Fuel rail remove

psyco66

New member
Apr 14, 2008
368
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San Mateo, CA
Has anyone removed there D side fuel rail. I have the PPE shim kit but I can not get the valve out. I am afraid I am going to round off the nut. I need to pull the rail out. Wondering how long it took to pull the rail. Any help would be great. Thanks.
 

MAXLLY

No Lemming Here
Aug 15, 2007
1,063
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San Diego
Taking the rail out is gonna take some work, it's buried. If you are sure you can't get it out (most use a good 12 point IIRC) I would attack it like this.

Disco all the injector side lines, drivers boost tube, return lines, sensor and transfer lines and remove the (2) 12mm bolts holding the log to the intake/head. You MAY be able to roll it out starting at the firewall end and rolling it out towards the master cylinder. I bet it takes all day to R and R it, i suggest a bench to stand on ( I am a midget porno star and subsequently vertically challenged:rofl)

Seriously though, If it's that tight if you take it out what could you use to hold the rail tight enough to break the nut loose? Without damaging the rail.

Good luck Dude
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
9,903
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B.C.
Taking the rail out is gonna take some work, it's buried. If you are sure you can't get it out (most use a good 12 point IIRC) I would attack it like this.

i suggest a bench to stand on ( I am a midget porno star and subsequently vertically challenged:rofl) Don't use a blue recycling box. My buddy and were standing on one and his foot went through. It closed on his leg like a bear trap!!:rofl:

Seriously though, If it's that tight if you take it out what could you use to hold the rail tight enough to break the nut loose? Without damaging the rail.

Good luck Dude
To get my valve out, I used a 1/2"drive flex head ratchet with a long handle and a good 12point socket.
Other people have used a 3/8" impact gun and a swivel impact socket, or a long square shafted prybar and a stubby ratchet wrench and pry off of the bracket that is just above it.

Mine wasn't bad at all to get out. Good luck.
 

psyco66

New member
Apr 14, 2008
368
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San Mateo, CA
Good news I got the valve out and installed the shim kit and put the valve back it. Man that valve was tightended by the hand of god. I am a pretty big boy and it took all of my might to break it loose. I got a 6 point wrench and ground the bevel of of it so it would grab the entire valve then I put a 2 foot peace of pipe on th wrench. Then it finaly broke loose. The glow plug bracket I got it out then I cut the bolt hole out to the rear of the truck so I could just slide it unber the bolts. Worked nice. I put both bolts back in there holes then I just slide the bracket on and tightend the bolts. I was not looking forward to taking the rail of. Thanks fot the input though.
 

psyco66

New member
Apr 14, 2008
368
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San Mateo, CA
I did not take any pics. But if you climp up on your truck and look at the back or the engine on the D side you will see the Glow Plug controller. Look down at the engine and you will see the fuel rail. At the back of the fuel rail you will see a 18 MM nut. That is the valve. Hope this helps.
 

SIKDMAX

Highway Burnouts!
Sep 14, 2007
4,698
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Central Coast, Cali
www.sikdmax.com
Ya thanks. Im pretty sure Ive seen it. I really need to get my shims in :(

And the glow plug controller and bracket have to come off correct? Ive heard people like you mention modifying it or relocating it or whatever cuz its a bitch... Ill just have to get up there and check it out later and do it.

Its weird - I dont blow the valve with a 500 hp race tune but I do at a 450 hp tune lol.
 

psyco66

New member
Apr 14, 2008
368
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San Mateo, CA
Sick Dmax when you do the mod make sure you get a six point wrench. The 12 point will strip the nut. I got a 6 point wrench from sears and then I ground down the bevel on it that way you are grabbing the entire nut. I then got a pry bar and put it between on of the glow plug controll bolts and the wrench. The pry bar kept the wrench from spilling off of the nut and rounding it off. I should have took pics but I was to pissed off to take any.
 

Visual

New member
Oct 27, 2014
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Mount Clemens, MI
Hey Guys, did the fuel rail plug swap on my LMM this weekend.

Took about 20 minutes or so to get the Glow Plug controller, and mounts out of the way, that rear bolt was a pain, so i notched the mount to make it much easier, should I need to remove this in the future (see pic).

Everyone was right on GM using the hand of god to torque that damn bolt in the fuel rail, after some cursing, crying, and bloody knuckles she came out.

I used a 3/8" breaker bar (see pic) and a cut down 18mm socket so it fit much closer and better leverage. I did not use an extension, as I couldn't get it to fit and still keep the socket on the bolt. I just pulled with all my might a few times, and it finally just snapped lose, there was no give, it was tight, then it was loose, so just keep pulling on her!

I was able to get my torque wrench on there and get it properly snugged to 74lb-ft (it alerted me at 73.2 and I stopped).
It did take a bit to start, as I did not prime my fuel system via the fuel filter housing button, which would have alleviated the cycling without start issue, but after maybe 10 seconds of cranking the rig fired up.
No leaks and she's good to go.

Figured these pics may help those in search of what tools to use, and a first hand experience. 3 out of 5 wrenches for this install seems close from AlligatorPerformance.com, but only due to the difficulty of removing the bolt, not necessarily the overall job itself.
The pictures of the stock bolt are to show it can take quite the beating prior to being removed; I was getting pretty worried it was getting too rounded, so I was incredibly relieved when it broke free.

Don't be afraid to remove some bolts to move things out of the way. Disconnecting my charge tube from the turbo cleared up quite a bit of space to work.

Hope this helps a bit!
 

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fortytilfive

New member
Jun 30, 2018
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Wow what a PITA!!! I tried all day and almost gave up until I finally grinded the bezel off of a socket as well. Once I did that I was finally able to get it off.