This is one of those threads where you'll read my problem and think "my god, this guy is a dumbass". I am.

After having my injectors and FPR out for maybe 2 weeks I sent the injectors off yesterday and decided to put my FPR back on today to stop the leaking caused by the fluctuation in temperature- I had been opening the gas tank several times per day to reduce the pressure. I opened the hood to find fuel drip drip dripping out of the injector pods onto the throttle blades (and effectively the intake manifold). My best guess is that the engine is freaking flooded by now. What should I do? Will it even be possible to start it back up after I get the injectors back next week?

 

My guess would be by the time you get your injectors the gas will have evaporated out of the engine but if you want to be sure you can always disconnect the injector wires, pull each spark plug out one at a time and turn the engine over and it will spit any of the access fuel out of the spark plug hole. If you do that to all cylinders it will be just fine.

 

I'm hoping that will be the case but gasoline doesn't seem to evaporate very quickly in 30-45 degree temps, especially when it's stuck in a cast-iron prison. Thanks for the spark plug tip- I didn't even think about that. If I do that won't I want to disconnect the spark plug cables as well- to prevent any kind of catastrophic ignition

 

Well you will have to pull the spark plug wire off in order to pull the plug anyways so just leave it off while you turn the engine over.

 

make darn sure the coil is unplugged before you start to try to pump fuel out of the cylinders.

 

That's what I meant- will do for sure.

 

I always make sure the plug wire is no where close to the spark plug hole when I do it. But it all depends on the location if it's kept inside a garage the best thing to do is pull the coil wire. I'm normally working on mine outside so plenty of ventilation.

 

Just dump the crankcase while your at it,...as a matter of principal, it's boom or bad bearings,..just dump it.

Edit: from the world that MUST know when to "back the engine down".

 

How do I dump the crankcase- is there a valve or something?

 

Pull the drain plug.

 

Got it. I'm so glad right now that I decided to hold off on changing the oil

 

F**k it. I opened the car to see if it was fine after going from the 30's last night to the 50's this afternoon. Drip, drip, drip. I stuffed a sock in each injector pod so hopefully that'll stop it up until I get the injectors back. I'm going to Harbor Freight this week to pick up 2 sets of jack stands so I can get everything done.

Probably a stupid question, but could my battery being unplugged have anything to do with this buildup of pressure in the tank??

 

No, but that tank might have some pressure in it, open the gas cap to relieve any psi. Are there any hoses that you can pinch off?

 

I've been opening the gas tank to relieve pressure about 2 times per day since I took the injectors out. I'm a bit reluctant to pinch off any hoses though, as this car is 22 years old

 

I'd be worried about starting a fire, easier to change out a hose then it is a whole car, garage, ect.
Pull off the feed hose & cap it w/ a hose that you can clamp.

 

Checked the car today to find everything completely dry. Socks stuffed in the injector pods did the trick!

Is there a way to empty the gas tank that doesn't require siphoning? Fuel pump is next on the list of things to take care of

 

Is the pump dead?

You can put 12v at the fuel pump terminal on the aldl to run it.

 

Yup it runs, the reason I'm installing the new one is because I need more capacity and pressure.

I don't quite know what you mean by putting 12v at the terminal- do you mean with a wire or someting, or using my tuning software (EBL Flash).

 

find the fuel pump relay under the hood. on one terminal there is a red wire with a connector on it that doesnt go anywhere. it is a test wire. hook it to the battery and it will power on the pump.

 

Thanks, that sounds much more simple than poking around my ALDL

 

Went from 20's last night to 50's today- my sock system didn't hold out. Fortunately my fuel injectors came in those are now installed (Mr. Injector is a great guy to deal with- google him if you need your injectors cleaned). I couldn't push the injectors in with my hands so I screwed the FPR down over it.. is this an OK way to put injectors in?

 

I use MR Injector all the time. He is only 5 minutes from home. Get to watch him use the equipment and see difference before, during and after. Good stuff.

After you get it running I would change the oil. If you' had gas dripping in engine that long pull dipstick and smell it! If you smell gas on dipstick it's a sure sign...

 

change the oil right now. put about a 100 miles on it and change it again. seems expensive but do it. just remember when you change the oil the engine should be lukewarm. so not all the oil is going to be drained no matter what. be safe. the babbit on the bearings doesnt like anything but good oil.

 

He's got great rates and great turnaround time as well (Plus, those Jolly Ranchers came in handy). He brought mine up from 96% and 93% flow to 98% and 98%. I can't wait to see how they help my engine.

I'll go out and smell the engine right now- I plan on changing the oil tomorrow.

@one92rs can I put cheap oil through it for the first run? I really don't want to burn up $25 worth of Mobil 1 for just 100 miles

 

The oil failed the smell test; definitely contaminated with gasoline.
So can I run "cheap" oil through it for those 100 miles or do I have to run Mobil 1 through it? It has Mobil 1 in it now and I plan on using the same in the future.

 

Sure, I'd run it.

 

Flat tappet cam motor? better do your research and find oil for it.

Most oil on the shelf nowadays does not have zinc and phosphorous needed for flat tappet cams...

If you are **** you could do a flush with cheap oil for ten minutes... then look at Amsoil 10w/40 full synthetic with zinc and phousphourous...

 

Zinc is more important during the cam break in period. His 90 tbi should be a roller cam.

 

It's definitely a roller cam so I'll be fine with whatever cheap oil I can find-I know what weight to get. I might get a cheap synthetic oil so then I won't be mixing real oil and synthetic after I flush the cheap stuff out and put the good stuff in

 

This is absolutely horrible. I have 5 gallons of gas and oil mixture sitting in bottles right now and I'm still cleaning up. Is this where I pull the whole damn engine and rebuild it?
I swear this is easily one of the worst days of my life

 

Not unless you ran it that way?

It just got cleaned out, but I would run oil in it for maybe 5 minutes and change again. Should be fine then.

 

No way, I didn't even try to start it.
But really, 4 gallons of gas that's been sitting in the engine for at least a week (easily 2, maybe 3) and all I need to do is change the oil, run it for a bit and then change it again?? I thought it would have done more damage than that

 

The sbc is pretty tuff'.

 

i would run it, just dont be shocked if u have some smoke for a min or anything like that. its weird that there is 5 gallons of gas in the oil. but i wouldnt jump the gun and pull the motor. dont give yourself an even bigger headache when it could be from it just sitting and gettin gas dumped in the motor

 

Yeah it was sitting without the FPR or injectors in it for a while. I pulled them out to mod the FPR to make it Vacuum referenced and to get the injectors cleaned and it took me quite a while to get it done for some reason. Meanwhile the fluctuating temperature caused bad pressure in the gas tank, forcing fuel out of the tank and into the TB even though I regularly released the pressure. Being parked on a downhill slope didn't help much either.

I'm just worried about the gaskets and seals. Gas has been in every part of the engine by now and has dripped off down the front of the block.. there's a patch of asphalt underneath that got saturated with gas and is now completely malleable.

 

Nope! It'll be fine!

 

Well then if everything works out fine it looks like I'll have only gained from this whole thing. I bought four 3 ton jackstands yesterday for $35 and my dad covered half the cost of a 1.5 ton aluminum racing jack that was on sale, which only set me back 40 bucks.

While I have everybody's attention, how much power can the stock rods and pistons handle? I'm going to be Vortec headed and LT1 cammed soon so I don't want to throw stuff at it after this ordeal and have it blow up. From what I've heard I think I'll be safe but I just want to double-check.

 

it will be just fine

 

with vortec heads and an lt1 cam it will be fine. get it tuned properly. and do not spin it to to high an rpm and it will last.

 

Thanks, got it. I believe I'm supposed to install a 5200 rpm governor for the trans anyway(reason??) so I won't be spinning it really high. Good to know it'll hold out. But if I get enough money back from taxes I'll install Keith Black hypereutectic pistons and get the crank balanced.

 

Sounds like you should use your tax refund to take Dad out to lunch!

 

Yeah I think I'll do that. Crab cake time!(Maryland's finest foodstuff)

 

Nothing like my friend did. He had a pro-mod(120mph 1/4 mile) snowmobile that the float bowls were dry and had a trio of KN's on the mikun'is. He used air pressure from tank to load the bowls and it dripped into the cone filters. Pulled rope and Sled #1 caught fire. Burned #2 ahead of it as well as #3. #4 he could pull off enclosed trailer. Trailer went up in smoke as did the asphaly driveway. Fortunately was insured.

 

Yeah, that might have been a bit dramatic on my part haha, but I'll still say it's quite disheartening to have 5 gallons of gas and oil pour out.

But yeah, my day sounds pretty good compared to that.. damn.

 

Ok, new question. Most of the spark plugs are out (6, I couldn't get the cap off one and just forgot about the other but I unplugged the capped one at the distributor)- There was a bit of gasoline on some plugs when I took them out.
My problem is that it won't turn over to pump the cylinders. All my electronics turned on just fine but when I turned the key to activate the starter everything just shut down. Is this because the injectors are unplugged, because I was thinking that they shouldn't be on for this (so you know, I wouldn't throw more fuel in).. am I wrong?

 

i dont think the injectors being unplugged will keep it from turning over. but i cant really answer your question of why its not, just go threw and check all your fuse's and relays. thats all the advice i can give ya on that, someone else might have the answer though

 

the injectors do not have to be plugged in for the engine to turn over. sure you didnt unplug or move a wire at the starter while messing with the plugs?

 

It's best that the plugs come out, it might still be in hydro-lock.

Please be very careful, cranking fuel out of the cylinders is one of the most dangerous things you can do under the hood, be sure no sparks anywhere make fire extinguisher ready. This is serious.

 

Unplug the coil!

 

I'll see if I can pull the extra plugs but I'm not going to kill myself doing it. A broken fuse sounds like the most likely thing. I mean nothing turned or tried to go, everything just "dumped" off right away.
Coil wasn't unplugged and the caps weren't plugged either. Heh, might have been a good thing it didn't turn over. Just wonderful this all has to happen during exam time lol