Fuel Leak

[newthings]

Almost lost her.
Last night I parked and then moved the car after a half an hour of sitting.
I smelled gas. I saw drips off of the engine cross member. I borrowed a fire extinguisher and drove a mile to home. Denial is very empowering, in the short term. I made it with no fire. Lucky, it turns out.
Later, a look under the hood with the engine running showed a spray of gas in the back of the engine, directly on the bottom of the EGR valve. The origin of the leak was not obvious.
The stock gas line sprouts out of the back of the engine. It is a hose with hose clamp, with a tube going to the S/C fuel rail. To start the hunt for the leak, the EGR valve must be removed.
I flatbedded this morning to a near garage, since Isuzu is 120 mi. away. I have 40K mi. and the Isuzu extended warrantee will cover the tow and will pay the garage to fix. The garage is busy, so I will not get a true cause until Monday.
I called Isuzu and no recall exists for a fuel leak. I did not find any experience in our group for this problem.
I will post the progress.
Roy

[Tone]

Sounds like either the banjo fitting on that side or the fuel hose (should have used a worm gear clamp) feeding it has become loose, common if not installed properly - certainly NOT an Isuzu issue.

[newthings]

No, not the banjo on the fuel rail. The shop reports that the leak is in the flex hose coming up from the back of the engine. The leak is below a factory spring clamp. The hose attaches to a short tube that goes to the banjo fitting. The nature of the hose leak is not known yet.
Roy

[Hotsauce]

That connection was made during SC installation. The easy way to do it is to grab the hose with pliers and force it onto the barb. This can damage the hose.

The way I've done it on the 2 SC I've installed is to replace the hose with a longer high pressure hose, and repoint the fuel barb in a more accesable direction. It also makes it more visable for leak checking. Its not as neat and tidy looking, but I think its safer. It also gets the hose more away from EGR heat.

John C.

[newthings]

John, is this what you are thinking?
If access cannot be made to the end of the stock steel fuel line to the stock hose (Between the firewall and engine), your idea of a new metal covered fuel line attaching to the stock steel tube under the car, and running to the fuel rail may be the way to go. We will just cut off the stock line and pull out the impossible section. We would use a tube flair and AN type fitting to the new hose. Done.
Roy

[Hotsauce]

You still need a rubber section at some point between the rail an the hardline at the firewall to allow for the engine torquing on its mount.

But yeah, make the final connection where its easy to access.

John C.

[newthings]

I was thinking of the entire armored replacement section be flexible.
Roy

[Nazrat]

I had to replace mine when it broke below the regulator. I had had the supercharger off once, and replaced the IMGs once, and the original supercharger makes 3 times that that hose was flexed a lot. It just fatigued enough to develop a leak. Anyway I ended up bypassing it as I could not get a tool in there to remove what was left of the hose. My new hose runs around the top instead of between the engine and the firewall.

-Tad

[newthings]

Tad,
Where under the car, did you cut and attach the new hose?
Where is the stock line routed at the back of the engine?
Roy

[Nazrat]

I didn't cut the old line, I just disconnected it next to the transfer case where it transitions from rubber to steel.

The two lines come up on the top of the transmission and split. One connects to the fuel rail on each side of the engine.

-Tad

[newthings]

Got the car back today.
Photos show the gas hose was just cooked by the EGR valve and cracked open. Four circumferential cracks show as the hose is bent.
The gas hose markings indicate that this hose was added by Alpine during the S/C install. This is after about 18 months of driving.
Next, I will replace the hose again, but with teflon lined, silicone, and metal braided hose. At least I now know exactly what is required to fix.
I do not know why I would have an especially hot condition as compaired to other S/C installation.
Tone, do you see anything unusual?
Roy

[newthings]

bump

[Hotsauce]

Replace the bent banjo tube with a longer straight one, point it to the passenger side fender, and use a new longer rubber hose routed behind the passenger side valve cover.

John C.

[Tone]

Install looks fine and it is tight back there. No hose for that is included in any kit as it is not necessary - if they used the coolant or other hoses in the kit, they should not have as you need higher pressure hose (those marked gas are for low pressure systems and are insufficient for use on an injected system) And had they attached the stock fitting back to the block where it came from, there would be less stress on the connection. What markings make you think it came in the kit as I have also never seen red hose in any of the kits?

[newthings]

The hose markings are in english and describe dual use hose (Gas and PVC). The local auto parts store hose looks like this.
Roy