Hello,

Every time I turn my 1995 E300 Diesel off, a steady fast drip of diesel fuel begins under the vehicle for about 15 minutes - I'd say about a total of 1 quart leaks out during that 15 minutes...then it stops.
The leak drips down the driver side of the oil pan, from above but where is difficult to locate. It is definitely not coming from the rear of the motor, but rather from the front.

If the car is parked at an upward angle, like up my driveway, it never leaks any fuel.
I've tested it several times, turning it off in my drivway = no leak, then moving it into my garage or on the street where it rests flat = leak. Ive tried parking it in my garage where it leaks, then manually pushed the vehicle into the driveway = no more leak.

When the vehicle is running, no leaks at all, no drips, nothing is wet.

Every time I try starting the car (after it has been leaking), it needs to crank over several times before it starts - then it runs rough, then it runs great once again...ie Im assuming this is the self bleeding feature of this vehicle making up for the leak.

Does this give anyone good clues where I should investigate a leak?
Maybe a faulty fuel pressure shut-off valve?
Maybe a bad line or seal somewhere?
Maybe a return fuel line?

Any help would be appreciated. Im new to dieseld, only owned the car for 3 months now, it has 152,000 miles, drives beautifully.
I already searched all the postings here, great info, but nobody had a problem(at least symptoms) like mine.....?
Thanks.

Just a thought, but you might check the fuel return line and any connections on it in the engine compartment. Could just be fuel in the tank seeking its level. Does it leak like that when the tank is near empty? I had a similar issue - turned out to be a loose hose clamp - but only when the tank was full.

F

Thanks for the information.

The leak became worse & worse, until it was a fast drip - still only after turning the car off - and now at any position I parked the car....luckily I was finally able to trace it to the fuel pre-filter o-ring.
I went ahead & replaced the fuel pre-filter & the fuel filter & their o-rings.

Now I noticed I have a small drip exiting out of that clear hard plastic line connecting to the fuel pre-filter, at the other end - according to other posts - this is that famous bad connection so I ordered a 601 fuel pipe assembly that includes a Banjo bolt to replace that bad connection.

I'll get this vehicle leak free sooner or later!!!!

Mark

Mark:

I would have suspected the 0-ring at the lift pump (where the line from the pre-filter enters the fuel pump) or the o-rings on the fuel heater. Won't leak while running if it is the first o-ring, because air is leaking in instead.....

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!