Fuel Leak After New Fuel Pump Installed...

[KrazyKong]

Over the weekend I installed a Walbro GSS294 fuel pump into my car. Before it had just the stock GTS-T pump in it. I've since done a trip up to Brisbane and back. Tonight however, I filled up the tank which I normally fill it up pretty high. But it started pissing out fuel underneath around the HICAS stuff and back axel. So waited awhile at the gas station, then drove home. Checked it again after getting home and saw a wet patch where it looked like fresh fuel had been. Now I normally fuel my tank quite high, but did I go too far, or did I do something wrong with the fuel pump installation. I've always had a hard time with this car for some reason. Most fuel nozzles just freak out and stop as soon as I start pumping. I guess the pipe going into the fuel tank is too narrow. So I often pull the nozzle out a bit and pump it in via sight.

The fuel pump was a working pull from another car, and had already been mounted on the bracket. So it was basically just a straight swap. I checked in the boot and there were no leaks or smell around the metal plate that covers the access to the fuel tank & pump.

[aerofocker]

sounds like you didnt tighten the plastic locking ring properly oe else you have pinched a hose in that area

[KrazyKong]

The locking ring I can check again. A pinched hose, hmm how could I tell that if I don't see it at the tips of them? Anyway to test for that?

[KrazyKong]

Looked at the car this morning and could smell petrol. Fired it up and let it idle for a few minutes, then looked under the car and saw this...

Help!?

[Luciano]

fark i wouldnt want to drive around with that!

have you checked under the metal plate (in your boot) - is there any fuel around the plastic locking ring?

the first thing that came to mind was the two hose connections (send and return) that sit on top of the tank (locked on by that locking ring) - maybe you damaged one of the connectors and its pissing fuel

[KrazyKong]

fark i wouldnt want to drive around with that!

have you checked under the metal plate (in your boot) - is there any fuel around the plastic locking ring?

the first thing that came to mind was the two hose connections (send and return) that sit on top of the tank (locked on by that locking ring) - maybe you damaged one of the connectors and its pissing fuel

Alright, took the metal plate off, and immediately smelt petrol. A good start. This is what I saw:

All the hoses looked ok, no holes or damage to them. The clamps I had on firmly, but not over tight. I believe the fuel is leaking here between the locking ring and the top of the white plastic part.

It appears the fuel is then running down here to the parts below the car.

So what have I done wrong. Have I overtightened the locking ring? not tightened it enough, or have I simply not lined up the seals in the correct way.

Option B is where I had it installed after I put in the pump. But I've noticed this ridge at Option A, and am now wondering hmmm, maybe it should be only half into the tank instead of all the way in. Getting the lock ring off the second time was deadly. The first was quite simple. I don't think I had skipped any threads as it's too hard to turn and the thread too big that you would notice right away. I guess having the wet fuel in there was making it harder to turn.

So hoping someone who has done this can tell me what and how to fit this properly. Thankfully the pump is all good as it was a working pull from another car.

[KrazyKong]

Crap it's getting dark now, so will have to deal with this tomorrow. That locking ring is driving me nuts and is so hard to turn. I can't even turn it one half revolution with my hand before needing the old screw driver and hammer. And I'm totally parnoid now I'm jumping threads. I'm hating this more and more. Will go and get some rubber grease tomorrow and hope that will 1) be the right stuff that won't eat the rubber seal, and 2) help to turn the tight ring so I can lock it down all the way. I don't recall it being this hard when I first did it. Maybe being wet it is harder to turn than being dry.

[Luciano]

ah! now you can assume this is where your leak is coming from

with the current 33 we've been working on, those two hoses on the right have their own plastic fasteners/clips - which im guessing are the standard fittings.

i thought you had the same plastic clip fittings on the hoses, although you have the small steel hose clamps - which actually would have been a lot easier fitting/removing. The standard plastic fasteners were a real pain in the arse to remove. I presumed you might have damaged one of them which caused the hose to piss fuel.

seeing as you have a pretty full tank its definitely possible for fuel to leak through the seal & locking ring if you havent done it up properly, and went driving around / fuel splashing all over the place in the tank - although it was still leaking when you fired the car up and just let it idle.

i found that the locking ring is only a real prick to screw on when its not on properly. When i got it lined up perfectly (took me a few attempts), i was able to screw it on easily with my hands, and then give it a knock with a screwdriver and hammer to tighten it up with some force. Try re fitting it properly tomorrow and test her out

good luck mate

[Luciano]

PS - definitely option B as far as your image re screwing the ring down, it must go down as far as it can. that rubber ring actually comes off, so maybe it became loose / warped when you screwed it down the first time. needs to go in perfectly

[KrazyKong]

Thanks for those tips Luciano. The best one came from my neighbour today. All this time I had the fuel cap on! So the pressure was never able to be released from the tank, and thus could never get the locking ring and o-ring on snugly. Being a holiday today I can't get any rubber grease, but instead used some vaseline. Didn't get any in the tank and very little to minimal on the o-ring itself. But the plastic threads I put some and was able to lock the ring by hand pretty much all the way. So hopefully success. Will do the final taps with the hammer, put the hoses back on, pump some petrol back into the tank and we'll see if she holds together.

I think in retrospect I did install this correctly the first time, but due to not having the fuel cap off, or some form of grease I never got the locking ring as tight as it should be.

Edited April 2, 2010 by KrazyKong

[Shadz]

I had a similiar problem when I put in my Bosch fuel pump. The actual hose had a slight split in it and everytime the car was running I could smell the fuel. The leak wasn't as bad as that, but you couldn't relly see where it was coming from. Check the lines too mate

[Mayuri Krab]

Similar thing happened today for me as well, fuel was just pissing everywhere underneath the car.

On the photos posted there are 3 hoses, what is the 3rd for? 2 send & 1 return or the other way around?

[ausdrift]

Same problem, I could smell strongly fuel after filling the tank up (after stopping). I did what others above did. I reopened the tank up and carefully this time screwed it on being sure not to force it (my new rubber ring had a small tear in it, no doubt due to my first attempt). I also opened the fuel cap this time and yes, managed to screw it on with firm hand pressure and only using a hammer to tighten the last bit.

Now there is no fuel smell and I get that pressure release noise when I open the fuel cap after driving. Before I had lost that, so a good indication that everything is sealed now.