This is the answer to the 86 245DL that died in a giant puff of white smoke yesterday.

Inga is back on the road and running better than ever thank you. I paid, yes I paid (Praise the Lord and pass the checkbook) my mechanic buddy to get me back on the road in a hurry this morning.

Everyone who voted for the Fuel Pressure Regulator was right on the money. How Inga did not blow up or catch fire, I don't know. There was gas everywhere even after sitting up all night. The white smoke was from all the unburned gas going through the exhast system. There was gas backed up into one of the Vacuum lines!

He had it running 5 minutes after the part arrived. Purred like a kitten right off the bat but belched white smoke and it smelled like gas (what a surprise). The smoke lasted a few seconds and cleared. Fuel pressure checked out in great shape. My mechanic thinks this happened all of a sudden during my drive home yesterday. I have not smelled any gas. Gas mileage and everthing else was normal until the ugly "toll both" incident yesterday.

He insisted on changing the oil which was only three weeks old and it hit the drain pan with a woosh. There was at least a pint of gas in it. The dipstick has never been cleaner. My mechanic buddy says that this was not a bad thing because it loosened up gunk. Looking in the pan, he may be right. I can think of safer ways to clean your crankcase. The O2 sensor seems to be ok for now by the way, but good tip.

The issue with the bogging down on take offs after the engine warms up is gone! Now I did fix a vacuum leak yesterday, but I think the FPR was also part of the problem. Still going to change all the vacuum hoses this weekend.

Looking forward to blasting down Beltway 8 in the morning (going with the flow of traffice in a safe manner of course). Thanking the Big Guy for not letting me or Inga go out in a blaze of glory. Going to see how much the AAA thing costs.

Good Bricking and thanks for all your input!

It would also be a good idea and time to put a good oil additive, maybe something Teflon and seal conditioner to coat all of the "bare" metal parts and to keep the seals from getting brittle.I wish I could give you a good brand name, perhaps there's a FAQ or someone else with suggestions. I've always liked BG products, but haven't used them on my bricks yet. Anyone with experience with BG in Bricks???
GL.
Rick.

Yet another testimonial to the power and value of Brickboard, and all those who contribute. Nice also to hear the followup!

Since all that gas in the crankcase cleaned things up, you might consider another oil change in 500-1000 miles or so, just to be on the safe side.

Thanks for posting back with the solution. I've never witnessed this problem, so I've learned something new today.

Thanks for the follow up post on what caused the problem - have never had a failed FPR but now know what syptoms will be when/if it goes....

Jay

What a nice turn of events. Your disaster was a mini, and many of us learned someting new. Question: If you are daily blasting down Beltway 8 aka Sam Houston Tollway, what part do you blast through? East side? South side? I am on the northwest "corner" and would like to avoid being blasted, even by another 240.

Thanks,

Bob, near Cypress

:>)

In light of the gas leak, blast may be a really bad choice of wording come to think of it.

I do the South Belt, Sugar Land to Pasadena every day. That's 72 miles a day round trip for Inga. She has done it faithfully for 5 years now. Never tailgate, just run for my life!

I used to drive a loop around Houston, back when that car was new. Don't recall paying tolls... Is my memory defunct, or is that a new road or an old road with a new name?
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Your memory is not bad. That would be Loop 610 which is now the close in loop. We got us a toll loop about 20 miles from downtown now. Already jammed on the west and north side. Now they are building the Grand Parkway like 45 miles from downtown. Here in Houston we joke that the Loops are the evacuation routes for the Texas Aggies in Town.

Wow, it has been a while. I seem to remember a stretch of the road north out of the city leading toward the larger airport having a lot of automotive related businesses and industry, like you could find just about any part or accessory for your car in that area.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Hey, I too am out there on the beltway every morning @ 6am, I run on it west from 518 (Pearland) around to 59, then into Hillcroft. Everyone is correct, you best be runnin. congrats on the repair.


rayco
444, 544, and my 88 240gl 240k and goin strong...