Crap! I have a HUGE fuel leak!

Looks like it's coming from the passenger wheel well, that's where my LS fuel filter is located etc. Course it happens right when I've sold my DD and need the 948.

Going to take it apart early tomorrow morning and investigate. I was going to upgrade to Eric's new fuel filter arrangement anyways, looks like I'll be doing that asap after I kludge the car back together...

Took the wheel liner off the passenger side, everything looks good and tight, no apparent holes or cuts in any of the fuel lines.

Start the car up and let it idle, no leaks. Do this 3 times, no leaks. WTF! I had a huge puddle of fuel from that area last night, this morning absolutely nothing!

How about just turning the key to the run position, allow the fuel pump to pressurize the line and then start wiggling the lines in that area. The corvette fuel filter/regulator, with those quick disconnect fittings, do leak if they are disrupted. One may have just shifted a bit causing a bit of a leak.

Of course.....could it have been a puddle left over from another car that you just so happened to park in?

Or, better yet, could it have been something other than fuel e.g. a bit of water? Just askin'.

Nope, definitely fuel, definitely from my car. Happened in my driveway right after I pulled the car out...

What about installing a nice fire suppression halon system, and calling it good?

Already have a halon fire extinguisher in the car, but I'd prefer to not use it!

A possiblity, maybe one of your injectors got stuck in the open position, either mechanically or electrically, as your piston was near TDC on the exhaust stroke. This would cause fuel to pool up in that cylinder and overflow into the exhuast manifold, therefore leaking down your exhuast thru the muffler U bolt connection in that area.
Very unlikely, but anything is possible. I personally believe its some silly O ring not fully seated in some quick disconnect somewhere on the fuel line/rail. To verify, buy some UV dye oil for R-22/134a refrigerant systems and dump it in your tank. You can also buy the more expensive UV dye made for gasoline, but you'll find that it's the exact same thing. Very carefully, balance yourself on your rear bumper. Be careful when doing this. If the circus people happen to be driving by, they may recruit you into their show. Drive your car around for a while, keeping your halon extinguisher on the ready. Later that night, when it's damn dark outside, grab your UV flashlight and shine it on every fuel fitting. Keep a golf club near by, as the raccoons are strangely attracted to this spectrum of light.

tim_nd wrote:A possiblity, maybe one of your injectors got stuck in the open position, either mechanically or electrically, as your piston was near TDC on the exhaust stroke. This would cause fuel to pool up in that cylinder and overflow into the exhuast manifold, therefore leaking down your exhuast thru the muffler U bolt connection in that area.
Very unlikely, but anything is possible. I personally believe its some silly O ring not fully seated in some quick disconnect somewhere on the fuel line/rail. To verify, buy some UV dye oil for R-22/134a refrigerant systems and dump it in your tank. You can also buy the more expensive UV dye made for gasoline, but you'll find that it's the exact same thing. Very carefully, balance yourself on your rear bumper. Be careful when doing this. If the circus people happen to be driving by, they may recruit you into their show. Drive your car around for a while, keeping your halon extinguisher on the ready. Later that night, when it's damn dark outside, grab your UV flashlight and shine it on every fuel fitting. Keep a golf club near by, as the raccoons are strangely attracted to this spectrum of light.

What?

For the English impaired types

Una posibilidad, tal vez uno de los inyectores se quedó atascado en la posición abierta, ya sea mecánica o eléctrica, ya que su pistón estaba cerca del PMS en la carrera de escape. Esto haría que el combustible a la piscina en que el cilindro y el desbordamiento en el colector de exhuast, por lo tanto, fuga de abajo de su exhuast a través de la conexión del silenciador U perno en esa área.
Muy poco probable, pero todo es posible. Personalmente creo que su alguna tontería junta tórica no está totalmente asentado en algunos de desconexión rápida en algún lugar de la línea de combustible / carril. Para verificar, comprar un poco de aceite líquido de contraste para sistemas de refrigeración R-22/134a y lo descarga en el tanque. Usted también puede comprar el líquido de contraste más caro realizado por la gasolina, pero usted encontrará que es exactamente lo mismo. Con mucho cuidado, a ti mismo un equilibrio en el parachoques trasero. Tenga cuidado al hacer esto. Si la gente del circo pasar a ser de conducción por, se puede contratar en su show. Conduce tu coche por un tiempo, manteniendo el extintor de halón en la lista. Más tarde esa noche, cuando está oscuro afuera maldita, coge tu linterna UV y brillar en cada ajuste de combustible. Mantener un club de golf cerca, como los mapaches están extrañamente atraído a este espectro de la luz

ah....okay, I see what you did there. Very well.

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Check the fuel lines right where they go one the filter. I have had them leak if they are not perfectly straight. That doesn't explain the leak no leak though!

It's done this a few times. Eric, I'll be calling you today to order the new fuel filter setup and ask a few questions...

Hmmm, someone was syphoning your gas and spilled some

Well, after driving the car the last 3 days with no problems I go to start it this morning to take it to work.

Backing out of the garage I smell fuel and see a huge trail in front of the car. Hop out, fuel is *pouring* down from the passenger wheel well, where the fuel filter is! CRAP!

Pull it back in and turn it off. WTF! Everything was tight and not leaking last Sunday, despite it leaking on Saturday night. Then 3 days all is well, now this morning it's the Exxon Valdez of gas leaks....

Can you post a pic of your filter setup?

I will tonight when I get home and pull off the passenger front wheel and wheel liner again.

Wish it'd leaked this past Sunday morning when I had it all off!

OK, wheel off, fender liner off, no leaks. Started car, physically moved every connection, no leaks. Seriously, WTF is going on?! This morning it was leaking so much it literally stained the street past my driveway.

Here are pics...

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What is the difference between daytime and night time temps? Something shrinking?

Come to think of it, it's been leaking in the morning/evening when it's cooler out...

Make sure that all your hose clamps are tight and that you don't have a cut or pin hole that opens up when the temperature drops.

Doc,

Look for stains and/or clean looking areas on the filter and lines. The gas to be touching something before it hits the ground. Personally, I'm not a big fan of S/S hose with clamps, seen problems with that in the past.

Marc

I agree with Marc, you should use the clamps designed for fuel lines, they have an inner lining and will not cut the hose. The normal worm drive clamps can damage the hose.
I use the Autocraft Fuel Injection Hose Clamps sold in Advance Auto Parts Stores.

Will do. I'll go to the store today and get more fuel hose and the fuel hose clamps and just re do everything. That way if there's a small crack I can't see I won't have to worry about it anymore...

might want to try using a smog test tailpipe sniffer around the fittings/lines- had a street rod that the owner complained about raw fuel smell at night, NO VISABLE LEAKS...
when the main feed line (-8 Aeroquip) was "sniffed" it pegged the meter!
the line was outgassing on the top.
replaced the line-(all 20+feet) meter barely registered.