some wire
with a coating/covering/sheath/insulation that was rated for high temps. If you're thinking
about redoing those wires, don't forget to look at an appliance parts store for the
wire that they use in electric ovens. It's capable of withstanding higher temps than
standard wire, but I don't know exact specs.
Andy :wavey:

 

[Rich Z]

I'm still waiting on some replacement O-rings for the injector before I can start doing ANYTHING on the car, including moving it. The fuel leak needs to take top priority getting fixed. I just ran up pressure in the fuel line by running the fuel pump to see if my turning the injector would have helped seat it better in the fuel rail...

Nope, doesn't look like it....

I also took a closer look at that FAST intake manifold with the idea of removing the bolts and sliding it back a bit to get to that MAP sensor. Uh, man, I dunno.... Looks like that sucker was greased up and shoehorned in there.... :ack:

 

[Rich Z]

Pretty much, "wire IS wire", and since most people don't go poking around under
their cars they wouldn't notice something like that. Insulation, however, IS NOT insulation,
and THAT'S what you should be concerned with. Me, being the anal person that
I am, would DEFINITELY be in there making it look better as well as rerouting the wire
to keep it as far away from those headers as I could. I would be finding some wire
with a coating/covering/sheath/insulation that was rated for high temps. If you're thinking
about redoing those wires, don't forget to look at an appliance parts store for the
wire that they use in electric ovens. It's capable of withstanding higher temps than
standard wire, but I don't know exact specs.
Andy :wavey:

I believe most people use the rear O2 sensors in cases like this, as the cable is much longer. If not, LG Motorsports, and likely others selling headers, sells extension cables for the O2s.

 

[navy2kcoupe]

I believe most people use the rear O2 sensors in cases like this, as the cable is much longer. If not, LG Motorsports, and likely others selling headers, sells extension cables for the O2s.

EVEN BETTER! :thumbsup: Since I haven't started to "mod" mine yet, I am unaware
of parts and supplies like that! Guess you can get just about anything you need nowdays.
Andy