1990 Subaru Legacy Fuel System- Engine and Exhaust

Tiny
JONWIRTH84
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 SUBARU LEGACY
  • 4 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 197,823 MILES
I am having a fuel issue. I have replaced 2 fuel injectors, my fuel injector pressure regulator. So that would make my car have 4 good injectors. The problem that I am having is that I am having too much fuel dumped into my system, causing fuel to spit out of my exhaust. It smells like gas in my engine compartment as well. How this all started was that I had 2 injectors that were dirty and clogged. I went to relieve the pressure out of my system and pulled both injectors out. I noticed that a ton of fuel guzzled down into the cylinders and about 5 gallons of gas was pouring out my exhaust. This is when I changed the fuel injector pressure regulator. I finally got the cylinders cleaned out of all the excess gas and was able to start my car. Now like I was saying it smells like gas in the engine compartment and gas is sputtering out of the exhaust but is not pouring out. The car runs rough still and doesn't want to speed up past 40. The car seems to be sluggish and when I step on the gas pedal it doesn't kick down to a higher RPM to allow me to increase my speed. I really don't know what is going on and can sure use the help as this is my only means of transportation.
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Saturday, March 6th, 2010 AT 9:25 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
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If you really had that much gas running out the tailpipe, then your crankcase is full of gass too, change oil and filter, also, if it wont go over 40, the converter(catalytic) is probably damaged as well, raw fuel in the exhaust will break up the cat! Oil change is imperitive as too much liquid in the crankcase will DESTROY an engine in seconds!
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010 AT 9:02 AM
Tiny
JONWIRTH84
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Okay Yeah I think that the catalytic converter is shot. I had changed the oil and filter. Soon as I found out that there was gas in the cylinders I had pulled my oil drain plug to drain all my oil. I never was able to run the engine when there was gas in the oil anyhow because my battery was shot. As I have changed the fuel injectors and the pressure regulator; there is still a rough idle and a nasty engine shake. The car wants to die out. I can hear all four injectors clicking so I know that they are working. I know that there is crud in the cylinders so I was going to pour some Sea Foam into the gas tank to clean out my fuel system. I might even put some into my oil as well. The question that I have is what could be causing this rough engine shake and the rough idle, it seems that it still has something to do with the fuel system. As you know I have changed just about all the key components. The fuel filter is good, injectors are good and the fuel pressure regulator is good. Could it be something with the computer? The check engine light is on as well.
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010 AT 11:19 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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Can also be caused by the clogged converter, too much backpressure. Get a vacuum gauge, hook into a manifold vacuum source. Increase RPM to 1500-200 and hold steady, if vacuum gauge falls, exhaust sytem has a restriction, the cat or muffler or a pipe has a broken chunk of the cat blocking it.
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010 AT 11:44 AM
Tiny
JONWIRTH84
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  • 6 POSTS
Now would that be causing it to blow an excess of white smoke? I still have gas sputtering out of the exhaust. Is that cause by a bad cat?
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Sunday, March 7th, 2010 AT 5:29 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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White smoke is due to a blown head gasket or cracked head. Anti freeze is burning off in the engine. You could try to rebuild the top end.
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Monday, March 8th, 2010 AT 2:46 AM
Tiny
JONWIRTH84
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Ok I will Try that, but its is not water coming out, it's gas. The car doesn't over hear at all. I was told that the smoke is from the gas burning off.
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Monday, March 8th, 2010 AT 10:00 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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Not right. Excess gas would make it smoke, but it would be black smoke, get a cooling system pressure tester, and read the directions to test for a blown head gasket, it doesnt need to be a lot or antifreeze to produce white smoke, but it may be affecting the spark and hence the unburned gas. Rent the tool at Autozone, when you return it, you get all your money back, FREE rental! While youre there, get the codes read, they do that free too, then post the codes here.
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Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 AT 2:30 PM
Tiny
JONWIRTH84
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Thank you very much for your time and help I truly appreciate it to the fullest extent. This is a very helpful website and will be recommending it to people that I know. Once again thank you.
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Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 AT 10:16 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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Your welcome.
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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 AT 2:24 AM

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