New Guy Needs Help

[Highflier]

I acquired a 98 Cobra Vert about 4 mos ago. 18000 miles, beautiful car, has run perfectly. Decided to drive it to work today for the first time. (about 30 miles one way. About 1/2 way there thought I smelled gas. Got off the highway and stopped at the light and it bout knocked me out and the car wouldn't idle w/o my foot barely on the pedal. Pulled over there was a puddle of gas under the car and a trail behind it. When I opened the hood there was some on top of the engine and down the front of it. Traced it to (I think) around the fuel rail, drivers side towards the back but can't really see back there w/o taking everything apart. There was a little gas down in the valley around the rail and if you tug lightly side to side on the front of the fuel rail it moves a little. The passenger side one feels solid. I am hoping the connection has come loose or something easy. Just wondering if anyone has run across this and know something I should be aware of.
Anyway, got it home on a dolley behind the company truck and don't want to jump into it while I'm still %^$ about it and w/o asking around.
I am not a mechanic but can change oil, brakes, tranny fluid and most maintenance items. Looks fairly simple to remove things to get to it but I haven't had time to buy the Haynes yet. I also did a forum search and didn't really find anything that applies. I did print up a procedure for the IMRC cleanup that gives a pretty good idea about how everything goes together in the area. Any feedback would be appreciated.
BTW, sorry for thfirst post on this in the wrong spot.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

All I can say is clean everything up and make sure it is dry. Have someone turn the key on for the fuel system to pressure up and look for the leak.

That is about all you can do without actually changing the fuel rail or taking it to a shop.

 

[Highflier]

Got it all apart can't find any obvious leak in the rail or rubber crossover tubes in the back. Don't know what could possibly cause a leak in the rail system, outside of connect points anyway.
Did see gas bubbling out of the front driver side inj as soon as I moved the fuel rail at all. Fuel rail was basically not bolted down on that corner. Could move it side to side and up/down. If injector was loose could it leak a lot of gas? I mean I went through a 1/4 tank in minutes. All injectors o-rings looked in good shape. Also ran the part # and the injectors don't match those for a Cobra. Part no is actually for a T-bird, sold in sets of 4 or 6 only!
Anyway, going to head to the parts store and replace em all with the right part number, then clean and button everything up and cross my fingers.

 

[Gallows]

Sounds like whoever changed the injectors forgot to bolt the fuel rail down. Are the other four injectors #24 pounders?

 

[Highflier]

All are the 30lb for the T-bird.
Couldn't find the ones locally that are the actual fitment so I ordered em from LRS. In the meantime put the old ones back in (they seem to fit fairly loose) after regreasing and inspecting o-rings. Put everything back together and can't see any leaks just idling in the garage, Its raining like heck here so haven't had the chance to check under load yet.

 

[PSUCOBRA96]

the o rings are prob shot, you can rebuild the 24's and that will prob fix your problem

 

[crash549]

be careful. gas pouring all over is no joke.

 

[94venomV8]

def. sounds like o rings to me, it will pour gas out if an o ring is bad, I nicked a or ing on my old car when putting it back together and didnt know, when I pressured the fuel system it went everywhere. like you were saying made a puddle on the floor and everything, and didnt stop because the fuel system wasnt satisfied with the pressure so it just kept throwing more fuel at it.

 

[Highflier]

Was the injector... got new ones lubed the o rings up, installed and problem solved! One thing I did notice when cleaning up the intake cover before re-installing was that several of the attachment tabs to screw it on had hairline cracks in them. I torqued down gingerly and all is fine but looked like just a matter of a few more on/offs may create a problem. Looked for these on the internet but no luck. Hopefully can find one if it one of them ever goes.

 

[crash549]

glad to hear your problems solved. that was a bad one.