1994 Dodge Intrepid gas tank problems...

Hi all.

I hate to bother you fine folks, but a while back I was filling up and gasoline leaked out. It seemed to be a thing with the top of the tank, because it didn't drip out after the filling stopped despite the gauge registering full.

However, since then there has been an odor of gas near the back of the car, and I am worried I have a hole or a leak. The guy at the gas station said "Don't worry, just don't fill it up all the way" but I am worried, because I don't want to be driving a potential bomb, and because the inspection is due next month on the car, and the pressure test for the gas tank will probably be part of it.

I think what might have done me in was that since Katrina, with the high gas prices, and since I don't do too much driving with the car, I hadn't filled the tank, just doing the 10 dollars' worth thing every so often. Which may have let problems develop at the top of the tank.

My big question is, will a mechanic be able to fix the tank? Or if not, can a replacement tank be had? I have tried parts sites on line, and they seem to either be out of or not carry Intrepid tanks. The car is relatively low mileage (About 60,000 miles) and otherwise in good repair. I could get another raide, but the Intrepid and I have been through a lot together and I really don't relish the idea of getting rid of it. I am wondering what the cost and difficulty might be in fixing this.

David

Reply to
David E. Powell
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Most likely it is nothing much to worry about. Odds are the tank itself is fine. The tanks are made of plastic, so unless something has happened that would have caused it to crack, I doubt that there is a problem with it.

I have a similar problem with mine. When I "top it off" I get gas that runs down the side of the tank for a short bit, or until I start the car and drive a few 100 feet. I think it's just a pressure thing where the gas is forcing open the pressure relief vent valve, and once I consume a little bit of gas, the pressure stabilizes.

I've never really looked into the problem, but I believe that it is just the pressure valve leaking. I've driven mine like that for years now without incident. The smell goes away after about a week (once the gas has fully evaporated off the tank).

Reply to
FeMaster

Neither one of you posters say what year your Intrepids are, but my guess is a fill tube problem. This discussion on

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forums may help:
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In one of the posts on the first page, there is the text from a TSB that covers all 2nd gen LH cars that may give a clue even if your is not in those years.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Reply to
Bill Putney

I hate to tell you this Bill, but... um.... didja check the subject line? :-)

Back to the original issue- it could just be a bad gas CAP that is always venting vapors instead of sealing. It could possibly be one of the vent line fittings on the top of the tank on the fuel pump/sending unit assembly (accessible thru the removable panel in the trunk, way forward under the package tray- lift up the trunk liner to see it).

Odds of it being any physical problem with the *tank* are slim to none. Those plastic tanks are TOUGH, and unless you put a rock through it its not going to leak.

Reply to
Steve

DOH!

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Reply to
Bill Putney

Your right, at least I did not specify... Mine is a '94 also, but it's a Vision. In any case, It's not fill tube, as it definitely comes of the top of the tank. Of curse, this only happens when I fully top off the tank (full to top of filler tube). Like I said, just the pressure relief valve in my opinion...

Reply to
FeMaster

If you raise the carpet in the trunk and remove the access plate you will see where the fuel is coming from. My guess would be the pump assembly gasket that seals the tank to the pump.

Glenn Beasley Chrysler tech

Reply to
maxpower

It's a possibility, however due to the cold season, and the fact that it give me no problems once I drive like a 10th of a mile or less, I'm not going to put any effort into it at this point in time. Maybe next summer, but then again maybe not. It has other issues that need to be dealt with first, like the leaky heater core... YEAH!

Reply to
FeMaster

I would think that a fuel leak just above the muffler and pipes would come before a heater core.

just my opinion

Glenn

Reply to
maxpower

And your right to it...

Not sure if it is the design of the tank or what, but it only runs off on the passenger side, away from the exhaust... Yeah, no excuse, but I'm really not that worried about it. Gas really doesn't ignite as easily as most people tend to believe...

Reply to
FeMaster

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I'd like to thank all those who responded. A gentleman reading here emailed me the linkely cause (fuel filler tube or screww clamp) and he was right. It looks like the fuel filler tube, filler hose and seal may have gone bad. Except that the Chrysler folks don't seem to have those parts in stock. I was wondering if any one makes an after market part that fits, after all it is just a pipe, a hose and a seal thing... Maybe I will check the local Auto Zone or other shops, but I was wondering if anyone has experience in finding these parts? I intend to take a look myself, maybe it is a slipped clamp, I'll know more when I take a look myself. If the hose is bad, maybe another type could be cut to fit? It seems a minor problem, compared to, say, a bad tank....

DEP

Reply to
David E. Powell

Talking about tough gas tanks, the other day I passed an accident where a car was rear ended and basically all of the metal was pushed back past the back seat. Roof was peeled off perhaps in the accident or to remove the passengers. But that tank apparently held perfectly fine. They aren't building Pintos these days.

Reply to
Art

Liquid gas doesn't ignite as easily as people tend to believe but fumes blow up just fine.

Reply to
Art

Spark required... Greatly unlikely that one will be found coming out the end of the tale pipe, and I don't have anything dragging that would cause one.

Reply to
FeMaster

Geez! It's generally a good idea to keep at least two unlikely events away from death to yourself or others (likelihood of one rare event is

1/x; likelihood of two rare events happening simultaneously is 1/x * 1/y). Unless it's required for some very imporant purpose, whenever I'm one unlikely event away from death, I usually try to leave the situation ASAP, but that's just me.

I bet you don't back up your hard drive either. :)

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Reply to
Bill Putney

Man, you hit it right on the head... Nope, I don't. I have thought about it MANY times, but have yet to do it... Current reason.. No place to back it up to.... Have 3 HDs totaling 360Gig, and for the more part, they are full...

Reply to
FeMaster

OK: Here is a summary of where my gas tank situation stands as of now.

A few days ago I took it into the shop and told them there was an access panel in the trunk to get in, and figured it would be OK. They informed me when I got back that the tube, hose and seal were all bad, and that there was no access panel in first generation Intrepids. They said they would have to drop the tank to get to it and didn't have the parts anyway. After being billed an hour of labor I got the car back, and kicked myself, because I picked up the carpet in the back of the trunk today and, well, there's the access panel secured by four nuts. I should have looked myself first before taking it in to the dealership. Also, I can inspect the fuel hose and so on by looking under the side "wrap" portion of the rear bumper on the right hand side. The hose looked a little worn, and I was wondering about the join spot where the metal pipe goes into the flex-hose, but it felt solid. Then I opened the panel and the odor of gas was strong. I think that might be the problem spot, where all the hoses run into the top of the tank, but it is getting late now and I would like to look when there is more light (and when I can let it air out some.) I guess I will try to figure what is up with the top of the tank and failing that, observe when the tank is given a little gas, and see where some might leak out of the top or the filler hose from the bumper... the good news is that the metal part of the filler tube looks to be in good shape. Even if it were a bad hose another might be adapted with some fitting. The clamps look OK, but I will check them again tomorrow (Weather permitting.) The top of the tank part is my main concern, but I am worried about messing with it for safety reasons. I've never really been that into wrench stuff on cars, so am not sure if it is safe to have a flashlight down in there or not....

Sorry to keep bothering everyon like this, it's sort of a new experience for me....

David E. Powell wrote:

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Reply to
David E. Powell

I'd go back and complain to the manager of the shop on that one, but the truth is that it sounds like they simply just don't want to work on it. But in any case, let me say this about dropping the tank. If this was my vehicle I'd definitely drop the tank rather than try mucking through an access hole. The reason is that without the tank out of the vehicle there is no way to inspect the -entire- thing.

What I would be most worried about is not a bad filler tube but a crack in the tank. I would want the tank out so I could look it over very carefully and make sure the plastic of the tank had not gotten brittle.

You need to call around to shops, tell them what you have, and tell them to drop the tank and filler tube and inspect it then call you and tell you what is wrong. Then when they do this, call a wrecking yard, and get some good used parts, and drive to the wrecker, get the parts, then drive to the shop with them. The shop will of course not warranty the parts, but if your willing to locate the parts, get them, deliver them, and take the responsibility for them failing, I don't see why most shops would be unwilling to work on it. Shops don't generally like to have to deal with wreckers for parts because most wreckers are unreliable and it can cost a huge amount of time to find a yard with the part you need then get it from them.

Ted

Reply to
Ted Mittelstaedt

Hm... I hope it is not that bad. I believe I have a handle on it. I got anotehr look through the panel today and there is a metal ring with a screw clamp that seems to have slipped off the top of the line-port assembly that sticks out of the top of the tank. The entire assembly seems to bob up and down. From what i have seen of the tank itself, it is solid, and I saw no cracks... I figure that the bobbing assembly is the source of the leak. It wasn't too bad to take a peek today because a stiff wind is keeping the fumes from building up in the trunk, but I wonder if siphoning the gas out of the tank might be necessary before I go and try to fix the clamp. If it just slipped and isn't eevn broken, this could be simple, and if it is just the metal loop/clamp that is the problem maybe I can replace it easily....

I seriously want to thank all of you on here, without your help I wouldn't know how to even attempt to work this out...

David

Reply to
David E. Powell

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