Major gas leak

[goosehunter]

I had a tarp over my 96 Z28 for all of PA's winter. I finally uncovered it today and charged the battery and checked everything and started it up. It cranked over and over for a while and then I got it to start with starting fluid and it stayed running. Nothing sounded off and I let it idle for a couple of minutes to get the juices flowing.
Well I heard a splashing sound and there was gas running in a constant stream off the back of my gas tank. I had to go to work so I could only get up underneath as best I could. I traced it the whole way up the front of the gas tank but I couldn't see any farther up there.

Is there a common problem or some line right there that is the most likely cause of so much gas coming out like that?

[Paulster2]

Sounds like a rodent issue. The only way you are going to be able to tell is to pull the gas tank, or possibly by cutting a trap door (but I don't know if you'd be able to see enough ... possibly).

[GhostZ]

Sounds like a rodent issue. The only way you are going to be able to tell is to pull the gas tank, or possibly by cutting a trap door (but I don't know if you'd be able to see enough ... possibly).


no.. not the trap door method just drop the tank and take a look at the lines. the trap door is just a bad idea cuttin up the car like some1 did to mine

[goosehunter]

1-10 how much of a pain is it to pull the tank?
I've replaced transmissions, engines, etc. before but never the tank.
Can I get access to any of the lines that connect to the tank (to check them first in case it's just a line) without dropping the whole thing?

[GhostZ]

1-10 how much of a pain is it to pull the tank?
I've replaced transmissions, engines, etc. before but never the tank.
Can I get access to any of the lines that connect to the tank (to check them first in case it's just a line) without dropping the whole thing?


its about a 9.75 on my list to drop a tank if its got rust around it u gotta unbolt the straps and then it will drop out. but if the car has no rust then it should be really easy.

the best way is to get the car in the air and take a flash light shine it up here and do what it takes to make the leak start and see what u can.
but if its the line connecting to the tank then no other way but to drop it or the hole method


the trap door would be a 20 outta 10 in my book cause i gotta pull up the carpet and cut the hole and seal it back up and all that just to look

[goosehunter]

I'm sure there will be rust. What else do I have to remove to be able to get it out?
Let me put it this way - is it worth messing with or should I just take it to the shop?

[GhostZ]

a tank is only held in by the straps undo those it should just drop.

i'd to it urself if u got the time tools and space. but if ur in a hurry i'd take it to a shop

[Paulster2]

the trap door would be a 20 outta 10 in my book cause i gotta pull up the carpet and cut the hole and seal it back up and all that just to look

Yes, in this case I don't think it would be my first choice either and it isn't assured you could see the issue or even get to it to fix it if you can see it. I already did the trap door in mine. I was able to cut a panel out of my parts car which was about a half inch wider all the way around than the whole in the car. It worked out pretty slick. I used some weather stripping to seal and sheet screws to keep it in place. Anyway, doing the trap door is definitely controversial but well worth it in my opinion.

[GhostZ]

Yes, in this case I don't think it would be my first choice either and it isn't assured you could see the issue or even get to it to fix it if you can see it. I already did the trap door in mine. I was able to cut a panel out of my parts car which was about a half inch wider all the way around than the whole in the car. It worked out pretty slick. I used some weather stripping to seal and sheet screws to keep it in place. Anyway, doing the trap door is definitely controversial but well worth it in my opinion.


i see what u mean but i guess it would be OKAY to do if u do it right but if it was done by how mine was it looks like it was done by a zaw saw and i gotta do some sheet metal work now

[goosehunter]

Yea I'm not cutting any trap doors. Plus there could be a spark somehow someway and my car is saturated in gas.
Haynes manual says about lowering the rear axle and removing cat back exhaust to be able to drop the tank - can I get by without doing that?

[GhostZ]

i kno i'v only takin the exhaust off cause on our cars it runs right there under the tank. but the exhaust is not a hard thing to deal with at all it just unbolts and comes right out.

[goosehunter]

Well I guess that's another benefit to brand new Magnaflow exhaust - no rust on the bolts! Well it sounds a lot easier than I thought. I have an impact gun and a vengeance so I bet I'll be able to wrestle it out of there this weekend. Thanks for all your help. I feel a lot better than when I first saw gas spewing from my when it was running. Want me to post what I find out if I do do it this weekend?

[GhostZ]

Well I guess that's another benefit to brand new Magnaflow exhaust - no rust on the bolts! Well it sounds a lot easier than I thought. I have an impact gun and a vengeance so I bet I'll be able to wrestle it out of there this weekend. Thanks for all your help. I feel a lot better than when I first saw gas spewing from my when it was running. Want me to post what I find out if I do do it this weekend?

yes plz do.

and ur welcome i try to hlp when i can which may not be much but i kno my way around the block :thumbsup:

[goosehunter]

Problem solved!

It was a pain in the butt but I got the tank out and inspected everything. The only thing I could find was a gas line completely unplugged from the tank. At first I thought we ripped it out when pulling the tank, but now my best guess of what happened was that after sitting all winter the cold must've shrank the connection enough to pop it loose, and when we pulled the tank out it just came the rest of the way off. I hooked the lines back up, sealed them with oil resistant silicone for good measure, and threw everything back together. No more gas leak, I just ran it today for a while and the problem is solved.

Thanks for your help.

[GhostZ]

Problem solved!

It was a pain in the butt but I got the tank out and inspected everything. The only thing I could find was a gas line completely unplugged from the tank. At first I thought we ripped it out when pulling the tank, but now my best guess of what happened was that after sitting all winter the cold must've shrank the connection enough to pop it loose, and when we pulled the tank out it just came the rest of the way off. I hooked the lines back up, sealed them with oil resistant silicone for good measure, and threw everything back together. No more gas leak, I just ran it today for a while and the problem is solved.

Thanks for your help.

ur welcome

glad it all worked out good and its all fixed up for u to enjoy :thumbsup: