The other day I get off work and go out to my car.... won't start.... it'* out of gas.
I find it odd, because I had just put $10 in it the other day, and I hadn't driven anywhere.

Anyways, took one of the company vehicles to the gas station and borrowed a gas can.
Then filled her up.

Today I was underground and noticed the strong smell of gas..... she'* got a leak.
After about 1hr at the mall... she has a leak that was easily 3square feet.... not good.

It appears to be coming from the back of the car.... right between the rear tires.
Now besides the obvious gas tank, is there anything else where are cars are prone to spring a leak??

I'm going to craw under tomorrow and see if I can find it.
I bought some gas tank repair putty at CT, just to temp fix until I can bring her into the shop.

Most likely a hard line.. but your '97 isn't all that old, so I don't know how it could rust through in such a short time. The only thing you can really do, is look around. Try to see where it is the most wet [duh]. I think you can go from there.


-justin

Yea it'* dark out now.... so it'll have to wait for tomorrow.

I did determine the leak is passanger side.

I sold a '97 SSEi to a guy last spring who told me it sprung a gas leak shortly after he bought it. It was a pinhole in a plastic line running from the tank. He patched it with a piece of rubber gas line that he slit, slipped over the plastic pipe and clamped with a couple of hose clamps. It must have been a return line; if it had 45 psi on it, I doubt that his "fix" would have worked. Anyway, until you can get it to a shop, if that is your problem, that might work for you too.

I don't know that I would even try that, though. This is not something you want to mess around with. Real easy to start a fire completely destroying your car and maybe worse, getting someone seriously injured. Burns really hurt.

Bill is correct, gas isn't anything you want to **** around with. Don't drive the car until you find the leak. Besides, we all know the '91 is a better car .


-justin

Don't overlook the fuel filter -- it'* located in front of the passenger side rear wheel, inside the frame rail. The fuel filter has one flare fitting that threads in, and one plastic quick connect -- I'd check that quick connect to make sure it'* still doing its job (if it broke somehow, its a store stocked item at any chain auto parts stores). I've never seen a quick connect fail in normal use, but then again I can't imagine having fuel system problems on a 97 either, and obviously that did happen.

Had to fix a gas leak in my '92 SE a few years ago. One of the hard lines on the fuel sending unit (coming out of the gas tank) had rusted and was leaking. The fuel traveled along the lines and dripped just forward of the right / rear wheel. So if you find where it'* dripping, don't assume thats where it leaking from. You may have to follow the lines to find the source.

I did this repair myself. Had to drop the gas tank to remove and replace the sending unit. Also changed the fuel pump while I was there. Although I agree this is not a job for everyone, you can do it if you just follow all safety guidelines and use common sense; like smoking is NOT a good idea during this project!

You may be lucky and just have a leaking or loose connection on one of the soft plastic lines. They sell repair kits for these also.

If you do have a leaking hard line, I don't know why they would have rusted out so quickly. My bonny was over 10 years old when the lines went. Do they use salt on the roads up there during the winter???

Yea it could be the fuel filter....... the leak is coming from around that spot.

Do they use salt?... HA.... you'd better believe it....

UPDATE

I checked under her today, and there was gas stains, but nothing really fresh.
Then I tried to start her up, she has a real hard time turning over.... and then that'* when the dam burst....

Right where the gas line disappears upto meet the tank... I'd say she'* loosing 1litre every 5mins.

After I shut the car off, she still dripped for a long time... probably emptying the gas line. :( Not good.

If you're lucky, it could be a loose connection where the soft plastic (nylon) line meets the hard steel line at the sending unit. If you're unlucky (like me), you have a rusted hard line on the fuel sending unit. My line was so corrored that when I reached up there to check things out, I ended up breaking the rusted line off at the sending unit!

It'* very tight up in that area, but you may be able to reach up and feel for a loose connection. If your hand comes out with rust flakes on it, then you're cooked. Time to drop the tank and replace the sending unit.