Fuel hard line leak. 505 STI

[NinaYo401]

I have a rusty car.  It has a leaking hard fuel line.

how should I fix it?  I’m gojng to talk to my mechanic across the street tomorrow.

but it’s keaking and stinks.  I figured it was something to do with the pcv system.  But maybe the lines were disrupted when I got tires the other day.  

[Bean]

Pretty vague description without a picture.  Need more details...

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

The drip appears from the middle line in the bracket, the first photo.

Are the fittings common?  Can the lines easily be fabricated?

which one is the brake line?  Are these disc or drum brakes?

[Bean]

You should probably Google questions more to learn the basics - your pictures clearly show disk brakes so I'm a little concerned you don't know the difference? 

And yes - that really is rusty!  That's a prime example of why I was stressing proper 3rd party inspections on sight unseen car purchases.

Brake line is the thinner tube.  Fuel lines would likely be replaced the easiest with steel braided fuel line.  Not sure you will be able to replace the metal lines as the fittings will be tough to fine.  I've done a "how to" replace the plastic fuel line on my 505 turbo (just search for it), so you could likely do similar. 

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

I have a hard time with the search feature in this website.  Any chance of a link to you how to?

 

there must be a way to make the lines.  The mechanic forms these ends with a hydraulic press, but I’m  unsure if he’d have the correct ends.  

You replaced yours with plastic?

There are two fuel lines?  Or just one?  Is that the parking g brake cable or Supply and return fuel lines?  I’m thinking I’ll need to have they replaced.

 Might need to park the car till then.  

the rear brakes definitely have pads/shoes.  I’m assuming the parking brake consists of shoes in a drum.  But the rear brakes share the single line?  I’m pretty sure I only counted the 3 lines on the master cylinder. 

One line must be vapor return.  The delivery must be the leaker.  Either way, a couple nylon replacement lines might work, if there’s something solid left to connect them to.

might get a fuel filter too.

[NinaYo401]

Another couple questions.

im wondering if a new rear brake line would be wise.  I’d need to get the rear brake’s bleed screws loose.  The fluid in the front most bubble of the master cylinder was the same color as a drip I found in my fuel catch can.

mechanic is looking into it on Monday.  Possibly running new steel lines.  A new rear line might be wise, but budget is very thin.

couple more inquiries.  Hose to nowhere, and a previously foaming, now the line is damp, mysterious.  Please advise 

[Bean]

This should help with the plastic part, but if you ran steel braided hose you might be able to redo the whole line with it in one piece.

Pics above are too close to see what's going on - can you highlight them or pan back?

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

Here are highlighted photos of my mysterys.  

-Red & green are hoses to nowhere, red is pretty large diameter.

oil filler hoses cap outlets are capped, and I’m unsure where the associated hoses went.

- second red.  Is that the air filter housing?  Dry or oil?

blue?  Hose coming out of second red is very greasy.  

 

[Bean]

First picture:  that's not the correct oil cap.  What is in there looks like the one from the V6 if I had to guess.  Oddly enough a 504 gas cap works great on them, but usually it's a flat topped plastic plug that just pops in with a tight fit provided by two o-rings.

Rad hose is simply way too long - the rad outlet needs to be the highest part of the whole hose.  Hopefully the replacement comes soon as it needs to be changes ASAP.

Second:  Red circle is part of the CIS system - not really familar with it and the hose might just be a vent of some sort.  Green circle looks like a wiring sleeve not a hose.

Third:  Red circle is where the PCV filter screens are.  Two spring clips pop off and the center section pulls up.  Screens are usually in the plastic part, but check inside as well.  The hose from it should go to the air filter housing.

 

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

Whats up with that piece of black tape on the valve cover?  near the cap.

***I think the Blue circle hose above is leaking at a junction with the gates hose?  seems like a crude junction.  though the hole seemed clean.

 

If I could find a valve cover gasket, and the new hose or radiator repair totally rids my cooling system of a hiss; I'd paint the valve cover, re-torque head, and check the valve adjustment.  Or combine valves adjustment with a timing chain and tensioner job if I ever find those parts along with a timing housing gasket.  probably worth waiting to see a leak and hiring a pro.  but the valve cover gasket is probably good for a few reuses

[NinaYo401]

I think this rusty line is the fuel return line?  It has a rubber line between it and a very rusty accumulator?  

But there’s a mystery blob of gunk near the accumulator.

The banjo bolts going into the accumulator are making me nervous.  And the accumulator isn’t cheap.  

How do the fittings work?  Is there a cap nut?  I’m assuming crush washers are necessary.

What’s behind the blob of gunk?

[Bean]

I think that's just road tar that's stuck on the lines...

Diesel might be a good solvent for cleaning all that gunk off.

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

Everything is back together and running fairly well.  New filter and accumulator installed.  

My car still smells a little gassy.  I haven’t washed it yet.  So, I’ll reassess after a wash.

Seems to be a little rich on fuel when starting now.  I might have slight flooded it the other morning trying to turn it over.

hopefully the engine’s “memory” adjusts itself.

I feel like new spark plugs would help get it going a little easier.

copper core plugs?  What gap for plugs on the 2.0L k-jetronic?  

[Bean]

Copper NGK v-groove plugs work great for the car - gap should be on a sticker under hood.  Would also suggest head retorque, valve lash adjustment and VC gasket while you're at it.

Did you get the leaking lines sorted?  Have you checked and adjusted timing?  Is your vacuum advance working?

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

Ended up with some Denso U-groove plugs.  Haven’t found my gap specs yet.  Amazon has listed 0.8mm or 0.032”, and the plugs say they come pre-gapped 0.031” or 0.8mm, so I’ll check out what’s in there.  

My idle seems high and is wondering as it warms.  Idling around 1100-1200rpm.

Im not confident enough to adjust the fuel system at this point.  I will need some direction and information.

 

[Bean]

Should still have a sticker under hood with that info on it - should have plug gap and valve lash adjustment info if I recall correctly.

CIS is usually VERY stable and the worst thing people do is start messing with it when there's other issues at play.  Make very sure the car is properly tuned first.  New plugs, valves adjusted,  cap, rotor, wires (if they're hard), and timing set.  Also make very sure there are no vacuum leaks.

Once that's done - then you can at least ensure you have a good base to start adjusting the CIS.  It's fairly complex though, and before I took the plunge and built some pressure gauges to properly diagnose and tune it - my car was totalled.  Haven't owned an XN6 since so can can't be of any help - but it's the same CIS system used in older Volvo's and VW's - so if you can find any shops familiar with those CIS systems they can work on the 505's.

There's lots of info online as well - I had found a great VW CIS tuning guide that showed what was needed to build the pressure gauge set and how to adjust it.

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

I've been meaning to post a photo of the replaced fuel lines, filter, and accumulator.

I'm going to see if I can get a cap and rotor from my local parts shop, and ill install the new plugs.

What torque spark plug value should I aim for on the xn6?  What is the engine head made of?  Are the head chambers hemispherical?

[Bean]

Head is aluminum, and yes it's a hemi.

I rely on "mechanical feel" and not torque with plugs, just don't over tighten and you should be good.  They just need to be snug, and I HIGHLY recommend using a little bit of high heat anti-seize on the threads.

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

I’m still smelling fuel.  I’ll have to find the vent lines.  It doesn’t seem to be coming from the trunk.  Maybe it’s the charcoal canister.

 

its too cold.  I’m registering the car tomorrow.  And it need to be inspected.  My mechanic said he’d get it inspected.  

[NinaYo401]

The smell seems to be from the charcoal canister corner of the car.  But I haven’t really found a leak or anything yet.  

[Goce]

There is a common leak, the gasket on the fuel pump/sender unit, dry rots after 20 years and when you fill up the tank spills out from the top and because of the acces panel under the back seat the smell is noticeable in the cabin, check there for wetness.

[NinaYo401]

No start today!   Thought it was flooded, but the plugs weren’t fouled.  Find a drip between the accumulator and possibly the return line, tightened the clamp.

fuel pump has been screaming, but I was hearing nothing today.  It started, I moved it, but no restart.  The pump is next to the fuel filter and accumulator?

if I really cranked the car and held down the pedal, it would sputter.

there was a ton of mayo under the oil filler.  But the plugs were pretty alright looking.

had it towed to the mechanic.  There was a bit of a mouse nest above the fuel tank.  There’s a black wire but also a loose yellow/green with a copper spade on it, hanging free.

What should I use as a replacement fuel pump?

can I get away with just a single pump near the accumulator?  What’s in the tank?  

I was looking at the little air vacume thing near the fues box. And noticed a couple missing hoses.  I placed my fingers over the vacume line nipples.  Could I have triggered something?  It was running at that time, but with a slightly lower than normal idle.  Hope I didn’t mess with the distributor somehow with the vacume?  

[Bean]

There's an intake low pressure fuel pump in the tank, that then feeds the high pressure pump beside the accumulator as you mentioned.  There's also a tachymetric relay under the dash mounted near the steering column that passes power to the pump on start up.  If the pump isn't powering up I'd suspect the relay first, the quick check for that is to provide 12V direct to the fuel pump and see if it pressures up.

Rabin

[NinaYo401]

tachymetric relay?  Is it a Commonly available relay?

 

I was playing with the fuel leak.  I’m pretty sure I’m spent a moment with the key inbetween position one and two.  While trying to get the leak to drip.

the AAA kid said he felt the pump wasn’t consistent turning on.

The pump had been running super loud in the morning.  

[Bean]

If you google it you'll see references to it on the forum - Or try the forum search.  Volvo uses a Tachymetric relay that works, or you may be able to save it by resoldering the joints on it.

Running 12V direct to the pump will tell you for sure.  

The other stuff you mentioned wouldn't have caused you any issues at all.

Rabin