Was at the post office yesterday and noticed something dripping mightily. Dipped a finger in it and smelled, smelled like gas but it was dirty and brown. When I got home last night I put it up on the ramps planning to check it out this morning.
Gas leak would explain some things--I've been smelling gas for a while, mileage has been down, and it's had to crank forever to start. Also, when I went to relieve the pressure in the fuel line preparatory to replacing the plenum pan a few months ago there wasn't any.
Well, turned out to be a gas leak at the connector between the hard line coming from the tank and braided line going up to the engine. When I looked at it I could see the hole in the connector.
While this isn't the "right" way to go about it, it worked:
I pulled the connector--had to bust the plastic piece out of it--the tool that works fine at the one going into the throttle body wouldn't remove it. Cut the braided line, and put a new connector on it with a short length of rubber fuel injection hose. Need the ZJ running on Monday so didin't have time to hunt down the right fittings to do a proper end on the braided hose.
Parts I used for the repair:
Dorman - OE Solutions Steel Body Fuel Line Connector 5/16" #800-120 Dorman - OE Solutions Nylon Fuel Line Barbed Union for 3/8" Lines #800-
011 Autocraft 1/4" Automotive Fuel Injection Hose Clamp AC52F13V Autocraft 5/16" Automotive Fuel Injection Hose Clamp (4-Pack) AC52F15VAbout four inches of 5/16 fuel injection hose (I got a foot and cut it).
All part numbers are from Advance Auto Parts as that's where I got them--you can plug those numbers into their web site to see what the pieces look like.
The 3/8 union is a nice tight barbed fit in both the braided and the
5/16 rubber line--I got a 5/16 union first and it was very loose.The 1/4" clamps tighten down nicely on the braided line--the 5/16 clamps tightened down all the way were still sliding around.
The fuel line connector is OEM type and snaps right onto the end of the hard line.
Used double clamps everwhere--took 4 5/16 and 2 1/4. The union and the connector are both long enough to take two clamps.
Total time to repair was about 10 minutes labor. Total cost about 25 bucks.
It remains to be seen how permanent the repair will be but for now it's not leaking.