patsmx5

iTrader: (16)

All I can say is good luck. Just have to hunt and fine the leak. If it's leaking enough you can smell it, it's bad. Fuel leaks are nothing to procrastinate on fixing. I'd make it top priority. On my 99', all the fuel connectors are the "push, push, and you'll hear it 'click' when it locks on". They use O-rings to seal them. I'd start by inspecting all the fuel lines and changing all the O-rings. I actually had a fuel smell show up one day after removing the head and all the fuel lines twice. I knew it was an o-ring on one of the hoses leaking. Figured if one's leaking, the others will be soon enough. Changed them all. No more leak and I have peace of mind knowing they're new. Not expensive by any means.

Rafa

iTrader: (22)

You know what Pat; I'm going to follow your advice and change all my fuel lines.

The odor is indeed strong. I'm a smoker myself (so basically I have no sense of smell) but I can smell it and it's even bothersome.

BTW, I went for a short ride in the car just now and; it's not the injectors. I checked how they're flowing on the ECU and they're perfect. At least, I won't have to change them.

Thanks for all your assistance guys.

I promise to close this thread whenever I fix this.

patsmx5

iTrader: (16)

Also, if anything on the fuel system isn't stock, I would highly check these connections first. For example, some people build DIY fuel rails and remove the factory fuel hoses that snap and lock on to the steel feed line and use an O-ring seal. Instead, they just push some fuel hose on the steel tube the old hose fitting snapped on and they put a hose clamp. Well, this isn't ideal. There's nothing to keep the line from sliding off. Also I see people using "fuel hose" instead of "fuel injection hose". There's of course a difference. Both will work, but fuel hose isn't designed to work at high pressures where fuel injection hose is. So it could burst one day, which if it did, would be a guaranteed engine fire. So I suggest whenever you change anything, you put it back as good as you can.

I gotta redo the fuel system on my 99 one day to set it up for a return style setup. When I do, I will be using braided stainless hose with -AN fittings everywhere. It's actually cheaper to order it and pay shipping on it from Summit Racing than buying fuel injection hose from the local auto parts places. And the braided stuff is better.

Rafa

iTrader: (22)

To all who contributed to this thread:

My most sincere thanks.

I just came back from the shop. We changed the fuel filter and the car is back again to working fine.

I did burn the fan's relay while coming back home but I bought a new one and everything is in as close to perfect working order as I can ask for.

FWIW, the fuel filter had some part broken inside that would move as the car moved. No clue what that part was but it was surely affecting my car's fuel pressure.

I'm boosting again! Yeah!

I'll give the EBC one more try this weekend.

patsmx5

iTrader: (16)

So the fuel filter was restricting fuel flow (causing the lean condition) as well as leaking, causing the fuel odor? Was it the original fuel filter or was it an aftermarket from an autoparts store? I've got 145K miles on my stock fuel filter.... Need to change it one day.

Toddcod

iTrader: (8)

I would probably flow better. Old Ford trucks were notorious for that. They would die on the road, and you would wait five minutes, and it would run five minutes.

I hate it when cars just die. If a car leaves me stranded 3 times, I sell it.
I'm already at strike one for this miata. I better change that filter before it becomes strike 2.

Rafa

iTrader: (22)

Original one Pat. It had a part rattling inside. I got the OEM one for Miatas locally and; perfect!

The original leak was coming from the fuel lines close to the injectors which were toast. My shop didn't change them when I changed my fuel rail a few months ago.