Gas leak

Michael Mattix

SCCoA Member
Everyone,
Well, I've had this gas smell in my garage for the past couple of days. I figured it was from my mower because I just took it apart and found a crack in the tank. But, while waiting for a new tank for my mower, the gas smell keeps getting stronger. Not usually what happens. I look under my 95 and see a puddle right in front of the right rear tire and a little inboard. After jacking it up (much harder to do now that it is lowered) and see fuel dripping off of the fuel lines right where they head upwards towards the top of the fuel tank. The fuel lines were dry near the fuel filter, so I am assuming that my leak is coming from somewhere upstream of that. So, my thought is that either the fuel lines are busted, or maybe the fuel pump has issues (after reading many threads about this by a search, but none seem to exactly describe the leak that I am having). There is some gas that leaks around to the bottom of the tank, but there was visible liquid hanging off of the bottom of the fuel lines getting ready to drip, not off of the bottom of the tank. Well, I was just hoping that someone could give me some past experience tips as well as some good advice. I think I'm going to order a new pump and have that put in even if it's just the fuel lines. They (I'd rather not mess with it, and I don't mean Ford) are going to have to drop the tank and the exhaust anyway, so I thought it would be a good time to put in a new fuel pump. My car has 83k on it for a 1995. Most of the posts I read were for older SC's. Side note: I ran over a softball sized rock on a foggy morning going to work and it did do some damage to some brace. I wasn't sure if all SC's had this, so I don't really know what to call it. I don't think I did any damage to the fuel lines or tank as there was no evidence on them. And I ran over the rock over 6 months ago, so I doubt it's related, I just didn't have the time to look under my car until this fuel smell has forced the issue. I guess I'll be replacing a brace also! Thanks,

Mike
 
I don't know about the later model SC's, but on my previously owned '92 SC AOD i had that same gas leak with a puddle in front of the right side rear tire. i found that there was a crack in the weld on the main fuel inlet tube (on top) going into the gas tank. it's on the piece where the entire fuel pump assembly is mounted on, with the rubber o-ring seal. i ended up replacing the fuel pump, and i actually used a propane torch and some solder and re-sealed the inlet tube securing the outer edges to the fuel pump mount assembly. that worked very well for me and after replacing the o-ring and sealing everything up- no more fuel leaks ever again.

i just bought another '92 5spd SC with this exact same problem, and i will have to do this again.

BTW, i did not drop the gas tank- on the '92, i took out the back seat and simply cut an access hole just above the fuel pump location with some really big shears, and managed to get to the fuel pump assembly from inside the car. it really is a simple procedure- just make sure you are nearly out of gas when you do this. install a new fuel pump while your in there since you have to take out the whole assembly anyway. this method worked for me, and it was not a real pain to do it either.
 
Last edited:
hytorksc said:
I don't know about the later model SC's, but on my previously owned '92 SC i had that same gas leak with a puddle in front of the right side rear tire. i found that there was a crack in the weld on the main fuel inlet tube (on top) going into the gas tank. it's on the piece where the entire fuel pump assembly is mounted on, with the rubber o-ring seal. i ended up replacing the fuel pump, and i actually used a propane torch and some solder and re-sealed the inlet tube securing the outer edges to the fuel pump mount assembly. that worked very well for me and after replacing the o-ring and sealing everything up- no more fuel leaks ever again.

i now have a '92 5spd SC with this exact same problem, and i will have to do this again.

BTW, i did not drop the gas tank- on the '92, i took out the back seat and simply cut an access hole just above the fuel pump location with some really big shears, and managed to get to the fuel pump assembly from inside the car. it really is a simple procedure- just make sure you are nearly out of gas when you do this. install a new fuel pump while your in there since you have to take out the whole assembly anyway. this method worked for me, and it was not a real pain to do it either.


I had the same problem with my '91 LX and they replaced the pump.

Mike Donley
 
The line coming out of the pump can be corroded and leaking. This happened on my 95 a few years ago, I've seen it on a few other cars as well. Replacement line from Ford sold under p/n F4SZ 9S278 A.


cheers,
Ed N.
 
I had this very same problem with my 89 XR7. I started a thread all about it and if I can find it I will post the link to it.

Pretty much my problem was that the plastic return fuel line rubbed against the body enough times that it wore a flat spot on the line and made it leak. I used to be able to see feel dripping onto the ground after driving places. Drop the tank and replace the lines.

Shane
 
Thanks for everyone's replies. Is the recall for 95's as well? I would have thought if the early models had a problem, then Ford would have fixed it before the 95's were out. Oh well, I'll have to call Ford to find out if my VIN number is included in the recall.
 
From what I can remember (it was an old recall), the covered years were 89 - 91, or maybe 92. The recall was to install a shield over the line to keep it from rubbing against the chassis. If it was already worn significantly, then the line was replaced with the 94 - up style line that I quoted the number for. So that is the latest part, not sure why the later cars are having the problem too.

cheers,
Ed N.
 
Thanks Ed, a couple more questions. One, the part number you gave me, is that for the rear fuel supply return and vapor tube (9S278 as called out in the service manual from Helms)? And is the 9H307 fuel pump module come with everything except the 9365 fuel filter element? How much is the 9H307 (just curious)? And when you say (The line coming out of the pump can be corroded and leaking), which line are you refering to? Are you refering to the 9S278? If you are refering to the two curved tubes that come out of the top of the 9H307, I would guess I would have to buy the whole assembly :( . I was going to replace the fuel pump anyway because of having the fuel tank already dropped. Does anyone know about the push connector fittings? According to the Helms manual, you need some special tool from Ford, but I am assuming because the same type of connection can be found near the fuel filter, that they can be taken off with something (maybe the best tool in the world....flathead screwdriver :D . The article on Mn12performance says that their kit comes with new lock tabs or something like that. The reason I am asking is that my shop that took a look at my car tonight said that even the dealerships don't have this special tool. And their data is telling them that they need it to remove the flexible fuel lines coming from the top of the 9H307. I am going to have them drop the tank anyway to fix the leak on Monday.
 
Need Info

hytorksc said:
I don't know about the later model SC's, but on my previously owned '92 SC AOD i had that same gas leak with a puddle in front of the right side rear tire. i found that there was a crack in the weld on the main fuel inlet tube (on top) going into the gas tank. it's on the piece where the entire fuel pump assembly is mounted on, with the rubber o-ring seal. i ended up replacing the fuel pump, and i actually used a propane torch and some solder and re-sealed the inlet tube securing the outer edges to the fuel pump mount assembly. that worked very well for me and after replacing the o-ring and sealing everything up- no more fuel leaks ever again.

i just bought another '92 5spd SC with this exact same problem, and i will have to do this again.

BTW, i did not drop the gas tank- on the '92, i took out the back seat and simply cut an access hole just above the fuel pump location with some really big shears, and managed to get to the fuel pump assembly from inside the car. it really is a simple procedure- just make sure you are nearly out of gas when you do this. install a new fuel pump while your in there since you have to take out the whole assembly anyway. this method worked for me, and it was not a real pain to do it either.
HOW DID YOU START THE CUT DRILL A HOLE OR WHAT I WAS THINKING OF THE SAME THING FOR MY 90 SC
 
Michael Mattix said:
Thanks Ed, a couple more questions. One, the part number you gave me, is that for the rear fuel supply return and vapor tube (9S278 as called out in the service manual from Helms)? And is the 9H307 fuel pump module come with everything except the 9365 fuel filter element? How much is the 9H307 (just curious)? And when you say (The line coming out of the pump can be corroded and leaking), which line are you refering to? Are you refering to the 9S278? If you are refering to the two curved tubes that come out of the top of the 9H307, I would guess I would have to buy the whole assembly.

The line that usually develops the leak is the 9S278 feed line, which attaches to the tube coming out of the top of the 9H307. Ford 9H307 assemblies are pretty expensive, they are complete with the fuel level sender, and filter sock. I don't have access to U.S. pricing, last time I looked they were about $225 up here I think.


cheers,
Ed N.
 
I think perhaps some people are getting slightly mixed up.

There are two areas that can give problems.

1) The fuel lines. These are removed manually from the pump/sending unit assembly in the tank with a screw driver or similar tool. No special tool required. The connection at the filter however, requires a special tool. It is available from AZ for $15. It is a tool package of plastic adapters for all A/C and fuel line "quick disconnect" connectors. This tool pack has the right adapters for all our A/C and fuel lines. This fuel line assembly is available from Ford for about $60. I've bought/replaced them recently. The cause of needing to replace this part is rubbing of the lines against the frame rail above the tank. As Ed mentioned, the 94-up lines were redesigned to reduce the likelyhood of this problem. Because these are high pressure lines, they will leak mainly while the car is running and not so much once it is shut off.

2) The fuel sender assembly itself. No special tools are required to change this part. What happens with this one is that the solder that holds the lines into the mounting plate cracks and the leak forms there. This type of leak will be bad when the tank is full but will more or less quit once the tank is less than 1/2 full. This is the part that is over $200 that Ed was talking about. It was a big problem in some years. I found one once that was made out of stainless steel instead of galvanized like most are. The stainless steel one was of much better quality and now resides in David Neibert's turbo SC.

Hope that helps some.
 
Everyone,
Thanks for the information. I'm not sure where the aformentioned mix up is, I hope I have it straight. I'm just trying to get all my ducks in a row before my shop lowers my tank to fix the leak on Monday. According to my Helms manual, it calls the attachment of the rear fuel lines in a couple of places as a "push connect fitting" and I was reading somewhere in there that it required some T90T-9550-S special tooling for removal. That's good information about the tools at autozone. I think I'll go buy them. I was just looking at many pictures and thinking that there has to be some flexible tubing between the fuel sending unit and the rear fuel supply/vapor (metal) tubes. Other wise, it would be a hard connection all the way from the fuel sending unit to the fuel filter. The manual doesn't say that 9S278 (rear fuel lines) have to be disconnected at the filter, so that's how my assumption came about. And the pictures I have found don't really show it to clearly, or I'm just ignorant of what I'm looking at since I haven't done the work. Once again, thanks to all!

Mike
 
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