1978 - Fuel ends up in engine compartment. At wits end.

[oshima]

Hi everyone,

I have a 1978 FI bus. The thing has been sitting for ten years, so I did all the usual replacements/tune ups to get it going again, and it runs swimmingly. Unfortunately, I have a problem where the whole left side of the engine compartment behind the tail light is soaked with gasoline after I drive it for more than a minute or two. I have replaced every hose and grommet, and have checked every inch of fuel line for spilled fuel, and there is none anywhere. None of the injectors have fuel on the outside of them, and none of the hoses have fuel on the outside either. There is no gasoline anywhere else in the engine compartment - it's bone-dry.

If I run it and rev the engine while it is sitting still, it won't soak the compartment; it's only if I actually drive it.

Any ideas?

[hansie]

Is your tank full ? Do you have your canister hooked up ?
_________________
Karl Bower

[Paintedbus]

i bet you didnt get the 2" hose behind the spare tire well. Its a pain the the ass to get to, but crawl up in there and look. thats your problem and the cause of most stubborn fuel smells in a baywindow bus. I have watched gas pour out of that on my bus hen i over filled it, if you take a corner hard, it would spill out there too.
_________________
Champagne Edition Roadtrip monster "Juakali"

~"Paintedbus" Ken~
The Mobile Muralist
WWW.PAINTEDBUSART.COM

[Paintedbus]

the red one is always broken.

(edited for clarity)
_________________
Champagne Edition Roadtrip monster "Juakali"

~"Paintedbus" Ken~
The Mobile Muralist
WWW.PAINTEDBUSART.COM

[Wasted youth]

My experience is limited in this area, but I would ask if you removed the fuel tank and replaced all the vapor lines and the fuel filler tube. Sometimes if these lines are cracked, on a reasonably full tank the fuel will slosh out of the cracks and dribble down all over the place.

[aeromech]

I fixed a 1978 that had a small engine fire.

Once everything was cleaned up I finally found the cause.

_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Paintedbus]

yeah, but he is saying its on the left side, behind the tail light... thats right next to the red #24. The filler neck and most of the easy-to-reach vapor recovery lines on the fuel tank are blocked off/ no where near the location he is finding the gas. If any of those leaked, it would either be under the bus or behind the rear passenger tire (been there w/ a filler neck leak)

As this is a really common problem on late bays, I bet that his problem has nothing to do with the filler neck, charcoal canister or fuel tank directly, nor the fuel injection lines. Its common enough that unless you have replaced this tiny little joining hose, I can guarantee that its broken.
_________________
Champagne Edition Roadtrip monster "Juakali"

~"Paintedbus" Ken~
The Mobile Muralist
WWW.PAINTEDBUSART.COM

[poptop tom]

I think Ken is on the right track with his issue.
_________________
'76 Deluxe Campmobile

[aeromech]

I agree. Assuming his tank is pretty full.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[oshima]

Thanks guys, you nailed it. I actually managed to find it, as I saw a single drip drop down before I checked back here. Glad my girlfriend saw it - I lack the sense of smell for gasoline after replacing every line on this car.

After sitting for ~10 years, the car is running perfectly. Lifters are operating normally (thank you hydraulics) and after replacing the spark plugs and lines, and Jamie Sue is running better than ever.

Still though; I definitely want to check out the vent lines above the gas tank. I can still smell gasoline vapor. Do I need to drop the engine to get to those? Maybe I can train a squirrel to go up there and do it?

[SGKent]

You can get to those hoses with a little effort with the engine in but it is certainly easier with the engine out. Also a good time to check if your gas gauge works right before you do it.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[aeromech]

You need to remove the firewall which is possible with the engine installed. Keep in mind that there are two screw holding it that are accessed from under the bus looking straight up.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Paintedbus]

good to hear! if ou want to do the rest of those lines, then aeromech is right on target. no engine removal needed for that, just some skinny little arms and some patience!
_________________
Champagne Edition Roadtrip monster "Juakali"

~"Paintedbus" Ken~
The Mobile Muralist
WWW.PAINTEDBUSART.COM

[Wildthings]