cant believe me car is leaking on xmas

[gixxerjoe]

went to my girl's house to pick up some presents and off to dinner when I noticed something leaking near the right rear tire! I bent down to touch it and it was gas, bent down more to look underneath and saw a wet spot where I think the gas tank is! I hope its just a fuel line and not the tank itself!

any of you guys know what it is or if its a common problem? How much am I looking at for the gas tank compared to the fuel line? I hope its a loose connection with the fuel filter somewhere cause I know its back there near the tank...

AHHHH i cant believe it happend on XMAS!

 

[RIO5.0]

Your fuel filter is up over the rearend, so you MAY be able to discount that if you see it wet by the tire....

Did you happen to fill it up today??? It may just be the rubber donut that goes over the filler hose, thats fairly common...they rot out..grab a lite and give a look see at the filler hose...If its topped off, itll prolly stop when she's down some..

the rest of the connections are up top, and the tank has to come down to check those...

Good luck....Don't throw no butts out the passenger window....DOH..

 

[gixxerjoe]

Your fuel filter is up over the rearend, so you MAY be able to discount that if you see it wet by the tire....

Did you happen to fill it up today??? It may just be the rubber donut that goes over the filler hose, thats fairly common...they rot out..grab a lite and give a look see at the filler hose...If its topped off, itll prolly stop when she's down some..

the rest of the connections are up top, and the tank has to come down to check those...

Good luck....Don't throw no butts out the passenger window....DOH..

HEY i Just filled her up when it happend, but I didnt top off the tank. I put about 20 bucks regular in and it filled up pretty good but didnt "stop" auto by the pump.....I'm going to look at it more tomorrow morning and hope its wat your talking about.....thanks a lot dude you may have save my XMAS!

 

[RIO5.0]

HEY i Just filled her up when it happend, but I didnt top off the tank. I put about 20 bucks regular in and it filled up pretty good but didnt "stop" auto by the pump.....I'm going to look at it more tomorrow morning and hope its wat your talking about.....thanks a lot dude you may have save my XMAS!

Sweet...Maybe this is your lucky day....

 

[gixxerjoe]

Sweet...Maybe this is your lucky day....

in any event how would i replace that donut is it fairly easy and cheap? I think thats the problem though.

 

[RIO5.0]

Someone will chime in for ya on the info...i lucked out on my fuelpump upgrade and mine didn't get hurt removing the filler neck...i know its a fairly common problem though..

 

[unclejackrock]

It's the donut for sure. Check at www.50resto.com for one because I paid $26.00 for one through Ford. It's not that hard to change, gotta drop the tank tho....

 

[gixxerjoe]

It's the donut for sure. Check at www.50resto.com for one because I paid $26.00 for one through Ford. It's not that hard to change, gotta drop the tank tho....

OK ok, I just looked underneath my car and it looks like a doughnut gasket... its where the gas filler tube meets the tank correct? it looks all wet and drippy...I hope I wont explode driving my car like this for a bit?

so i have to drop the tank and remove the gas filler tube from the tank and replace gasket and reinstall gas filler and tank correct?

thanks for the info and help guys

 

[unclejackrock]

OK ok, I just looked underneath my car and it looks like a doughnut gasket... its where the gas filler tube meets the tank correct? it looks all wet and drippy...I hope I wont explode driving my car like this for a bit?

so i have to drop the tank and remove the gas filler tube from the tank and replace gasket and reinstall gas filler and tank correct?

thanks for the info and help guys

Mine began leaking very suddenly one day after I filled up the tank. If I only put in 1/2 a tank or so, it wouldn't leak. Since this is my only driver and I had to wait for a chance to replace it, I just kept on driving it, and didn't put in more than a 1/2 tank of gas. I would be careful about smokers and fire until you get it replaced.

Like I said, check around for one, I paid too much for mine. Under the gas tank, there are two metal straps that are held on by bolts in front of the tank. You have to take those out to drop the tank, it helps if you have a lever jack to put under the tank while taking it out and replacing it. You also have to take your gas cap off, and remove four bolts under the fender well holding on the filler tube. After you get the tank dropped, pull the filler tube out of the tank, and replace the gasket. It's kind of a tight fit. Put all back in, and voila'.

Good Luck
PM for ?'s

 

[gixxerjoe]

Mine began leaking very suddenly one day after I filled up the tank. If I only put in 1/2 a tank or so, it wouldn't leak. Since this is my only driver and I had to wait for a chance to replace it, I just kept on driving it, and didn't put in more than a 1/2 tank of gas. I would be careful about smokers and fire until you get it replaced.

Like I said, check around for one, I paid too much for mine. Under the gas tank, there are two metal straps that are held on by bolts in front of the tank. You have to take those out to drop the tank, it helps if you have a lever jack to put under the tank while taking it out and replacing it. You also have to take your gas cap off, and remove four bolts under the fender well holding on the filler tube. After you get the tank dropped, pull the filler tube out of the tank, and replace the gasket. It's kind of a tight fit. Put all back in, and voila'.

Good Luck
PM for ?'s

Thanks for the info...i will use it! Hey how long have you gone driving your car with the leak? I want to at least empty out the tank some before I drop it... You think its safe for a few days? HAHA one good thing about a 5.0 you can drain the tank pretty fast!

 

[94 GT Must.]

AHHHH i cant believe it happend on XMAS!

looks like you have just as much luck on xmas as i do

 

[gixxerjoe]

looks like you have just as much luck on xmas as i do

your tank is leaking too?

 

[94 GT Must.]

your tank is leaking too?

naw, but my thread i made titled merry christmas to me will tell you my sad christmas story..

 

[noah6]

i didnt have to drop my tank to change mine. i just took out the filler neck screws from inside the trunk, and inside the little door where the gas cap is and pryed it out, never had a leak since then. only took about 30 minutes and i work pretty slow.........

good luck

 

[gixxerjoe]

i didnt have to drop my tank to change mine. i just took out the filler neck screws from inside the trunk, and inside the little door where the gas cap is and pryed it out, never had a leak since then. only took about 30 minutes and i work pretty slow.........

good luck

how did you remove the filler bolts from inside the trunk? I thought the connection is beneath the trunk?

Any detailed info would help...

thanks

 

[urban96]

if you remove the interior paneling of your trunk on that side you can see the filler neck running from the fuel door down threw a hole in the trunk. To remove the filler neck theres 3 bolts inside the fuel door and if you go under your car directly below where the pipe comes out of the trunk theres 3 small bolts under there that you remove

 

[unclejackrock]

I seen no way to remove the filler neck w/o dropping the tank.

 

[urban96]

you might just have to drop one side of it and loosten up the other side if there isnt enough room to get it out. it seems a lot harder then it really is. to drop the tank theres a total of 3 bolts that hold it up, its really simple

 

[Nosfurato]

you might just have to drop one side of it and loosten up the other side if there isnt enough room to get it out. it seems a lot harder then it really is. to drop the tank theres a total of 3 bolts that hold it up, its really simple

You can do it that way. The tank doesnt have to come out.
There isnt a LOT of room to work with.. and getting the neck out, and back in can be kind of a pain, but it can be done.

We did this on my friends 95 a little over a year ago. Loosen up both strap's that hold the tank (dont remove them) place a floor jack under the tank itself to hold it (safty deal) Then, continue to loosen the right side strap until you have enough slack to pull the tank down far enough, to remove the neck.

If I remember correctly, there is also a little flange that attaches to the neck. We had to unbolt that from the car so we could pull the neck out enough to remove it. (goes in there pretty far)
We removed the carpeting and molding from the trunk to gain access to the bolts that hold it.

Anyway, hope that helps ya out a bit.

 

[gixxerjoe]

Thanks guys this info helps plenty.....will use it after the part comes in and the new year arrives...