Leaky Fuel Lines

Pic 1: The source of the fuel leak

Just discovered my fuel lines are leaking! It was pretty bad to the point it's continuously dripping fuel from the lines joining the Tomei Fuel Regulator. I wouldn't have know if I did not pop open the hood the other day to try on fitment of a new part that I have just procured. What part is this? Well, let's leave that for the next entry shall we?

Anyway, back to the topic, fuel leaks are seriously dangerous! Thankfully that the ER34's exhaust manifold is on the other side of the engine. If it's right underneath the leak, the ER34 would have went up in flames! Yikes!

Just got all the lines replaced with better quality items and hopefully, it'll last me for many more years to come. What went in is Unigawa Fuel Hoses featuring an external heat resistant textile yam which sort of looked like the weaves of carbon fibre. It has an internal diameter of 8mm and an outer diameter of 14mm. The lines are designed to handle working pressure of up to 10 bar/15psi thus it should be mighty sufficient for the job at hand.

Pic 2: New fuel lines

Pic 3:New fuel lines replaced the old ones

Pic 4: New fuel lines replaced the old ones

Fuel Leak !!!

Pic 1: Leaky injectors

Some time after my stage II mods, fuel smell inside the ER34 has become a norm. I took to it as nothing more than perhaps running a wee bit rich, hence the strong odour. Didn't really give much thought to it as I have a blocked nose most of the time. The little amount of passenger that the ER34 ferries would often comment on the strong odour whenever they board the car. I couldn't really be bothered because, well ..... fuel smells great to me! It's a natural high for us petrol heads. :P

What is getting a tad worrisome is that the smell is getting stronger, so much so that people standing outside of the car would get high and start doing the chicken dance. Ok I exaggerated a little bit here but you get the picture.

Pic 2: Can see the fuel stains

So anyway, I decided to take a look at what's happening under the hood. Using my nose like a blood hound, I sniff my way around the engine bay and it lead me to the centre of the engine bay. Lo and behold, those damn injectors are leaking fuel. All 6 injectors are leaking via cracked o-rings!

Pic 3: O-rings are indeed in a bad shape

Now this sucked big time, I was scratching my head on where to find replacement o-rings. Order from SARD? I bet it will be ridiculously priced! Luckily one of my contact knows where to get it and promptly ordered some for me locally. With the o-rings replaced, the injectors are back to normal and no more fuel leakage.

Pic 4: New o-rings were fitted and the injectors were mated back with the fuel rail


Pic 5: In goes the fuel rail and injectors

A quick check around the fuel lines also leads to another leak. The Tomei fuel pressure regulator is leaking where the fuel lines joins the fittings. A quick change of fuel lines and new banjo clips solved that pretty quickly. After the above drama, the ER34 is now back to normal and hey no more fuel smell! Woohoo!

Is that the end of the ordeal? Hardly unfortunately. Strangely enough, a week later when I started the ER34 in the noon for a lunch appointment with alvint, it reeks of even stronger fuel smell. This can't be right at all. Pop open the hood and tracing the fuel lines, I saw fuel literally dripping off from the fuel rail adapter plate. Oh man, I can't drive the ER34 with it leaking fuel like that, I might end up with a big bang and have a burnt wreck as a car after that!

Took out my tools and gave it a couple of quick turns to tighten the banjo clips. This will serve as a temporary measure while I drive out to my mechanic's place to get new fuel lines and also a new banjo clip. Problem has since been solved and the ER34 has been running fine for a couple of weeks now. Phew! Lucky that is solved finally!

Pic 6: The Tomei Fuel Pressure Regulator were also leaking

Blazzin' ER34

Pic 1: Burnt rear bumper

When I got hold of my dyno chart, I was a bit worried about my air fuel ratio. As it turns out I have a reason to be worried. The ER34 is now officially a fuel guzzler. I think she is dumping out way too much fuel. It now consumes as if it is an AWD. WTF right?

Damn it, my pocket is gonna hurt with these constant refueling. I really need to get it retuned properly. Recently, I had a scary experience when driving home one night. The exhaust exploded with a muted bang and there were flames higher than my rear spoiler. I was shocked looking at it via the rear view mirror. Half of my rear view were of a huge billow of yellow orangy flame!

Well, honestly I thought it was cool at first. LOL :D

BUT this is not right, there have to be way excess fuel than needed. Every few days my rear bumper looked like the above picture. And trust me, it's a bloody bitch to clean it out. Even the body, rear lights and rear spoiler is coated with soot! It's utter madness, I tell ya. :(

And all these while I was keeping my revs below 5,000rpm.

This really can't be right at all!!!

For Sale: SARD Fuel Rail and SARD 1,000cc Injectors

Pic 1: SARD fuel rail delivery pipe

I have for sale SARD fuel rail delivery pipe and SARD 1,000cc injectors (195500-3650).

The SARD fuel rail delivery pipe is made from aluminum with gold anodized finishing. The fuel delivery pipe provides an easier installation of larger volume injectors for high horsepower engine which requires an increase in fuel quantity.

Pic 2: SARD fuel rail delivery pipe

To complement the above, I've also SARD 1,000cc injectors (195500-3650) for sale. These are low impedance top-feed injectors. Great as replacement for factory RB26DETT 444cc injectors. The injector are made by DENSO for SARD thus the DENSO stamp on the injector body.

This combo is a must if you are aftering higher horse power. Will only sell as a set. Let me know if you are interested.

Pic 3: SARD 1,000cc injectors


Pic 4: SARD 1,000cc injector (195500-3650)


Pic 5: SARD fuel rail delivery pipe with SARD 1,000cc injectors


Pic 6: SARD fuel rail delivery pipe with SARD 1,000cc injectors

Fuel price increase yet again

Pic 1: The ER34 at a petrol kiosk on the day before the fuel price hike

The Malaysian fuel (gasoline) price will be increased tomorrow on the 5th June 2008. Yet again! Yes, we Malaysians has seen the steady increase of fuel prices over the last decade. So uhmmm......it's nothing new nor it is not surprising to most if not all Malaysians.

Here is the history of the fuel hike over the years:-

Before 1990- RM 0.89/litre
year 1990 - RM 1.10/litre (increased RM 0.21)
01/10/2000 - RM 1.20/litre (increased RM 0.10)
20/10/2001 - RM 1.30/litre (increased RM 0.10)
01/05/2002 - RM 1.32/litre (increased RM 0.02)
31/10/2002 - RM 1.33/litre (increased RM 0.01)
01/03/2003 - RM 1.35/litre (increased RM 0.02)
01/05/2004 - RM 1.37/litre (increased RM 0.02)
01/10/2004 - RM 1.42/litre (increased RM 0.05)
05/05/2005 - RM 1.52/litre (increased RM 0.10)
31/07/2005 - RM 1.62/litre (increased RM 0.10)
28/02/2006 - RM 1.92/litre (increased RM 0.30)
05/06/2008 - RM 2.70/litre (increased RM 0.78)

As you can see, this time round, it's a MAJOR increase, the highest increase ever (for now). Word has it that it may even reach RM 4.00 a litre sometime in August this year. That is madness. The government always stresses that Malaysia still has one of the cheapest fuel in the region. Yes that is true but those countries are not petroleum producing nations. Have they ever compared fuel prices with countries that have petroleum production like Malaysia? For example, fuel prices in the below countries are:-

If fuel prices are increased but there are other alternatives like public transportations, then there is a cheaper avenue out; but public transportation in Malaysia is not convenient nor planned properly. A car/motorcycle here is a necessity item. The car population is an amazing 500,000 vehicles every year (out of a population of 27 Million)!

At the moment us Malaysians are worried about the domino effect this will entail. Cost of transportation will go out, prices of food will increase, electricity tariffs will go up, and basically everything else will be costlier. If only our pay are increased proportionately. :P

To help offset the increase in fuel prices, the government introduced a cash rebate of RM 625 per year will be given to owners of private cars with an engine capacity of up to 2000 cc and pick-up trucks/4WDs/SUVs of up to 2500 cc. For vehicles over 2500 cc, there will be a reduction in roadtax of RM 200 and for motorcycles up to 250 cc, a rebate of RM 150 annually.

As for the ER34? Every 50 litres I pump in now is an additional RM39.00.

Sigh......

Pic 1: The ER34 looks at the rush to fill up before the fuel price hike tomorrow