CAMPAIGN: FUEL LEAKAGE AT TBI FUEL FEED PIPE CONNECTION
MODELS AFFECTED: 1983 Skyhawks Equipped With 2.0L (LQ5) Engine (VIN Code P)
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended, provides that each vehicle which is subject to a recall Campaign of this type, must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the owner has tendered it for repair. A failure to adequately repair within sixty (60) days after tender of a vehicle is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time. If the condition is not adequately repaired within a reasonable time, the owner may be entitled to an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle at no charge, or to a refund of the purchase price, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation.
In order to avoid having to provide these burdensome solutions, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each owner and to repair his vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter which is being sent to owners, the owner is being instructed to contact the nearest Buick Zone Office if his dealer does not remedy the condition within five (5) days of the mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, he is instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
DEFECT INVOLVED
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain early production 1983 Buick Skyhawk models equipped with 2.0L engines (LQ5). The fuel system in these vehicles may leak at the Throttle Body Injection Fuel Feed Pipe Connection. Under certain conditions, this could result in an underhood fire. Such a fire could, in time, spread to the passenger compartment and cause burn injuries to occupants remaining in the vehicle.
DEALER ACTION
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring in vehicles involved, a new TBI Fuel Feed Pipe Fitting Bolt, and washers are to be installed as instructed in the Technical Procedure of this Bulletin.
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this Campaign, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.
Whenever a vehicle subject to this Campaign is taken into your new or used vehicle inventory, or it is in your dealership for service in the future, you should take the steps necessary to be sure the Campaign correction has been made.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Certain early production 1983 Skyhawks equipped with 2.0L, LQ5 engines, (VIN Code P) with serial numbers from DK400022, through and including DK404264.
DEALER MATERIAL
If your dealership has vehicles involved in this Campaign, you will receive the following items:
List of all vehicles involved in this Campaign shipped to your dealership.
One 83-C-1 Package, and a Campaign Identification Label for each vehicle involved.
Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Computer Listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identification Number, Owner Name and Address Data, and are furnished to the involved dealers with the Campaign Bulletin. Owner name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow up with owners involved in this Campaign.
These listings may contain owner names and addresses obtained from State Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is a violation of law in several states. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this Campaign.
TRANSFER OF VEHICLE
If a vehicle has been transferred or sold to another location, please forward Campaign Identification Label 83-C-1 Package, and vehicle information for this vehicle to your Buick Zone Office for handling with the proper dealer.
CHANGE OF OWNER INFORMATION
Dealers are to use the Dealer Communication System (D.C.S.) to provide Buick Motor Division with subsequent Buick Owner Information. By reporting a change of owner name or address of a vehicle in Campaign status over the D.C.S., the need to send in an S-866 Form for that vehicle is eliminated. Terminal input instructions are covered in the D.C.S. Manual under Section 9, Page 9-J01A and B.
OWNER NOTIFICATION
Owners of vehicles involved in this Campaign will be notified by Buick Motor Division (See copy of owner letter included with this Bulletin).
PARTS INFORMATION
An 83-C-1 Package which contains a new TBI Fuel Feed Bolt and washers will be furnished "No Charge" by Buick as parts become available. Additional packages can be obtained from your Buick Zone Office.
TECHNICAL PROCEDURE
CAUTION:
To reduce the risk of fire and personal injury, it is necessary to relieve the fuel system pressure before servicing fuel system components.
To do this:
a. Remove fuse marked "Fuel Pump" from fuse block in passenger compartment.
b. Crank engine - engine will start and run until fuel supply remaining in fuel lines is consumed. When engine stops, engage starter again for 3.0 seconds to assure relief of any remaining pressure.
c. With ignition "OFF", replace "Fuel Pump" fuse.
1. Remove air cleaner cover (plastic) and air cleaner assembly. See Figure 1.
Care should be used when removing air cleaner base so as not to stretch (plastic) thermac vacuum supply line before disconnecting from manifold vacuum tree. Leave crankcase ventilation hose attached to air cleaner and remove from valve cover with air cleaner assembly.
2. Inspect the gold colored bolt which attaches the banjo fitting to the TBI unit. See Figure 2.
If the bolt head has a black stripe or black paint, reinstall the air cleaner and air cleaner cover and proceed to Step No. 15.
3. Remove distributor cap and rotor.
4. Remove fuel supply line banjo fitting bolt from TBI unit and two (2) nylon sealing washers (inboard and outboard). Discard bolt and washers. See Figure 2.
Care should be taken so that fuel supply line is not deformed. This will ease installation of new parts.
5. Install one (1) new lead coated washer (gasket) on a new bolt (black paint on head) and insert into banjo fitting. See Figure 2.
6. Install second lead coated washer between banjo fitting and injector body. See Figure 2.
On a "hot to touch" engine, it may be necessary to pull fuel line towards throttle cable retainer bracket and install gasket over banjo fitting bolt. Do not deform fuel line as misalignment between banjo and TBI seal surface may occur.
7. Thread banjo fitting bolt into injector body. Verify that washers are in the correct position before torquing.
Do Not Lube Gaskets or Bolt Threads.
8. Attach Kent-Moore Tool J-34062 (1983 Essential Tool) on a pointer readout beam-type torque wrench. Do not use a "clicker" or a dial (circular readout) type torque wrench. See Figures 3 and 4.
9. Torque banjo fitting bolt to 33 N.m (24 ft. lbs., and 288 in. lbs.).
NOTICE: It is important that torque be applied at a slow and constant rate. Overtorque may result in bolt failure.
10. Reinstall rotor and distributor cap.
11. Plug open vacuum fitting on inlet manifold vacuum tree.
12. Start engine and check for fuel leaks.
13. Remove vacuum plug.
14. Install air cleaner assembly, making sure vacuum supply line running from air cleaner retainer clip to thermac temperature switch is not pinched between air cleaner and TBI isolator unit. See Figure 1. Assure that 1) fresh air supply hose; 2) crankcase ventilation hose; and 3) heat stove tube are re-attached to base of air cleaner assembly.
15. Install Campaign Identification Label.
Each vehicle modified in accordance with the instructions outlined herein will require a Campaign Identification Label. Each label provides a space to include the Campaiqn Number, the five (5) digit Dealer Code of the dealer performing the Campaign service, and the date vehicle was Campaigned. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen. When installing label, clean the surface of the fan shroud and apply the Campaign Label.
DISPOSITION OF REPLACED PARTS
Replaced parts must be held for disposition by Buick Contact Personnel. Each replaced part must have a claim tag attached, showing the repair order and the VIN of the vehicle from which it was removed.
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Dealers are to submit each campaigned vehicle as a separate case on the one-line Warranty Document Form S-764. Dealers submitting warranty claims by teletype terminal are to transmit Campaign completions as a separate case also.
LABOR AND PARTS CREDIT
Use the one applicable labor operation. SUBLET PART FAILED PARTS FAILURE LABOR LABOR OTHER DEALER OPER. COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. CODE OP. NO. HOURS HOURS MTL TWG
Inspect 96 V1390 .2 *.1 TBI Fuel Feed Fit- ting Bolt
Inspect 96 V1391 .3 *.1 TBI Fuel Feed Fit- ting Bolt & Replace Bolt and Washers
* .1 hour for Administration.
To assure accurate records of all transactions on this Campaign, it is recommended that Campaign repairs for each vehicle be listed on a separate repair order. Other repairs performed to the vehicle may be listed on the same repair order, and warranty cases other than Campaigns may be listed on the same warranty document.
Warranty documents on this Campaign are not to be sent to the Zone Office. Send directly to Buick, Flint, as is done with normal submissions of warranty documents.
Zone authorization is not required.
Dear Buick Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain early production, 1983 Buick Skyhawk models equipped with 2.0 liter engines (LQ5). The fuel system in these vehicles may leak at the Throttle Body Injection Fuel Feed Pipe Connection. Under certain conditions, this could result in an underhood fire. Such a fire could, in time, spread to the passenger compartment and cause burn injuries to occupants remaining in the vehicle.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on your vehicle, please contact your Buick Dealer on or after the date shown below to arrange a service date to have your vehicle corrected. Correction involves the replacement of the fuel feed line fitting bolt, and two (2) washers (gaskets). This service will be performed at no charge to you.
Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your Buick Dealer. Parts will be available approximately October 20, 1982. The labor time necessary to perform this correction is approximately twenty minutes. Please allow additional time for the dealer to process your order.
If you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date, and they do not remedy this condition without charge on that date or within five days, you should contact your nearest Buick Zone Office, either in person or by telephone, for assistance. The locations and phone numbers of the Zone Offices are listed in your Owner's Manual. If your dealer or General Motors fails, or is unable to remedy this condition, without charge, within a reasonable time, you may wish to notify the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590.
The enclosed owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist them in making the necessary correction to your vehicle in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid owner reply card and returning it to us.
We are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action in the interest of your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.
General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.
