I have been smelling a slight smell of gas in the garage over the past week or so. At first I thought it might be cleaning fluids, brake cleaner, degreaser, rags and whatever else. The smell has been getting heavier and now it is obvious. It is dripping about 1 drop every 5 seconds while parked on an incline in my driveway. The drip/leak was much less, barely noticeable while parked level in the garage. I have placed the car on a decline outside my home in a parking lot to see what if anything that does. Hopefully the leaking will stop for the time being.

The leak is running from the passenger side of the car above where I can see at the moment. I will check it again in the AM to see if I can isolate the leak.

Any suggestions other than the obvious check the fuel pump? This just started in the past two weeks or so. The car normally sits in the garage sheltered away from the world so I am guessing a bad seal of some sort.

Michael

 

I thought that I would take a look at the return hose since it was easily visable and I know of a "fix" that needs to be taken care of in that area. Nothingwrong there that I can see, it is all dry.

I guess it's pull the passenger wheel and take a look in the AM.

Michael

 

Michael, as you know, I can relate to the leaky tank thing. My '83 has had a small leak in the tank on top for about a year now. Thats why I only run it on a half a tank or less right now. I STILL haven't gotten around to dropping it out to find the problem. My leak was not really ever a "dripping" type leak either, just a definate sepeage leak coming from the top/drivers side about where the PO mounted that CD changer into the side of the cubby next to the tank. Ya think maybe? It will be headed into the garage soon for some well needed repairs soon anyway. I just fixed the "smelly" tank thing on the avatar car. It was a broken drain line from the filler neck, going down thru the cubby hole.

I'm sure you've already pulled up the cover for the fuel sender, and looked in that area, and you could try jacking the car up slightly on each side and maybe front to back with a 3/4 full tank, and see if that might help get ya in the general area of the leak anyway. Maybe you'll get lucky, and it will turn out to be a leaky hose in/near fuel pump, or something out where you can see and get to it easily! Don't ya just love these little projects! I catch ya later.

 

Where is the drip located? perhaps a fuel line is rotting near the fuelpump?

Edit- reread.. Check the fuel rail carefully,... I've been thru 3 already. The brazes have a tendency to leak and the fuel evaporates before you can see it.

Best of luck!

 

I siphoned the tank today into my other cars. It is now on reserve and still leaking. I am thinking that I am going to put it off for tonight as I am quite p*ssed about the entire situation.

So much for the GTG tomorrow.

Michael

 

So the leak isn't coming from the tank. Check your seals, and best of luck!

 

My gas leak turned out to be due to a hole in the top of the tank. It was caused by a tech drilling through the hatch floor area (to install something, I'm not sure what). I made a larger hole with a drill and patched the tank without dropping it.

Mind you, I had just finished removing and installing a new transmission. I had the perfect opportunity to drop the tank! DOH!

 

Well, the car is now up off all four and I am trying to see what I can do to figure it out.

Take a look at the following pics:







Any suggestions?

Michael

 

I have had a leak on my 951 for over 2 years. I replaced all the seals at the fill area, fuel filter, pump, level sender. When I jack up my car from the right first, it drips like a fool over the top left of the tank. Dropping the TA seems like such a bitch to repair the tank but I have no choice. I've had to contend with raw gas smell on twisty roads for too long now. That's the top priority this winter as far as car repairs. If I sold my car today I'd have to say "It smells like power" but the truth is it smells like gas.

 

Worked through a few things with the help of Granite944. Pulled the strap and the cover, the fuel pump looks OK.

Have you ever seen the inside or motor area of a '***" car? That is what it looks like! It's all messy and gooey, tar, oil, grease.. You name it. It looks so far like the hose from the tank to the pump or the clamp nearest the pump gave and that is likely my problem, it is still hard to tell but that is where I am seeing the leak. The hoses look bloated just like an old radiator hose interesting enough. I'll try to completely remove the cover (frozen screws) and clean stuff up in the AM. I should have a better idea at that point but I think that is the problem.

Gonna have to leave it home tomorrow and take the GTI. Sucks but not worth the risk. I'll post more pics as I can.

Michael