Fuel Reg Went Out Flooded Vacuum System

[ExploringNC]

Several weeks ago my check engine light came on and the code read lean(I think) and MPG really went down. About 3-4 days later my brake light and ABS light came on but would go out as engine revved up then day later they stayed on all the time and brakes are real spungy, also tranny is not shifting right. Well monday it died on the road and left me stranded. I was suspecting that it was failing on me so I checked the vacuum line and fuel poured out of the regulator. I heard something dripping and looked around and fuel was leaking out of the air box. Took the air thingy off going to the upper intake and it was full of fuel. Opened the butterfly manually and about half a gallon of fuel poured out of the upper intake. Got the regulator replaced and got it running but brake light and ABS are still on, brakes are still spongy and it's still having shifting issues. I'm assuming that it's all vacuum related but not sure what all I need to do from here.

Question I have is where else would there be fuel that there shouldn't be? I checked fuel lines several places and didn't notice any fuel or smell of fuel. I will be changing tranny fluid this weekend but could there be fuel in the brake booster or master cylinder? If so how would I get it out?

 

[corkey]

it is possible if the vacuum lines got filled that the brake booster did get some gas in it , but the master cylinder is a separate system from the vacuum system so it is not possible for the gas to get into it,
other possible locations that could have gotten soe fuel in it are anything that runs off vacuum, maybe ranging from the vacuum ball that is used to control the system to the heater vacuum controls, ,
i would say that except for the brake booster most of the system will get vacuumed back into the intake in time, but the booster could get a puddle in the bottoom of it that could take a fair amount of time to evaporate , and that may hold fuel against the rubber bladder inside the booster , possibly damaging it, ,

i would remove the lines one at a time while the engine is running, to allow the engine vacuum to pull all or any fluid back into the intake system.

and which year Ex was it, that will help us determine what all vacuum accessories are connected to the system,

 

[Tony H]

Keep us informed .. this is an interesting Thread. I have not heard of this before.

 

[ExploringNC]

It's on my '91. Is there a way to get the fuel out of the brake booster? When I took the vacuum line off the regulator fuel poured out but I've taken the vacuum lines off at several places and didn't see any signs of fuel. But there was just an extreem amount of fuel in the upper intake I don't know how else it would have gotten there other than the vacuum lines.

 

[1Byounkin]

I had the fuel pressure regulator go out on my 1991. It did the same things was things with the engine light, lean and stuff like that. I was driving and noticed the power dropping. I replaced the CAT, O2. Still no change. This took a while to figure out. But the fuel pressure regulator did go out. Which made the fuel eat up fast. 120 miles to tank. The diaphragm in the regulator went bad sucking fuel straight into the engine making it giving it bad codes. I replaced the vacuum lines and the fuel pressure regulator.
NOTE: check the connection of how the fuel line connects into the regulator before buying. Some used clamps and some screw on.
Don't think gas got anywhere else.

 

[corkey]

i would search out the vacuum line that goes to the FPR and see exactly where it goes, that might be the key to how all the fuel got in the intake,

i would venture to say that if there was not fuel in the lines you took off that maybe none got into the brake booster , i don't know exactly what is inside one of them right of the top of my head, but i will search google and a few other places i know and see what i can find for you on the inner workings of a booster , maybe it will be as easy as drill a hole drain it, and put a sheet metal screw in the hole to seal it,, but don't try that till i find out whats in there,, okay,

 

[corkey]

,,,it appears that there is only a large bladder inside the booster that uses the vacuum to hel[p aplly pressure to the rod that activates the pistons in the master cylinder

 

[corkey]

there is also a one way valve that only allows air out of the booster

 

[corkey]

brake system, so, apparently there is nothing inside the outer part of the booster that will get damaged if you drilled a drain hole or air bleed in the front of the booster , and than sealed it back up after the fluid was drawn out of it, , just make sure the hole gets well sealed again, and don't drill the hole real deep or dam,age to the bladder may happen and than it must be replaced,,

i hope this helps ,

 

[ExploringNC]

Thanks Corkey for all the posts helps me understand a little more.

What is the canister next to the brake booster? You can kinda see an arrow pointing to it, I think it's the ABS.

I don't really see how fuel can go to the booster or the ABS because it should be always pulling a vacuum, there is no other entry way for fuel to flow threw. Unless gravity allowed fuel to flow into canisters while engine was off and there was no vacuum. I did replace the check valve and grommet on the booster, I did't notice any fuel in the check valve I took off. I didn't get a picture of it but what is the electronic valve in the vacuum line going from intake under butterfly to charcoal filter? When I take that line off the charcoal canister I don't get any vacuum, Should there be a vacuum at the charcoal canister?

 

[corkey]

that part next to the brake booster actually looks like it might be the cruise control, is there a cable that comes off the other side of it , ? to the throttle ?

 

[ExploringNC]

Yes there is what looks like a throttle cable going to it from the firewall so it's the cruise control then.

 

[corkey]

yes, , okay, that works off vacuum too, and it is also a bladder configuration, if gas got in there it could represent a problem, like the rubber getting soaked and maybe soggy soft,