'92 3Vz-Fe Injector Gasket Sealing Position

LoveLearn · November 26, 2011

1992 ES-300 3VZ-FE engine injector gaskets have been leaking. Unscrewing the two 8-mm Allen-head cap screws securing the intake manifold turned into a nightmare

because they were in so tightly that their 8-mm hex pockets deformed, allowing the 3/8-inch socket-driven 8-mm Allen driver to spin without unscrewing those bolts!

Eventually 22-ounce-hammer sharp blows a against a freshly-sharpened off-center cold chisel loosened them. We used a "framing hammer" with larger than usual

head and a waffle pattern on the striking surface to minimize slide-off blows. While sharpening the the chisel, I touched up the hammering surface. The fact that

the hammer's waffle pattern is now imprinted into the chisel's top speaks loudly about how hard it had to be hit. No fun at all.

With intake manifold off, I noticed that all this engine's second-from-top injector gaskets were touching the fuel rail BUT WERE NOT SQUEEZED INTO THEIR FUEL

RAIL BORE HOLES! That almost certainly explains why some of this engine's injector gasket sets eventually started leaking gasoline.

i replaced the four injector gaskets on each injector. Top and bottom are identical single-contact ring style gaskets. The second-from-top and second-from-bottom gaskets

have different diameters but both are double-contact ring configuration gaskets. I expected that lubricating these gaskets with petroleum jelly would let them all slide into

their respective bore holes with little insertion force. If all these gasket ring contact surfaces are fitted within their respective bores, the injector's top fit into the fuel rail

and the injector's bottom fit into the cylinder head both should be sealed by a series of three gasket ring surfaces. Double redundancy seems like adequate leak protection.

The bottoms slide in with little insertion force. But I'd guess I applied about 50 pounds pressure trying to force those second-from-top gaskets into the fuel rail bore holes

without getting them to slide in!

Question to those of you who replaced these injector gasket sets:

Have you experienced difficulty getting those second-from-top gaskets to slide into their fuel-rail bores?

Which did you slide in first, bottom or top? Did you bother to check to insure that both sealing rings of the second from top gasket were seated within its bore hole?

If you didn't, expect to smell gasoline one of these years.

The fuel-rail clamping bolts can be tightened without forcing these second-from-top injector gaskets to slide inside their fuel-rail bores. Anyone performing this work

should check and make sure those second-from-top gaskets are fitted inside the fuel rail's bore holes rather than just pushing against the fuel rail's outside surface.

Failure to check that may not cause fuel leakage symptoms for months or even years, but appears to be a prescription for eventual gasoline leaking smells from

the engine compartment.

Any helpful comments about how to get these to slide home will be appreciated.

John

lexis lexus · November 29, 2011

Lovelearn,

Man, I feel for you w/ those bolts. Seems like after 19 years, everything is rusted tight. Tells ya, that no one ever had the top off, or if they did, they torqued those bolts on with an airgun or a 22 inch ratchet handle.

Nowadays, when I have to unbolt anything, if it seems even the little bit difficult, I'll soak it in penetrant for a day or two.

I've had too many broken off or rounded off bolts to my likes...

BTW, the best penetrant I've ever used is a 50/50 mix of acetone and atf. Pretty inexpensive too.

I did the "gaskets" on my '94. Seemed like they just slid right in, altho I'm now wondering if they actually sealed properly.

I've been getting a system too lean on bank one forever, don't smell any gas though.

Maybe I'll get out there w/ my mirror and check it out.

LL