I posted this in the HELP forum, but wanted to ask here too incase some of you do not go to the help forum...

I was driving yesterday & developed a BAD fuel leak. I was 25 miles from home and lost 10 gallons of fuel getting home. Anyway, when I did get home I popped the hood and w/ the engine idleing I saw fuel spraying out right from where the injector line goes into the injector. Is this as simple as replacing the line between the common rail & the injector? Could the injector itself be causing the leak? I assume that when I take the line off the entire fuel system will have to be bled. How do I do this?

The truck has 110,000 miles - why would the line or injector develop a leak all of a sudden?

UPDATE: I checked the injector line nut and I tightened it about 1/16 of a turn. I could only put a box wrench on it (and not even get the full flats on it as the wrenbch was at an angle), so I could not put alot of torque on it for fear rounding off the nut. Could my issue be as simple as the line nut loosening up? Do they make a special tool for the injector line nut?

 

There are many tools for getting around tight areas , not having worked on your yr. & model , I can not tell which , but crows foot tubing wrench that you use a 3/8ths extension & ratchet , or another , that I forget the name of .
You need to track down leaks in pressurized systems as soon as possible , because if it just came lose , the pressure can cut a grove/hole , then you need to replace , something that may have just needed to be tightened .
Then sometimes the line can split , do know what is happening , you need the right tools , so that you can tighten to the correct torq to see if it will seal , then take apart if still leaking , to look for problem .
You may need a new line .

 

Yes, I know that driving w/ a high pressure leak can result in a cut that was not there before, but I did not realize that it was an injector or injector line that was leaking until I got home. What is the proper torque for the line to injector nut?

 

22 ft Lbs You will need a crows wrench to torque.
If your line is cracked, let me know what number
line and I might have another one I can send you.

 

mine did the same thing, it was the #6 line spraying onto thr firewall insulation and dripping down. I took off all the lines and inspected them very carefully looking for cracks or distorted flares and everything was fine. I did notice as I took them off none were very "tight". Mine had about 90k when it let go. I think maybe some didnt get the full torque at the factory and/or come loose with the vibrations of a diesel engine. Who knows for sure. just tighten them up and drive it some,check for leaks. If it still leaks take off the line and inspect or replace.

 

It's #5, but I need one NOW so will try to get locally. Thanks anyway!

BTW, I never saw a crack, but the seat area of the injector line was very pitted, and I assume that that is where the leak was coming from.

 

I would change out the injector tube also.


I also posted in your other thread.



Tim

 

How do you bleed off the high pressure if you want to check the torque? will it build the high pressure back up when you try and start it? Just curious.

 

OK, replaced the line & engine runs fine. I now have a CEL on & get the following codes:P0069, P0113, P0237. I'm thinking when I had the electrical connection open & cranked the engine over (before the leak was fixed) that it got doused w/ diesel fuel. Hopefully, the codes will clear out over next couple of days.