Found the Cause of the Fuel Smell at the NCRS National

[Clark K.]

During the Flight-judging of my car at the recent National, the judging team spent some time looking for the cause of the strong fuel smell. They could not find it.

I think I found the cause. Yesterday, I was going to drive the car for a few miles. I started it up and backed it out of the garage. I then smelled fuel. I let it idle in the driveway and looked under the car. A puddle of fuel was growing just under the fuel pump area. From the top, the A/C compressor partially conceals the fuel pump but it appeared that there was some fuel on the top of the fuel pump. So, I put the car back in the garage and shut it off.

I have had this problem before but when I took it to the shop last year, the shop could find nothing leaking.
What can cause an apparent "intermittent" fuel pump leak?
-Clark

[Russ S.]

Re: Found the Cause of the Fuel Smell at the NCRS National

If you have an original pump you can get rebuild kits for them. They are quite easy to rebuild.

[Will B.]

Re: Found the Cause of the Fuel Smell at the NCRS National

Are you using alcohol-polluted gas?

It seems the Europeans don't use their food in their fuel - only the US epa is stupid enough to do that.

[John D.]

Re: Found the Cause of the Fuel Smell at the NCRS National

Clark, Will most likely told you the culprit. The ethanol is killing the fuel pumps, etc. Typical rebuild kits are not much good today because the alcohol is killing the rubber.
Several company's stock rebuild kits that will stop the leaks.
One of them I have mentioned many times in the past. Oldtimeparts.com aka Jackson Old Time Parts in Duluth, Minn 218-624-5791
They are on Ebay quite often or you can call them. The colors and material are not good for judging but at least the pump won't leak.
Don't forget to resurface the pump housings and cover on a surface plate.
Replace the rubber hoses with ones suitable for ethanol.
Carb kits with really good accelerator pumps are available from various vendors. John

[Michael J.]

Re: Found the Cause of the Fuel Smell at the NCRS National

Right, the pump diaphragm has a hole or tear in it, there is usually a weep hole where gas comes out above the pump that leaks when this happens. Get a new pump or rebuild the old one. I have found a new one is much easier than rebuilding.

[Joseph K.]

Re: Found the Cause of the Fuel Smell at the NCRS National

It might be a good idea to change your oil to. Some times when the pumps go they will also leak gas into the crankcase.