Leaky fuel line

[dpbrowne]

Has anyone had any experience with a fuel line leaking. 1983 300SD drivers side rear. How hard a job and what do I have to remove?

[JimSmith]

dpbrowne,

Try a search on this subject. It is a common event as the connections to the tank nipples are rubber and they eventually degrade and crack. The result is a leak. The factory connections are special molded things but I think others have saved a few dollars and used hose sections. Depends on the car, and which line it is. Not a hard task but well worth doing on an empty tank. Good luck, Jim

[dpbrowne]

Thank you Jim. I was speaking to a diesel mechanic today and gave me a strange remedy. He says he has used it many times and it provides a permenent fix. He takes a bar of Ivory soap, shaves it and molds it to the leak area. He then coats it with silicone. He tells me that the soap is affected by water while the oil has no effect on it. The coating keeps the water away. Strange but i trust this guy's ability.

[Stevo]

"bar of Ivory soap"

years ago I was riding in a cab in Panama, we scrapped bottom pretty bad going over some humongous ruts. so the cabby hops out checks out under his rig. fuel leaking from the tank. He takes a bar of soap from the glove box and fixed the leak. Don't remember if it was Ivory, probably was.

I think I would replace the problem hose as a tank of fuel on the ground or a parking lot would really make a mess, not to mention the inconvence.

[Brad123D]

Use the soap...to clean up with AFTER you properly repair the leak.

[dpbrowne]

Does anyone know what size fuel line I need. It is the return line all metal from front to back

[Fisherman]

i don't know if they are all the same but on my car the rubber line was a special size since it actual goes from about 8 or 10 mm down to 6 mm or somethign like that.
You might also check out your hose and try to isolate where it is leaking. I was able to just move the hose clamp a half inch and it fixed my leak. I waited until warm weather and a low tank to change it out.

[dpbrowne]

It seems that the only rubber I have on the entire length is at each end of the metal line (about 5 inches) the leak is halfway down the metal line. I have to replace it.

[Stevo]

dpbrowne

The line on the right side is the supply line. I think mine was 8mm. You can cut the metal strap that holds the hose on the tank fitting then you can use regular fuel hose. While you have the tank drained there are two hoses on the other side (8mm & 10mm) that you might want to check. When they leak they drip right on your left axal boot.

[dreamliner77]

While we're talking about fuel line leaks, I'll throw in my 2 cents. I had a leak about a year ago. Under drivers door, inside line. Couldn't find the leak at first, but had a nice puddle. After I got it up on ramps, I was able to really take a look. There is a rubber standoff/spacer for the lines there. When I removed the standoff, fuel just poured out of the line there. Seems that the standoff allows for alot of corrosion right there. So, down to he parts shop I went, got some rubber fuel line and a couple of clamps. Cut out the corroded section, replaced with rubber hose and did the other one too as a preventative measure.

[dpbrowne]

Since it was onlt the return line I bought some polypropolene (hope I spelled it right) line ans splicd it into the metal line with some clamps. It was leaking near the rubber support as suggested. Thanks for all of the help.

[Stevo]

I have never done it but from what I understand you can buy the metal line from the "stealer", the catch is you have to make all the bends yourself. Sounds like the patch would be the way to go if you can get away with it.

[P.E.Haiges]

I just repaired a leaky return fuel line above the rear axle. I used 1/4 inch soft copper pipe about 2 feet long and bent it to fit. I connected it with fuel hose at each end I got at Autozone.

P E H