New MPFI Spider Injection caused Engine Seizing????

[djb118]

Hey ya'll, I have a '98 K1500 with a 5.7 Vortec (vin code R). The truck has 230k on it, so i decided I would do the MPFI upgrade. I figured it had the original CFI in it. Well, I took it apart and discovered it already had an FJ504 (O'Reilly's) injector in it. Being as I had a brand new one (same FJ504) on hand, I decided I would just replace it. After replacing it and putting everything back together I primed the fuel a few times and started the engine. It started great! It developed a misfire on cyl 4 after about 2 minutes of running but then the misfire disappeared. So I decided to take the truck to get gas as it was running low. I filled up on gas and then I started it. It ran for probably 30 seconds (very roughly), my check engine light started flashing and then the engine shut off abruptly. I tried to crank it up again and it wouldnt budge. At this point I realized it might be seized. Called a tow and had it take my truck back home (.2 miles = $105).

Now I'm sitting here wondering what to do next? I can assume it was either the regulator puking fuel under the plenum, or the injector on cyl 4 is just puking fuel into the cylinder. I'm also worried about my connecting rod on cyl 4 being bent after it seizing the way it did. Is there a way to purchase JUST the regulator and replace it if that's the problem? How would I test if the injector is just spraying all willy nilly? How would I test if the rod is bent? I would also like the note that the engine bay smelled like fuel, but no leak was visible. Is there a sure-fire spider injection assembly out there that (almost) never has these kinds of issues?

I would appreciate any and all advice!

 

[GoToGuy]

Did you determine that is is seized? I would be investigating the spider, pull upper manifold off see what's going on. That's first thought.
Have you pulled the plugs? Fuel inside cylinders? Drain oil , heavy fuel smell? Or looking for 5 quarts get more than 5,6 plus fuel ?
Are your ideas hydro lock, or oil loss then seizing?

 

[djb118]

Did you determine that is is seized? I would be investigating the spider, pull upper manifold off see what's going on. That's first thought.
Have you pulled the plugs? Fuel inside cylinders? Drain oil , heavy fuel smell? Or looking for 5 quarts get more than 5,6 plus fuel ?
Are your ideas hydro lock, or oil loss then seizing?

I intended on changing the oil and pulling the plugs today but its been non-stop raining all day. When i popped the hood at the gas station, the whole engine bay smelled like fuel. I didn't see a leak anywhere and I checked the fuel lines behind the engine to see if they were wet but they weren't. I did some reading and I've seen a lot of people say that it could be hydrolock from the fuel being dumped into the cylinder. I just checked the oil and it smelled like fuel and had the consistency of gasoline.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

... my check engine light started flashing and then the engine shut off abruptly. I tried to crank it up again and it wouldnt budge. At this point I realized it might be seized.

I can't imagine it would hydrolock that quickly... not if it was already running (as you said) and just stopped.

If it had been sitting a while, yeah, I could see how a cylinder might fill with fuel, but that's not the case here... so you said.

I highly doubt your fuel system could have pumped fuel quickly enough into your idling engine to hydrolock it.

But I've been wrong before.

 

[djb118]

I can't imagine it would hydrolock that quickly... not if it was already running (as you said) and just stopped.

If it had been sitting a while, I could see how a cylinder might fill with fuel, but that's not the case here... so you said.

On a nitro engine they dump >1.3 gallons/sec of liquid (fuel) into the engine, running at ~8000RPM, and the engine does hydrolock. You can pour milk out of a jug that fast.

I highly doubt your fuel system could have pumped fuel quickly enough into your idling engine to hydrolock it.

But I've been wrong before.

The only way to test if it is hydrolocked would be to pull the plug and see if there's a puddle of fuel inside, right? I checked my oil and it smells like fuel.

 

[GoToGuy]

A hydrolock can be cleared, pull plugs remove fluid from cylinder. Does not always cause damage if caught in time.
On the other hand if you got a lot fuel into and thinned the oil, and lost oil film lubrication. Seems more info is needed,

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

I checked my oil and it smells like fuel.

Is it high on the stick?

If not, there may be some but not a LOT of fuel mixed-in.

If it's a quart high, that's a lot.

 

[djb118]

Is it high on the stick?

It's maybe a 1/4 qt higher than where it was

 

[skylark]

Pull the upper intake off, remove spider, plug spider back in and reattach fuel lines. Turn the key on and watch what happens. Take pictures, go to O'reilly's and make sure that they warranty all of the gaskets as well. I'd hit them with the tow bill too.