97 OBW fuel leak: lines in front of left rear wheel

[Commuter]

1997 Legacy Outback wagon, auto.

 

Ok... Discovered fuel dripping from the lines just in front of the driver (left) side rear wheel. I haven't had a chance to get under the car yet to see just where the leak is coming from, but it was flowing down the lines from above the connectors that I could see. Of course it looks like a spot where it will be hard to get your hand up in there (between 'frame' and gas tank?).

 

I flipped up the rear seat bottom last night. Where is the panel that is suppose to give you access to the pump and sender units? Is it under the rear seat, or behind the seat in the cargo area? I'm going out right now to take a look in the cargo area.

 

Anyone had this experience? I'm hoping that I can fix it with some tubing / hose / clamps and don't need a whole fuel pump etc.

 

Thanks.

 

Commuter

 

OK... Found the access covers behind the rear seat. I can see 3 fuel lines that run alongside the tank then dip down the corner of the tank and run down to where I see the fuel leaking underneath. These lines are corroded pretty bad in this area and one of them (one of the 2 bigger ones, in the middle of the 3 lines it seems) is leaking. On the one hand, replacing approximately a foot of line looks to be the easy fix. On the other hand, ACCESS looks like it is going to be a royal pain in the @ss. I'm not equipped to start dropping drive shafts and gas tanks etc.

 

Now to call the dealer and see what they might have to say.

 

Commuter

 

Dealers... "Bring it in and we'll have to take a look." However, I'm an hour away from them. Sigh... Looks like I might be taking a vacation day to go at this. I think I can snip the lines thru the access hole and patch in some tubing / hose, but it will be painfully slow I'm sure. Still, I don't have hundreds of dollars floating around to pay to a shop right now for this.

 

Any input / feedback appreciated. I have to wonder if these lines that run across the front of the tank might have more weak spots. I don't know if I can see that if I get right under the car proper. I'm hoping to get another year or so out of this car, but I'm thru paying big bills on this thing. It's just getting to be a little much.

 

Side note... I have my car sprayed with Rust Check every year. Usually, it helps a lot to prevent stuff like this. However, it can only do so much on a (relatively) exposed line like this. Gotta love all the salt they dump on our roads in S. Ontario.

 

Commuter

[idosubaru]

i've never had a look at that stuff.

 

i just looked at my 97 impreza FSM and figure the Legacy is similar. looks like you'll have to cut everything off and just slide a hose over those fuel lines, which is what it sounds like you're doing.

 

i was wondering if it would be worth it to buy an entire fuel pump assembly that has those fuel lines on them and pre-fabricate what you need. install new hoses to those metal lines and have it ready to drop in with a few feet of fuel hose ready to go as far as you need it.

[mdjdc]

Okay, stop trying to fabricate something. You need to physically inspect those lines. This is fuel we are talking about and a fire would be a bad thing. Also, fumes getting into the passenger compartment cna get you very sick.

 

Dropping the rear isn't that big a deal four bolts at the wheel brackets and two at the front of the trailing arms. The rear will drop down enough for you to unbolt the gas tank and gain access to the lines you need to replace. If they have rusted out in one spot chances are they are very thin in other areas. I would not want to chance a failure after a fabbed repair, only to have to get in there again.

 

If yu have some tools, this is a job you can do. I have a 97 parts car and I'm getting ready to drop the fuel tank so I can send it to the crusher. If you want me to I can remove the lines, inspect them and let you know what their condition is. If you want to do the job correctly you can use my lines and fix the problem with confidence that they aren't going to fail in the near future.

 

Let me know if you want me to get those lines for you. The car is going to be crushed soon.

[Commuter]

i've never had a look at that stuff.

 

i just looked at my 97 impreza FSM and figure the Legacy is similar. looks like you'll have to cut everything off and just slide a hose over those fuel lines, which is what it sounds like you're doing.

 

i was wondering if it would be worth it to buy an entire fuel pump assembly that has those fuel lines on them and pre-fabricate what you need. install new hoses to those metal lines and have it ready to drop in with a few feet of fuel hose ready to go as far as you need it.

 

I follow what you are saying. The 3 lines I can see thru the access port don't connect to the fuel pump... at least, not right "there". There is one line out of the fuel pump angled towards the other side of the car. I don't have my Haynes manual on me and I didn't get under enough to know just what the routing is.

 

My intent at this point (pending further inspection) is as you say... to just replace the rotten sections with hose. If the rotted section extends up to where the lines are sandwiched in between the top 'corner' of the tank and the floor pan where it starts to drop down for the rear seat... grrr... that will be very difficult to access I think. We will see.

 

Commuter

[Commuter]

Okay, stop trying to fabricate something. You need to physically inspect those lines. This is fuel we are talking about and a fire would be a bad thing. Also, fumes getting into the passenger compartment cna get you very sick.

 

Dropping the rear isn't that big a deal four bolts at the wheel brackets and two at the front of the trailing arms. The rear will drop down enough for you to unbolt the gas tank and gain access to the lines you need to replace. If they have rusted out in one spot chances are they are very thin in other areas. I would not want to chance a failure after a fabbed repair, only to have to get in there again.

 

If yu have some tools, this is a job you can do. I have a 97 parts car and I'm getting ready to drop the fuel tank so I can send it to the crusher. If you want me to I can remove the lines, inspect them and let you know what their condition is. If you want to do the job correctly you can use my lines and fix the problem with confidence that they aren't going to fail in the near future.

 

Let me know if you want me to get those lines for you. The car is going to be crushed soon.

 

Disconnecting the drive shaft, dropping the tank etc... Yeah, I probably "could" do it... but I don't really have the means or inclination.

 

Yes, I appreciate that there are probably other areas that are getting thin as well. Still, there usually are some specific attack points. I think it has rotted thru where the lines are clipped to the "frame" of the car. Accummulated dirt, moisture, salt... you know the routine.

 

I appreciate the offer of pulling those lines for me, but shipping and border issues etc might be a killer. And if couriers smell or see any oil or gas, they will refuse to handle it. I think this will just be a patch as necessary.

 

I had a similar failure on my 85 Civic. The lines rotted where they went from outside the car thru a grommet to the inside. I had to pull the back seat, pull the interior panel etc. In all, it wasn't too bad. Shaped up a few 6" lengths of tubing, some hose connectors and worm gear clamps and it lasted for the rest of the life of the car. Of course, the trend always seems to be that things get less and less accessible. Come to think of it, that happened somewhere around age 10 to 12 years as well. Hmmm...

 

Commuter