Injector seals question

[rippedoffagain]

I can smell a hint of petrol when I start my car. There are no fault codes and she now runs fine (after I botched my air box). Tickover is a bit lumpy, but not bad by any means.

Could this be worn out injector seals?

Is it worth changing the seals as a precaution, given the age of the car (she's 16)?

Does anyone know where I can get the necessary seal kit from?

Is it a difficult job (given that my most complicated DIY job was to change a radiator (on previous car - Cavalier), and also did rocker cover gasket and back brake pads on my 940?

Would I need any special tools apart from my socket set and an assortment of screwdrivers and spanners?

Cheers

[charlotte001]

Originally Posted by rippedoffagain

I can smell a hint of petrol when I start my car. There are no fault codes and she now runs fine (after I botched my air box). Tickover is a bit lumpy, but not bad by any means.

Could this be worn out injector seals?

Is it worth changing the seals as a precaution, given the age of the car (she's 16)?

Does anyone know where I can get the necessary seal kit from?

Is it a difficult job (given that my most complicated DIY job was to change a radiator (on previous car - Cavalier), and also did rocker cover gasket and back brake pads on my 940?

Would I need any special tools apart from my socket set and an assortment of screwdrivers and spanners?

Cheers

Volvo supply them for around £10 depends which ones you need. Most injectors simply pull out of the main seal being very carefull not to damage the tips

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Depending on the age of the car the fumes of petrol may also be coming from the evap/recirculation system.
Could also be other places that fuel can be leaking!
Isn't necessarily the injectors.

If you are going to the trouble of fitting new seals to the injectors, you would be well worth getting the injectors cleaned by Jim on these forums. Search for injector clean service and you should find the topic..

Des. . .

[rippedoffagain]

Originally Posted by CTCNetwork

Hi,

Depending on the age of the car the fumes of petrol may also be coming from the evap/recirculation system.
Could also be other places that fuel can be leaking!
Isn't necessarily the injectors.

I don't think its coming from the canister thing at the front, or any of the pipes that connect to it. They all look intact, but I must admit I haven't tried that hard to pin it down. To be honest I think it is coming from the exhaust, as though the fuel mix is wrong, but surely that would have upset the lambda sensor?

If you are going to the trouble of fitting new seals to the injectors, you would be well worth getting the injectors cleaned by Jim on these forums. Search for injector clean service and you should find the topic..

Des. . .

Thanks, I remember seeing the thread a while ago, and will probably do that if I pluck up the courage to mess with the injectors.

[gpl1968]

Check the fuel pressure regulator. It is mounted on the end of the fuel rail.
Pull off the hose, if you smell petrol it needs replacing. Also check that the hose(which connects it to the inlet manifold) is free from cracks.
Also check the fuel lines running up to the fuel rail for cracks.

[the alarming man]

Originally Posted by gpl1968

Check the fuel pressure regulator. It is mounted on the end of the fuel rail.
Pull off the hose, if you smell petrol it needs replacing. Also check that the hose(which connects it to the inlet manifold) is free from cracks.
Also check the fuel lines running up to the fuel rail for cracks.

Lumpy Tick Over??...have you cleaned the throttle body housing

[rippedoffagain]

Originally Posted by the alarming man

Lumpy Tick Over??...have you cleaned the throttle body housing

Not yet. I've read up on what I need to do and what I need to buy. Will see if I have time this weekend.

[gpl1968]

Have you checked the fuel hoses for cracks/leaks?

I remember some years ago a friend complained of a smell of petrol in his company car(a Fiat of some sort). When we lifted the bonnet and started the engine, petrol spouted from a cracked hose.

[rippedoffagain]

Some pics for you all:

Here we have a hose which comes from what I think is the carbon canister (big biscuit tin behind nearside headlight. Notice it comes from there and goes to....nowhere. Any ideas if it should go somewhere or is it just an breather of some sort?


Next we have a wider pic of my engine. I've circled a thing on the end of the fuel rail. After this pic is a closeup of said 'thing on end of fuel rail'. Is that the fuel pressure regulator? It is very rusty whatever it is:




I've checked for cracked hoses, as far as I can tell they are all intact. I checked both with and without the engine running. I also nosed about for the smell but I couldn't smell it this time.

I also wanted to check for leaks around the exhaust manifold, but the permanently spinning fan killed any hope of feeling for a leak, short of sticking my hand on it, which I wasn't going to do

[gpl1968]

Originally Posted by rippedoffagain

Some pics for you all:

Here we have a hose which comes from what I think is the carbon canister (big biscuit tin behind nearside headlight. Notice it comes from there and goes to....nowhere. Any ideas if it should go somewhere or is it just an breather of some sort?


Yes, that is the carbon canister. See if there is a nipple on the air box to fit the loose hose.

Next we have a wider pic of my engine. I've circled a thing on the end of the fuel rail. After this pic is a closeup of said 'thing on end of fuel rail'. Is that the fuel pressure regulator? It is very rusty whatever it is:


That is the fuel pressure regulator. If you pull off the vac pipe and you can't smell petrol from the opening, then it should be working ok.



I've checked for cracked hoses, as far as I can tell they are all intact. I checked both with and without the engine running. I also nosed about for the smell but I couldn't smell it this time.

I also wanted to check for leaks around the exhaust manifold, but the permanently spinning fan killed any hope of feeling for a leak, short of sticking my hand on it, which I wasn't going to do

The two hoses running up to the fuel rail would be an obvious source of a petrol smell. They are constantly under pressure so a tiny crack will cause a leak.
When the engine is off, a small leak will have time to build petrol vapour in the engine bay.
You smell petrol at startup and then the engine bay is ventilated so you won't get the smell while driving.