Accidentally installed 88+ fuel rail in 87

[madbim]

As the title suggests, during my motor build I just realized after installing the motor I put the newer style fuel rail on my 87 which had the individual fuel injector harness. Should I bite the bullet and pull there intake manifold, or can the fuel rail be swapped without doing that?

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[Reichart12]

You can get the rail out with the manifold on. It just takes some fiddling.

[Kershaw]

You can definitely leave the manifold on, but you have to remove something stupid in order to get the rail out. Like the coolant temp sensor or maybe even the thermostat housing. I forgot which.

I like to remove the valve cover too.

[jeffnhiscars]

I didn't even know there were different rails :)

[nando]

does it matter? I don't think the fuel rail interferes with the harness or really has anything to do with it.

[madbim]

does it matter? I don't think the fuel rail interferes with the harness or really has anything to do with it.

The 88+ rail has the harness integrated.

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[crappycoco]

I've tried to get it out without removing the intake, but couldn't. Probably because I'm hamfisted and choleric =)

I guess you could get it out if you remove the thermostat housing like Kershaw mentioned.

[e30onBBSs]

It's a bitch but unbelievably faster than taking the intake. Take the valve cover off, and sleaze it out. This was on an i car maybe its different for an e or something but I've had to do it so many times I could do it in under 10 seconds after the valve cover is off. Takes some practice but is a time saver.

[madbim]

Thanks I'll give this a shot. I guess these things happen when you have 2 cars apart and combine them to make 1 running and throw on a turbo at the same time. [emoji14]

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[nando]

The 88+ rail has the harness integrated.

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no, it is not. the harness is separate, but on the 88+ it is encased in a plastic shell. I could see how it looks like it's integrated but it's just plastic.

the fuel rails should be the same. in fact, the harnesses are functionally identical, the only difference is the earlier harness doesn't have the plastic cover.

[Solo2guy]

no, it is not. the harness is separate, but on the 88+ it is encased in a plastic shell. I could see how it looks like it's integrated but it's just plastic.

the fuel rails should be the same. in fact, the harnesses are functionally identical, the only difference is the earlier harness doesn't have the plastic cover.

They're not the same. The "early" rail fuel inlet is at the other end vs the "newer" style.

Getting the rail out is a piece of cake. Just did it the other day.

Remove the intake to valve cover brace
Remove the PCV (or whatever) pipe from the valve cover
Remove the injector harness clips
Remove retention clips that hold the injectors in the rail
Pull rail free of injectors. Pop out the injectors themselves.
Pull rail out towards the front of the car and up past the manifold.

It sounds like a lot, but honestly 20 minutes tops.

[nando]

that's fine, but the injector harness is still not part of the fuel rail and they should be interchangeable.

[madbim]

I ended up just removing the 88+ injector harness and leaving in the updated fuel rail.