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BIG gas leak

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Old 09-27-2009, 09:23 PM
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Default BIG gas leak

On my way home the other night, i saw my buddy who was behind me flash his hazards so i pulled over to see what was up. We had just gotten off the interstate by way of a very long tight off ramp that curved to the right. anyway he said when i was in the turn it looked like i lost about a gallon of gas.(I had just filled up about 15 miles ago.) When i stopped about a half mile to a mile down the road there was still gas puddled in the under side of the bumper close to the right wheel well. So i am just trying to figure out where it came from. I had no luck when i checked it out today. even took some hard right handers with no luck. Pretty sure the gas cap was on tight cause around the cap wasn't wet when i pulled over last night. The next thing i was going to do is drop the tank but it actually looked pretty involved so i thought i would see what you guys thought the problem might be.
Old 09-27-2009, 09:25 PM
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Odds are it is some fuel lines or the fuel filter. Simplest solution is probably the most accurate.
Old 09-27-2009, 09:43 PM
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is the filter located close to the tank? it seems to be coming from around the fill tube
Old 09-27-2009, 10:29 PM
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http://shbox.com/1/fuel_filter.html

Old 09-28-2009, 10:57 AM
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i'll check that. But it only seems to happen when it's full
Old 09-28-2009, 11:35 AM
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Sounds like it might be the filler pipe itself, or rotted around the inlet to the tank, could also be on the top of the tank where the sending unit mounts that area can get wet and it takes forever for it to dry, thus causing rust. or possibly the seam may have failed due to rust. If its not leaking with the vehicle idling i doubt its a line, even the return line would leak while running.
Old 10-05-2009, 06:36 PM
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what would be the easiest way to get to where i could look at all that stuff. Do i need to take the tank off?
Old 10-06-2009, 01:30 PM
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If you cant see the prob from the bottom of the tank, and the filler pipe looks ok the only way to inspect the top is either drop the tank, or do what a lot of people do and cut a whole in the floor and make a trap door to the sending unit. I've never done that so I don't have any good tips on it, but im sure you can dig up something on it on the site somewhere.
Old 10-06-2009, 04:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Joe's99ss
If you cant see the prob from the bottom of the tank, and the filler pipe looks ok the only way to inspect the top is either drop the tank, or do what a lot of people do and cut a whole in the floor and make a trap door to the sending unit. I've never done that so I don't have any good tips on it, but im sure you can dig up something on it on the site somewhere.
I had to replace my fuel pump last month and I made the trap door. WAYYYYYY easier than dropping the tank. I just took my dremel with the cutting wheel made for cutting metal, and VERY VERY carefully cut the hole. I used these pictures for reference.



The only thing I did differently is I didn't cut one of the sides all the way, and made my own little trap door, that way I could open it back up if I ever needed access to it again.
Old 10-09-2009, 12:11 AM
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as a advisor
I can tell you that GM has used both steal lines as well as high pressure rubber lines. The fuel pump is in the tank, there for you are right in saying that it only leaks when the engine is running. That tells me that it is on the outlet side of the fuel pump. You could always replace a steal line with and aftermarket High-temp; high pressure rubber fuel line. It is less expensive to repair, and far easier than replacing the metal one. Good luck and I hope this helps.



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