Gas smell on my 3VZE

[WPG93]

Hey guys,

I couldn't explicitly find what I was looking for in my searches and figured it's probably not a sin to make a new thread given the decline in activity here. I have an 88 manual with the 3VZE and want to deal with a gas smell in my engine bay. It was pointed out to me by a ferry worker while my truck was turned off. I can't smell it very strongly myself so it's hard to detect. Seems like the strongest I can smell is the drivers side of the engine in the area in the photo. I don't see any gas on the injectors that I can see. I've checked my charcoal canister lines and both can be blown into without blockage. Tried to reach behind the engine to touch what others say leaks back there and while I found some gunk, it didn't smell of gas. Any tricks to checking the rails for leaks or even the injectors? This is my daily driver and I'd rather it not burn down! Help me fix my truck please!

 

[Voltan73]

Check the Fuel Pressure Pulsation Damper...known failure on these...
23207-65010

 

[wallytoo]

check the fuel lines (the hard lines) running along the passenger side of the chassis back to the tank. mine split, but didn't stop it from running (probably the low-pressure return line, but haven't checked). gas smell, but no visible gas up front at the engine. might be what's happening for you?

 

[WPG93]

Thanks guys, very good leads. I have now noticed it more towards the back of the engine where the pulsation dampener lives. I've also been noticing it taking an extra crank or two to start, and I think that could be a cause as well. I'll try to find all the fuel lines though.

If I end up going after the dampener, is there a point before I have a replacement? Is there a seal on it that is the culprit or do you scrap the whole unit? Any other preventative maintenance I should do at the same time or any gaskets I'll need to replace during reassembly?

Will keep updating this thread as I go to help others.

 

[WPG93]

For instance, it seems that I will need some crush washers: 90430-12005. This is because of the lines that need to be removed to wrench off the damper. Reading some horror stories about the fpd6 by standard motor products, I wonder if it's worth shelling out extra for the OEM? It's not on rockauto, where is a good source for OEM parts?

Also looks like I will need gaskets for the plenum/manifold.

 

[WPG93]

Update on the diagnosis: I have determined it is in fact the fuel injection pulsation damper.

To help others like me who at first couldn't detect for sure a leak there, what I had to do was remove a coolant line (got coolant on my exhaust manifold which was a little stinky) so I could get to it better with a shop towel and clean it off from 30 years of gunk on it. This also makes you more familiar as to where it is. See attached image for the hose I removed. Once it is cleaned off I put the hose back on and tightened it. With the engine running for a couple minutes it wasn't too warm to sneak my fingers back there and touch it while running, at which time my fingers immediately got wet with drips coming on the bottom lip of the mushroom top of it. Mine had the plastic cover on it, so don't expect to feel the middle screw, that round dome thing you feel is in fact the damper.

Looking for any feedback and advice on sourcing the parts needed while doing this procedure.

 

[WPG93]

Here's what it looked like sneaking my camera in there.

 

[WPG93]

So I found a really good post by a guy on Yotatech that I thought I'd paste over to here.

1. The EGR valve and the intake plenum chamber stay/bracket will need disconnected/removed. Disconnect the 2 coolant hoses running to and from the bottom of the throttle body and the 2 heater hoses at the front and rear of the intake plenum chamber. Unplug the TPS and the rear engine ground strap from the intake plenum chamber. A couple vacuum hoses(1 on top of the throttle body mark "P", 1 on top of fuel pressure regulator)and atleast one fuel line(fuel pressure regulator)will need disconnected. Disconnect the accelerator cable from the throttle body and remove it from the intake plenum chamber clips. Disconnect the hoses for the intake silencer and air filter box resonator from the intake plenum chamber. Disconnect the air intake hose from the throttle body. Then unbolt the intake plenum chamber. Lift the intake plenum chamber off the intake manifold and set it aside leaving the throttle body and as many hoses and wires still connected to it(passenger's side)as possible, while leaving enough space to access the fuel pressure pulsation damper.

2. Unscrew the fuel pressure pulsation damper from the end of passenger's side fuel rail. Replace with a new one using new copper gaskets. If the unit itself isn't the cause of the leak, then you may be able to just replace the copper gaskets.

3. Place a new intake plenum chamber gasket on top of the intake manifold. Set the intake plenum chamber on top of that and bolt it securely to the intake manifold. Reconnect the EGR valve, intake plenum chamber stay/bracket, and all hoses and wires.

4. Run the engine with the heater on and the radiator cap off untill the upper radiator hose is warm, to circulate coolant through the system and remove any trapped air(necessary because you'll have disconnected/reconnected atleast 4 coolant lines for the throttle body and heater core in the process). Check the coolant level and refill if needed. Put the radiator cap back on.

5. Your done.

More info/details can be found in the link below.
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There's your write-up. Shouldn't take more than 4-5 hours even if you take your time. It would take me less than 2, because I'm very familiar with how to remove/replace the intake plenum chamber efficiently.

Here's the stuff I forgot, diagrams and part #'s.

17176 GASKET, AIR SURGE TANK TO INTAKE MANIFOLD
17176-65020 3VZE

23270 DAMPER ASSY, FUEL PRESSURE PULSATION
23207-65010 3VZE

23270B GASKET (FOR PULSATION DAMPER HOSE)
90430-18028 3VZE

23807J GASKET, PIPE FUEL DELIVARY INLET
90430-18028 3VZE

Still trying to figure out where to best source OEM parts.

 

[WPG93]

Found out that my crush washer will be different part number to the one above because my truck is older. Also having to pay absurd prices on the damper from the local dealer because I can't stomach Amazon's shipping time... If anyone has a source for OEM would be appreciated for future endeavors. Too many nightmare reviews on the knock off damper for me to handle going rockauto on this one.

 

[Voltan73]

Sometimes you just have to forget about the coin, and do what's best for your rig. I'm a 19 year veteran parts counterman for a Toyota dealer. I cannot stress enough the quality of genuine Toyota parts over aftermarket garbage. This is NOT because I work for a dealer...this is from 19 years of gained knowledge and experience.

Glad to hear you figured it out.

 

[WPG93]

Thanks [MENTION=271848]Voltan73[/MENTION], it just hurts paying twice the price of the same part I can get on Amazon that's a Denso, from a dealership. I definitely decided OEM was the way to go, had to pay double since it's my daily driver and I couldn't wait as long.

My parts store is confident they can provide the crush washers that the dealership couldn't get for me. Wondering if anyone has any issues with stuff like that?

 

[Voltan73]

Let me check on the washers at work tomorrow...I may have them in stock. 90430-18028, correct? How many do you want if so? Could mail perhaps...

Out of curiosity, does Amazon offer a warranty for the parts? Toyota's is 12 months, unlimited mileage. Lifetime for certain exhaust and suspension parts.

 

[Voltan73]

I have 4 of the 90430-18028 washers in stock. $4.97 each plus tax, and maybe an extra buck to mail them? Let me know if you want them...

Edit---Just noticed you're in Canada...would make the postage higher I would suspect...

 

[WPG93]

[MENTION=271848]Voltan73[/MENTION], actually the crush washers I need are the ones for the fuel delivery pipe that sits right above the damper not the ones for the damper itself. Yeah in the Yukon no less.

 

[WPG93]

Ok so I've got it open and removed the damper, what should I do while I'm in here? I couldn't remove the last hose under the back passenger side of the plenum, any advice to get that off?

I had to turn a fitting that was in the path of the damper twisting out. Should I not have? What is it and any risk to damaging it by giving it a quarter to a half turn? It has two little blue nipples on the top of it, picture provided.

I got the damper off and it rattled. Brought it in and the little screw had come loose and was caught in the shroud, is this why it was leaking? Is my damper possibly fine and I can just screw the screw back in? Any advice on this screw would be good. Do I adjust the screw on the new damper before putting it in?

 

[WPG93]

I'm answering my own questions and yours with research.

The fitting with the blue nipples is the BVSV or TVV switch, it tells your system the engine is warm enough to use the charcoal canister. Turning it slightly should have no effect.

The screw on the damper has no bearing on leaks, the diaphragm doesn't have a hole in it when the screw is missing, a leaky damper means a bad diaphragm and you need a new one no matter what you do to the screw.

Still open to advice on what to do with my access to beneath the plenum. Maybe some tips on cleaning some of the debris out?

 

[WPG93]

Well, I shouldn't have talked about the BVSV. It might have been my doing when I turned it or when I took the hoses off but I snapped off a blue nipple and now I'm waiting two weeks for that part to get to me before I can attempt reassembly of my plenum.

 

[WPG93]

Well, after reassembly and having it leak, disassembly and retightening and reassembly I am happy to say that the leak is gone and my truck is purring once more. On my last tank I measured my fuel economy and got 21.25 mpg highway which I am very happy about.

Only thing is the idle has seemed a little low since doing all of this. Do you think it's related? I'm idling at about 600 to 700 rpm when warm. Haven't tried adjusting it in case there's been air bubbles in the coolant but my temp has been very typical and consistent. Thoughts?

 

[wallytoo]

that’s phenomenal mileage for a 3.slow. most seem to max out at 17 or 18 mpg.

 

[WPG93]

My other 3.0 in my avatar gets about 12 (but I think there's an issue with it), I've been really happy with the performance of this engine. It's in an 88 5 speed too.