Cascade Crew

nonsensekid20 · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:34 pm Post subject: Gas, Gas Everywhere

Alright, so I've been noticing that for a few days after I run my car I smell gas. So eventually I pull it into the garage to check it out. I found a small puddle of gas in the gravel where I park my car right around where the fuel filter goes (Which I just changed, and know I tightened down nice and snug). So I go under to check it out, fittings are tight. Went to make sure it wasn't cross threaded (Mind you I know there was supposed to be a small residual amount of fuel to come out of the line) Well I'm not so lucky. The whole contents of my gas tank proceeded to empty onto my garage floor. Are there supposed to be rubber gaskets on the fuel line fittings? Or teflon tape? Also for the carbed guys out there, what am I supposed to do about not getting gravity feed fuel flowing free onto my garage floor? Even at it's tightest point it's still evident there's some fuel leaking out of the threads (This is on engine side of the filter, not tank side).

Twilightoptics · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:54 pm Post subject:

NEVER put teflon tape on a fuel fitting. Chunks will break off and plug stuff up.

IIRC there are little O-rings on the ends of the lines into the fuel filter. That or it's a flare fitting. Neither of which require anything on the threads.

If you want no fuel flow to the garage floor, get a set of hose block off pliars and pin the soft line shut where it comes out of the tank and attaches the the hard line just infront of the axle.

nonsensekid20 · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:58 pm Post subject:

Well I was too frantic to get it back together to really look. You wouldn't think they'd use rubber gaskets that gas would eat through. Can anyone else confirm whether they're rubber or flare fittings?

91RSVert · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:04 pm Post subject:

My 91 has o-rings up by the motor. I dont remember around the fuel filter, but I dont THINK so.

I have always put teflon on the threads of my fuel lines. You just have to set it back on the threads, and put it on right so it doesnt roll off when you thread it in. Never had a problem with it getting in my line.

aaron_sK · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:06 pm Post subject:

The tank evacuated because you left the cap on it. I made that mistake once years ago pulling the fuel rail off my IROC.

Gas doesn't eat the rubber o-rings, 25 years of filter changes is what kills them.

Pull the gas cap, remove the filter, inspect the lines and see what type of fitting they are. When you find worn o-rings take them in and match them up for new ones.

BTW, is this a draw-through setup on a mechanical pump carb car that someone hacked together or are you still running an electric pump?

Telfon tape is doing NO good on any non-tapered thread. Period. People put it on there because they don't understand plumbing fittings.

nonsensekid20 · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:08 pm Post subject:

Well yes I did leave the cap on, but I got right up and took it off, no change. It used to be an electric pump. I put in the carb pickup you gave me. I just cut the hole above the fuel tank and installed it that way.

aaron_sK · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:13 pm Post subject:

My two cents: don't run the factory fuel filter in a draw-through setup.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to disagree with me. Laughing

How confident are you that you hooked the lines up correctly at the pickup? I'll never forget that kid who came in here a few years back complaining of a car dumping gas. LMAO

He had hacked his fuel pickup and put the lines on backwards.

nonsensekid20 · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:20 pm Post subject:

Oh no I know I put it all together correctly. And I'm sure someone's going to come along and tell me I shouldn't have done this, but when I did the from the top pickup replacement I cut the metal lines, took out the electric pump pickup, put in the carb pickup, and used the original metal lines. I know the fuel line is right because it's going to the high pressure line. And anyway, this return line doesn't go to the bottom or anywhere close in the tank. It dumps 1/2" from the top of the tank. My bet is that a rubber o-ring is supposed to be in there and it's not. And I'm not running pull through for long. I'm switching to TPI here shortly. Should have just left it, but I'll end up with a 120gph walbro pump so it would've had to get done eventually.

nonsensekid20 · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:32 pm Post subject:

So, Luke said those are flare fittings in there. He just did his the other day, and he thinks I cross threaded it. Awesome. I'll be pulling the access door and unhooking my feed line then checking for cross threads. Crying or Very sad

At least I don't need to match up any O-Rings. lol.

aaron_sK · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:39 pm Post subject:

If it is flare fitting then it can also be a cracked/crushed flare.

No need to remove the sending unit, just remove the filter and inspect.

nonsensekid20 · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:44 pm Post subject:

You misread me, I'm not pulling the whole sending unit, just unhooking the feed line so I don't get fuel all over my floor. Just as a precaution so I don't flood my house with gas fumes. I'll take it all apart and check it out. Fingers crossed for easier than harder. But as past experience shows, it never turns out that way.

91RSVert · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 3:52 am Post subject:

Also, once you have created a suction like that, its going to keep going. Pulling the cap wont stop it once its started. I learned that one the hard way as well.

aaron_sK · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am Post subject:

nonsensekid20 · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:18 pm Post subject:

Yeah that makes sense. So if I pull the cap first it shouldn't do that? Definitely don't want to have a replay of the other day. Worst comes to worse, I get a new filter and replace the threaded ends by cutting off the flare, sliding off the old one, slide on the new one, and reflare the lines?