gas leak/smell help!

[944play]

I have an 83 944 and when i drive there is an excessive gas smell. I also noticed a small gas leak on the ground if i fill the tank all the way up. Does any one have suggestions as to what my problem is?? any help would be greatly appriciated.

[sneed21]

Gas smell could be from running too rich, or a cracked fuel line. The leak could be from a cracked fuel line, or your topping it off and it's draining out of the overflow tube. (below the cap )

[Frank B]

Sounds like you are leaking gas, reason being, when you accelerate you cause fuel to run through the line. Also when fuel is running through the line AND you are moving the fuel is then blown back onto the car and doesn't get a chance to driip or go away, it's probablly being blow under the chassis. I'd check there, but I wouldn't do it by Candle Light..

Frank B

[SoCal Driver]

The gas tanks on the 944's, both early and late, have a vent hose that follows the large filler tube up to the side of the car. This hose on the early cars is the old woven fabric covered rubber and ages and cracks where it bends about 50 degrees to follow the filler up the side.

So if you fill up the car with this cracked hose it will leak as the gas shifts around the tank. Complicating this is the metal cover uses the same black tar sealing putty stuff that's used on the rear light lenses. This too ages and shrinks letting the gas smell into the lower pressure passenger area.

My cure is to get a small copper 45 degree elbow, cut the hose and inserting the elbow then clamping both sides. Beats the heck out of having to drop the transmission to drop the gas tank to replace the hose with the newer all neoprene design used on the later model 944's. Resealing the metal cover is a challenge too. Have to clean off all of the old sealer and lay an even bead of fresh tar putty.

[Trevor]

Maybe it's not too severe but I'd advise against driving it until you fix it. It's easier to replace the hose than your car or life for that matter.