Help! HUGE fuel leak! Pics included
 

Ok, for the past couple days, I have been wondering why my car smells like gas. I wrote it off as some vapors out of the tank or something. Then yesterday, I notice a large dripping behind my right rear tire, and the rain had stopped 20min before that. OH $#!7! The fuel leak wasn't a stream, but close enough. Lots of drips like:

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Big fat ones. So I got it home as quickly as I could, and looked at it today. After noticing the electrical leads, I am just glad that I didn't start a fire or anything. :eek:

Is it the line? The fuel pump? What can I do to check without getting gasoline in my eye? It only leaks when the car is on.

I really appreciate any help that yall can give.

This is where its coming from:

Here it is dripping. Unfortunately, I couldnt catch it mid stream, but instead got it right before it dripped.

Isn't that the secondary fuel pump next to the fuel filter?

Isn't that the secondary fuel pump next to the fuel filter?

I dont know X 2.;)

The cause of your leak is the crush seals on the fuel lines that attach to the pump and the filter. You need to remove the fuel line and then remove the check valve from the pump and replace all the copper seal rings. Be careful to not over tighten the nuts on the banjo fittings because you could distort the banjo and it wont seal.

Could I have that once again, in english? :)


Any tips on repair? Any tips on how not to be bathed in gasoline when I try to fix it? Where can I get the parts for it?

A banjo fitting looks like this:
http://www.deepstaged.net/install%20.../Dsc010092.jpg
Undo the fuel line v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y to minimized the gasoline splash. (Don't smoke for a few minutes)
You need to replace the copper O-rings on the fuel line.
Your friendly local Benz dealer has the copper seals O-ring. Any good auto parts store could also stock them. Make sure you have the right size.
Don't over-tighten on reassembly...just enough to gently sqeeze those o-rings.
jackD

Is that on the fuel tank?

Yours is not on the fuel tannk.
It is under the car, in front of the right/rear wheel, under a black plastic cover.
The picture I posted is from an other car, but your looks pretty much the same.
JackD

Sorry, I just noticed we are talking about a 1983 380 SEL .
Not sure of its location.
jackD

Ok. Its on that second cylinder, right? The one in the front of the pics.


Will this leak continuously while I am fixing it? This only happens when the car is running.

Get a "scissor" type clamp from the auto parts store. (I bought a package with 2) Use these to pinch the flexible fuel lines and stop the fuel flow before you disconnect the line from the pump. There will likely be some fuel leakage, so be ready catch it with a pan.

Hose pinch pliers are the ticket. I got mine at Sears, makes changing fuel filters a breeze. No gas bath and no hurry when trying to reattach the main fuel line.

My 300E leaked just like that. It was the hose that was leaking, not the bolts or washers. Dealer said it was common for the hose to fail.