StratfordShark

I will be doing this soon on my S4.

Have read all the intake removal guides and am unclear on just point 1 above i.e. disconnecting the fuel rail from the fuel lines.

Can you undo the line directly from the rail or do you always disconnect at the fuel pressure regulator (at the rear) and damper (at the front), leaving short lengths of hose attached to the rail.

In other words is there a correct choice between disconencting at the regulator/damper v disconnecting at the rail itself?

Thanks

worf928

That method will work well in my experience, if, and only if, the injectors have been out of the car in the last few years. Injectors that have been sitting in their little intake holes since they were install by Klaus at the factory are harder to get out. The top o-ring will give up first regardless of the clip being in place or not. Also, you risk munging-up the rail if you have to yank too hard to get the injectors out.

Last year I pulled the injectors out of an '85. The o-rings were so bonded to the intake runners that the pintle caps shattered before the o-rings would move. I had to cut the o-rings out of the runners.

worf928

Disconnect the rails at the coupling closest to the rails: Disconnect the left-side (driver on LHD) at the dampeners. Disconnect the right rail at the regulator and the short front fuel hose. Other methods, such as trying to remove the rails, regulator, and dampeners as a single unit will put a lot of stress on the various fuel lines. Leave all the other fuel lines alone unless you plan to replace them right now. (Given the age of the lines, once you disconnect the short front hose check its condition carefully. If a divot has been worn out of the the line by the oil filler neck, or if the hose is turning in the fitting, or if there are visible cracks when you slightly flex it then replace it. Check all the other fuel lines for cracks too. If there's any doubt replace them. Fuel fires bad.

If I'm not replacing the front line, I loosen the front fuel line at the right rail then pull the rail, then disconnect the line. Installation is the reverse. Thread the line onto the rail just enough to get it started, install the rail (with injectors and clips already in, and o-rings lubed) then tighten the rail nuts and the line. This places the least bending stress on the front fuel line and is a bit easier too.

the flyin' scotsman

I should mention that I replaced all fuel lines earlier this year as a matter of maintenace........Roger has a great kit.

bernard farquart

[QUOTE=worf928;4834788]That method will work well in my experience, if, and only if, the injectors have been out of the car in the last few years. Injectors that have been sitting in their little intake holes since they were install by Klaus at the factory are harder to get out. The top o-ring will give up first regardless of the clip being in place or not. Also, you risk munging-up the rail if you have to yank too hard to get the injectors out.



Guess I was just lucky then. mine came out fairly easy, had to pick some of the lower o-rings out of the intake, I did crack a couple of the pintle covers, but I was replacing them, so I was unconcerned with that detail.