Fuel Injector Vapor Leak recall ???

[typer0853]

My number 2 fuel injector is leaking in my 1996 cavalier, causing gasoline fumes to be detected in the interior and exterior of the car.

By browsing the net, I came across the following page:

http://www.alldata.com/TSB/10/961041F7.html

Under the emissions section, it states:

96-C-32 JUN 96 Recall - Fuel Injector Vapor Leak.
6D12 JUN 96 Recall - Fuel Injector Vapor Leak, Encapsulant Stress.

Does anyone have details on either of these two Technical Service Bulletins? I want to determine if they apply to my vehicle.

Thank you
David

[Langning]

3 of 4 fuel injectors are/were leaking at random on my 96 Cav. I have since replaced #1 & #4 injectors (and fuel pressure regulator) at $76 each and stopped replacing the other 2 after #1 is leaking again... I do know that above recall. However, on www.mygmlink.com, GM indicates that my Cav has not outstanding recall(s)... I am thinking calling or writing GM. My car has 162,000 miles and is way over the emission warranty...

[Classicrocjunkie]

^^^ Or you can take it to the dealership and they can check for you and if you have missed on you can schedual an appt..

[pincheyloveclaw]

I have 95 Cavalier 2.2L w/ only 71,000 miles. I just bought the car and I'm supposed to go for emmissions test by Feb. However, I too have the gas smell when I turn on the cabin air. From reading the forum this injector thing seems pretty likely for my car. I was figuring on doing the fuel filter as well just for the hell of it. I wonder, if just doing the injector seals (o-ring or whatever it is) would be a decent fix, or if the leaking situation is a result of a bad injector. I've had many project cars and never had a truly bad injector but have had a few cases where o-rings failed. The difference however, in all these cases there was a significant loss of performance (sputtering, stalling, power loss) associated with the problem, but I don't remember smelling gas. Does anyone know what it is about the injector that actually leaks? Langning also mentioned pressure regulator, but then seemed to indicate that this was a waste of time. Basically, I want to fix quick without spending a lot of money on unnecessary parts.

[Langning]

I believe the Cav fuel injector leak is problem of the "bottom-feed" design. On most of other cars with "top-feed" injectors, the fuel rail presses against the injectors and thus creates good seal. Whereas in our 95-97 Cav, the "fuel injector bracket" doesn't really hold the injectors tight and the large rubber O-ring is only thing stopping the fuel from leaking...

My car averaged 33mpg in summer and now I barely top 29.5mpg. Because of the winter fuel formula, I can't tell if my fuel leak is major; but I can see visually the #2 injector head is "wet" (after I replaced #1 & #4). Not wanting to dump $$$ into this car, I will replace the #2 O-ring this weekend (I did bought a set of injector O-rings from dealer for like $25).

I may put RTV sealant around the large O-ring this time. Is this good or bad?

[pincheyloveclaw]

I suspected as much about the o-ring. I used to have a VW fox and the injector seals were kind of a problem with that car too. In that case the injectors were rediculously accessible so the fix was more of an annoyance than a headache. However, in this case the o-ring would get all twisted up because there was a long narrow opening for them to go down before they hit the seal point. Even so they would seal OK until the rubber started to harden up. I never used RTV on them but I did consider it. Recently I found a product that's a bit more heat-resistant than your typical RTV. I can't think of the name off the top of my head but I'll look it up for you. This being said, I don't see why you should not be able to use a sealant but I would recommend being real careful how you apply it. If you got it on the nozzle it would definately give you problems. The only other concern might be the compatibility of the stuff with gasoline but you are probably talking about such a small ammount that leachables may not be a big deal and would probably just burn off anyway.

[pincheyloveclaw]

Umm, Yeah. I looked up silicone for compatibility, and I would say your not going to gain much from using RTV. (See: http://www.posiflate.com/techinfo/select5.html )Looks like the gas will just eat it up and at worst the leached deposits will plant themselves about your injector nozzle or valve seal and screw those up as well. I'll see if there is a product that will work, or perhaps someone else knows of one?

[Langning]

Originally Posted by pincheyloveclaw

I'll see if there is a product that will work, or perhaps someone else knows of one?

My car runs fine and the fuel injectors are OK. If there is anyway that I can securely "glue" the injectors onto the intake/fuel rail, I will do it. I have 4 new injector O-rings and I will try the O-ring this weekend unless I can figure some type of "cement/sealant" to use.

[pincheyloveclaw]

I think I found the stuff you want:

PERMATEX® HYLOMAR®* HPF Gasket Dressing and Flange Sealant
Suggested Applications:
Hydraulic drives and motors; inlet manifold engine assemblies; oil, fuel and water pump housings and seals; FUEL INJECTORS, and fuel pumps; transmission and torque converter seals

I don't know how available this stuff is, if you want to get it by this week-end, but if your automotive shop doesn't have it, try a boat shop- they're pretty big on sealants and glue and stuff like that.

[adesignerofgold]

I have a #2 injector leaking as well. I have had it replaced twice, and the o-rings 4 times in two years. Winter time is when I notice the strong fuel smell in the beginning.

Had a blown head gasket on the 96 2.2 L at 106K, thanks GM for the 100K warranty, silent recall BS!

Anyhow, I was thinking it may be a bad valve, during compression stroke? After reading these post, may have to bend a little on the tab holding the #2 injector in the fuel rail. Not sure if this will cure the leak, or keep injector from cracking again?

I tried the link in the beginning post to a possible recall, but it was dead. Does anyone know any more on the subject?

Thanks in advance!

[adesignerofgold]

Originally Posted by adesignerofgold

I have a #2 injector leaking as well. I have had it replaced twice, and the o-rings 4 times in two years. Winter time is when I notice the strong fuel smell in the b...

Replaced fuel pressure regulator yestday, ran car hard all day. Checked for leaks. Clean as the day she came off the line...

Couldn't bend tabs on the injector retainer, they where all ready up against the fuel rail. I dug out the old fuel gauge, and notice I was running 82 PSI on fuel rail. Didn't matter if the vacumm line was on or off... I was thinking it should of gone down or up when line was removed??? Parts guy seemed to know more than most, and said 82 PSI doesnt sound right, may need to check gauge. It is old?

Anyhow, he did agree that it should show some kind of movement when removing the vacumm line. We put another gauge on system, checked for blocked return line, and this time we used a hand vacumm pump on the regulator. Nothing.

Seems to be working for now... Check back in about a month or two... Never has lasted more than two...

He said to me, that the return line gets bent or crushed can cause the injector o-rings to leak. He had never heard of a stuck fuel regulator causing this, but it was worth a try...

check back in a few months to give update...

The recall the first poster mentions is a EPA thing, has Nothing to do with leaking injectors: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/cert/recall/96recall.htm

DR-1036 General Motors 96-C-32 V 6/28/96 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier, Beretta, Corsica, S-10; GMC Sonoma; Pontiac Sunbird with 2.2L engine.
1996 Isuzu Hombre with 2.2L engine. 96 TGM2.2V8GKEK
{50ST Tier 1}
96 TGM2.2V8G2EK
{CA TLEV}
96 TGM2.2I8GFEK
{50ST Tier 1 LDT} Fuel leakage from Multec bottom feed injectors due to stressed plastic. 7,666 T1
1,304 TLEV
3,080 T1 LDT
Total =
12,050

Called relative down in dallas, whom is a gm schooled super tech, he said that the injector where re-designed before most left showrooms. The injector design itself was bad, but had been corrected. If by chance you had one of the 12,050 units that were sold before the re-design, you would had been notified to have your car serviced. If you bought the car used, go the mygm.com, and sign your car up and see if it was never serviced. If it wasn't, it should let you know.