Fuel leak - any usual suspects

[NathanR]

I've been working on AC and have had the compressor and hoses out. Today I got it all together and have out driving and enjoying the cool.

Unfortunately, I'm getting a strong smell of fuel outside and noticed a small puddle of gas under right side of engine.

Any suggestions before I tear into it?

Thanks
Nathan

[motogman]

I believe you are talking about a 3.2 liter engine with Bosch motronic FI?

If so, the fuel lines are well known to leak w age and need replaced. Mine created a fine gas mist that would be very combustible if it had not happened right after I did some other work and found it - sounds similar to your situation.

The lines are a bit of a pain to get out and depending on how you repair them can be low cost or very expensive.

The low cost option is to cut off the crimson and replaces the fuel line using hose clamps to secure the new fuel hose to the old hard lines. The expensive way is to replace with OE parts or AM fabricated parts. Can also go with racing firings and lines. The hose clamps work fine.

Lots of threads with pics etc.... assuming this is your problem.

If it is, get it fixed before you drive anymore.

[NathanR]

Moto, thanks, will do more research. Headed off on vacation today so investigation will have to wait a few weekends. When you said "Crimson", what did you mean?

[uwanna]

Originally Posted by NathanR

Moto, thanks, will do more research. Headed off on vacation today so investigation will have to wait a few weekends. When you said "Crimson", what did you mean?

Me thinks he meant to say "crimps" or crimped on connections.

[motogman]

Yes. Crimps is what I meant. Spell checker helping a little too much!

The crimps are the sleeves over the rubber hose that are crimped ( deformed) to clamp the hose onto a steel line in the ID of the hose to hold it together - similar to the function of a hose clamp.

[vancouver86/911]

I had this same smell on my 3.2 and turned out to be a leaky fuel injector. I could see a little fluid at the base of one of them. I put a clean rag against it and smelled the rag after. It smelled of gas. I pulled them all and had them serviced and reinstalled them. Never had a gas smell since.

[Jcslocum]

The fuel lines under the manifold will leak with age. If they are originals, get them replaced. I rebuilt mine with new fuel injection hose and Oetiker clamps. This worked out =very well or Len on the list can make them up new for you.

[motogman]

When I had my hose crimp leak it was just after doing a similar fuel injector service. So I agree that is also a good place to look. I thought that the minor jostling of the fuel line during the FI service uncovered a potentially disastrous fuel line issue.

In your research you will find some bad outcomes from fuel line leaks and my interpretation of many threads was that sooner or later, these lines need replaced/addressed.

[RDM]

It's always something....

[NathanR]

Your right Dru. It is always something. Unfortunately I feel like I've been working on this car all summer.

Fortunately it turned out to only be the line that runs across the back side of top of the engine, hose was leaking, not the crimp. I ordered a new one from our host which just arrived.

Hopefully I can reassemble without breaking something else!

[NathanR]

This is part #19 in the diagram. I turned engine over or a sec to pressurize and drip, drip, drip. I removed it, soaped it up and put about 80 psi of air on it. Leak was very very small, but observable.

New hose from our host in hand.

I did not replace the T shaped line at this point. (Maybe over the winter)

[NathanR]

Originally Posted by Jcslocum

The fuel lines under the manifold will leak with age. If they are originals, get them replaced. I rebuilt mine with new fuel injection hose and Oetiker clamps. This worked out =very well or Len on the list can make them up new for you.

Jon, how hard was it to get this hose out, and back in? Engine in the car?

[steely]

Much easier if you remove the intake, which I did.
Others may say do a partial drop.
One tricky part is removing and replacing the screw to the flanged that is attached to the one line pictured on Jon's knee (Jcslocum).