fuel leak

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scott bensinger
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Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:19 am

fuel leak

#1 Post by scott bensinger »

this is the situation,
1958 A with a later engine and solex carbs.
1. I drive the car and it acts normal, I then park in my garage at a slight angle nose up. I turn the gas off
2. one or two days later I find my oil catch pan filled with gas. I have check all fittings on the mechanical fuel pump through the carbs and no leaks.
3. the floats (this only seems to be occurring under the back left side of the car) are not stuck.
I drained the fuel tank, replaced the petcock, replace the fuel pump with a rebuilt mechanical pump, replaced the fuel filter and the problem has disappeared.
I am trying to understand since I am not that mechanical or knowledgeable what could have caused this issue. If the petcock was off then I assume since the car is parking at a slight angle that the fuel from the petcock to the carbs was draining through the carb? but if that is the case is it possible the spring in the fuel pump was worn out and allowing the fuel through?
Again please excuse my assumptions I am not that knowledgeable but the situation seems strange.
Any thoughts?
thanks in advance
Scott

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Mark Todorovich
356 Fan
Posts: 482
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:42 pm
Tag: Drive em
Location: St. Louis, Mo.

Re: fuel leak

#2 Post by Mark Todorovich »

Scott, Bob at GLB found a leak from fuel pump on my cab? he said it was a seal from the bottom of the shaft . It didn't come in the rebuild kit from Stoddard. I took him another fuel pump from my basement and he was able use that seal. Which seems to have solved it.
Hope to see you at Easter car show if the weathers good.
Mark
Mark Todorovich 4243
52 Coupe
56 Speedster project now underway
63 Cab?

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Doug McDonnell
356 Fan
Posts: 6079
Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:21 am
Location: Augusta,Michigan

Re: fuel leak

#3 Post by Doug McDonnell »

If it was raw fuel then it shouldn't be from the float or float needle valve. They would dump gas into your oil. Fuel pump, lines, line behind fan housing are all possibilities. Also brass plugs on the carbs.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

Erik Thomas
356 Fan
Posts: 403
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:55 pm
Location: Rhode Island

Re: fuel leak

#4 Post by Erik Thomas »

scott bensinger wrote:this is the situation,
1958 A with a later engine and solex carbs.
1. I drive the car and it acts normal, I then park in my garage at a slight angle nose up. I turn the gas off
2. one or two days later I find my oil catch pan filled with gas. I have check all fittings on the mechanical fuel pump through the carbs and no leaks.
3. the floats (this only seems to be occurring under the back left side of the car) are not stuck.
I drained the fuel tank, replaced the petcock, replace the fuel pump with a rebuilt mechanical pump, replaced the fuel filter and the problem has disappeared.
I am trying to understand since I am not that mechanical or knowledgeable what could have caused this issue. If the petcock was off then I assume since the car is parking at a slight angle that the fuel from the petcock to the carbs was draining through the carb? but if that is the case is it possible the spring in the fuel pump was worn out and allowing the fuel through?
Again please excuse my assumptions I am not that knowledgeable but the situation seems strange.
Any thoughts?
thanks in advance
Scott

Erik Thomas
356 Fan
Posts: 403
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:55 pm
Location: Rhode Island

Re: fuel leak

#5 Post by Erik Thomas »

Scott: ( tried to do a quote of above but not clever enough )

" Replaced the petcock, replaced the fuel pump, replaced the fuel filter" " and now problem has disappeared"

Scientific method demands that you fix one thing at a time, so that you know which ONE was the problem. Part of the fun of problem solving.

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