looking inside of spark plug hole

[newfie6719]

was wandering if i could use an inspection camera to look inside of the spark plug holes to see if i got a leaking injector
any thoughts on this idea would be great . here's a link to the camera i am thinking about getting if it will work General Tools Basic Inspection Camera | Canadian Tire


thanks

 

[Fire06]

Could you not do a pressure test on the fuel system..

 

[newfie6719]

yes already did that but trying it isolate which injector or injectors are leaking would like to know before taking it apart because i'd have to order them.

 

[limequat]

Maybe, but your intake valves would be in the way. You'd have to turn the cam for each cylinder to make sure the valve is open and then hope that enough seeps in that you can actually see it.

Generally, if you have 1 leaky injector, you have 6 injector that are at least partially clogged. Get them all ultrasonically cleaned. Cheaper than replacement, and you won't have another injector clog up 2 months later.

Also, switch to a top tier gas if you don't already use one.

 

[dfc739]

Maybe, but your intake valves would be in the way. You'd have to turn the cam for each cylinder to make sure the valve is open and then hope that enough seeps in that you can actually see it.

Generally, if you have 1 leaky injector, you have 6 injector that are at least partially clogged. Get them all ultrasonically cleaned. Cheaper than replacement, and you won't have another injector clog up 2 months later.

Also, switch to a top tier gas if you don't already use one.

Why do you suspect a leaking injector? I agree with limequat for multiple reasons. First, you really won't have a good view of the injectors unless you turn the engine over so the intake valves are open and feed the camera through the spark plug hole and then up through one of the valve openings. This is going to require some serious luck. Even then, depending on the camera quality you might not even be able to tell which one is leaking. Second, you might as well have all of the injectors cleaned while you have it all apart. And if you're going to go through all that trouble and you really want to figure out which injectors are leaking, why not take off the intake and fuel rail? You'll have to do it eventually so you might as well get some practice now. I can take off my intake 20x faster now than I did the first time. Then you can look at each injector and see if it's leaking.

Alternatively, you should do a fuel pressure test at the schraeder valve and see if it's leaking down. Also, if you turn over the motor at the crank a few times with the fuel system pressurized, you will probably smell a lot of gasoline when you remove the offending injector's spark plug.

 

[newfie6719]

what to say thanks for the info guys the reason i'm thinking it's injectors are i got my cat removed and getting about 8 miles to the gallon before and after removed. no codes or misfire showing up but on cold starts nothing but the smell of raw gas coming out the exhaust pipe so i'm thinking it's the injector or injectors leaking down. when i did the plugs a couple months ago i did notice 1 cylinder had a smell of gas when i took the plug out but really never took notice. so got a new ac delco o2 sensor on the way but i guess i got some reading to do on removing the fuel rail thank's again for the advice.

 

[seanpooh]

If you have a Home Depot around, they might have a demo Milwaukee table around. There should be a inspection camera that has a built in screen. It is the coolest thing and has led lights which lights up any dark hole. But it's $350 usd... you might as well pay a dealer to look inside the hole

 

[newfie6719]

will not going to the stealership guess i'll be removing the injectors but not sure if there is any place here that cleans them thou.

 

[gmcman]

First thing you need to do as already mentioned, is to take a pressure gauge and with the key ON, see if you are losing pressure.

If you are losing pressure, you can either pull the intake or pull the plugs and with the piston about half way down, if you're lucky to be on the intake stroke, see if there is fuel leaking in or a strong fuel odor. The fuel may evaporate before it enters the cylinder but you should smell it. Intake removal is likely the easiest since you can check all of them.

Do you have any codes?

 

[newfie6719]

already did a leak down test awhile back and it was losing pressure and there have been no codes so thinking going to have to take it apart find the bad 1's then put it back together for now and order the new 1's pita thou unless i can find some shop around here that cleans them and test them for me. 107 k on the motor

 

[newfie6719]

ok quick ? do anyone if i need to replace the intake gasket if i'm going to be removing the intake again when i'm done i will use new o rings and gasket thanks and any other gaskets i should get while i'm at it.

 

[limequat]

already did a leak down test awhile back and it was losing pressure and there have been no codes so thinking going to have to take it apart find the bad 1's then put it back together for now and order the new 1's pita thou unless i can find some shop around here that cleans them and test them for me. 107 k on the motor

Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner.

 

[newfie6719]

good idea may have to look at getting 1 of them.

 

[gmcman]

I would seriously run a can of BG 44K through it before you start wrenching on it .

 

[newfie6719]

ran gumout in it a few weeks ago going going to have to check dealer to see if they carry BG 44K.

 

[dfc739]

already did a leak down test awhile back and it was losing pressure and there have been no codes so thinking going to have to take it apart find the bad 1's then put it back together for now and order the new 1's pita thou unless i can find some shop around here that cleans them and test them for me. 107 k on the motor

You should also make sure it isn't leaking at the fuel pressure regulator (FPR). That is a common issue that will leak fuel pressure and it's really easy to check. There should be a small plastic hose that connects the FPR to the airbox resonator. Pull it off and try to smell gas.

 

[NewfieEnvoy]

ran gumout in it a few weeks ago going going to have to check dealer to see if they carry BG 44K.

I can't find BG44K anywhere in Canada let alone Newfoundland. Drop me a line if you find it, I was going to pick up a can up to have on hand. There was an ebay seller in Vancouver but hasn't listed a can in a while.

 

[newfie6719]

ya no luck finding the bg44k here but from some reading the closest thing i could fine was the gumout injector cleaner did the upper engine today with the acdelco upper engine and fuel injector cleaner via brake booster line must of had some carbon buildup cause engine seems alot smoother. now my new 02 sensor should be here tomorrow wanted to do it before changing it. might see if i can get some bg44k next time i order something.

 

[Wooluf1952]

You should also make sure it isn't leaking at the fuel pressure regulator (FPR). That is a common issue that will leak fuel pressure and it's really easy to check. There should be a small plastic hose that connects the FPR to the airbox resonator. Pull it off and try to smell gas.

IIRC, the FPR was moved to the fuel tank along with the filter in the 2005 model.

 

[newfie6719]

IIRC, the FPR was moved to the fuel tank along with the filter in the 2005 model.

yes you do recall correctly 2005 is in pump assembly did mine in the summer.

 

[dfc739]

IIRC, the FPR was moved to the fuel tank along with the filter in the 2005 model.

I stand corrected. Leave it up to GM to make something harder than it has to be to change/service (FPR and fuel filter).

 

[newfie6719]

will that's a new 02 sensor in and with the price of gas $1.39 liter hope millage gets a bit better. 170k 57 liters of fuel not good it's killing me

 

[Fire06]

will that's a new 02 sensor in and with the price of gas $1.39 liter hope millage gets a bit better. 170k 57 liters of fuel not good it's killing me

Try a product called Seafoam for cleaning the engine. Works great. I even add to the gas every so often and I believe that people on the site have used it to suck in thru the brake vac. line to clean out the engine and I know you can get it in canada.

 

[NewfieEnvoy]

Try a product called Seafoam for cleaning the engine. Works great. I even add to the gas every so often and I believe that people on the site have used it to suck in thru the brake vac. line to clean out the engine and I know you can get it in canada.

Yeah I've seen the Seafoam products at Canadian Tire. Seen a couple of scary bad reviews but I think they're more alone the lines of problems that are just more noticeable once the engine has been cleaned.

 

[newfie6719]

think i'm going to look into getting an injector balance test done from what i can tell sure seems to me like an injector leaking down over nite. after using the injector cleaner a few time not so much of fuel smell on cold starts but black smoke now.

 

[TollKeeper]

Before we do all of this, have we made sure that the T-Stat was good? and the Temp Sender?

 

[newfie6719]

yes the temp needle stays straight up and down and scan tool reads between 187 and 194 mainly around 190
and were it's a cold start wouldn't think a bad ts would cause the extra fuel on startup

 

[TollKeeper]

I think we may need to get Roadies advice, but if I remember right, the temp guage on your dash means nothing. On a 4.2, its an idiot guage without the light.

Now the question is, where does the ScanTool read the temps you posted from. Even those temps sound a little low.

A bad FPR will cause extra fuel, at all times, even on startup. I had a car catch fire from a bad FPR.

 

[newfie6719]

i know the fpr can cause it but the fpr is in the pump assembly and that was replaced the summer and had the fuel pressure test couple months back and it was withing specs if i remember correctly it was @ 53 psi so that's y i"m thinking injectors and the temp is a touch low but from what i read about the spec on the ts it's a 192 i could be wrong there open to suggestions thanks