[Bosco_Gman]

Specifically there's a gas leak just below the rear passenger door area, driver's side.

Looks like the fuel necks/lines in that area on the drivers side are rusting & leaking.

Brought it in to my mechanic and they took apart the rear seat to gain access to the pump 'n stuff, since the leak is traced back to the fuel necks into the pumps.
He said he could clean up the rust but it will eventually continue to rust through. So that will need t be replaced likely. Some of the lines will also need replacing.

* ANY thoughts as to what this may cost me??

(I've had the car over 2 years now. The previous owner NEVER did any rustproofing to the car...among other things.:icon_rolleyes: I have the last couple of years but it may be too little too late.)

 

[good dog]

The Search function is your friend http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/steps-replace-fuel-filler-neck-48016/
It's really only been a problem with the SF series that I know of.

 

[Real Lyte]

Dog, I believe he referring to the fuel lines, not the filler neck. I have had both issues. The fuel lines go outside of the body for maybe 6 inches, there are three. I had pin hole leaks in all three simultaneously. What I did was kind of a ghetto fix but it hasn't leaked since early last summer when it first happened. Basically I did a step by step building on other things:

-Sand all rust possible off.
-Coat everything with rust reformer (I used rustoleum)
-Then here is fun part, buy some gas tank sealer/repair. It is a grey epoxy puddy stuf that comes in a tube that you mix together by hand, I advise wearing gloves for this step. You need to plan things out here timewise and have materials ready because this epoxy hardens quite quickly when it contacts gas (5 minutes max, don't mix all at once). You might wanna do one line/section at a time. Wrap a respective amount around the fuel line, then wrap that with several layers (folded is easiest) fiberglass wrap or I used non-metal window screen I had laying around. Then around that to ensure a tight fit for curing and reinforcement use hose clamps (fuel line clamps work best) to hold it all together, one at least on each end of the epoxy wrap.

To sum, fold tank epoxy around line, wrap in folded fiberglass/screen (non metal stuff), hose clamp each end of the section of epoxy.

Yes this may be a really ghetto fix, but it worked and involves things that you should mostly have in your garage. I was quoted ~200$+ to replace all three lines which were rotting. I believe that the rust reformer+my special wrap cost me maybe 10$, but took ~2hrs to figure out/do. It isn't pleasant work on with all the gas fumes (use a fan, be smarter than me), but hey I fixed it lol. For easier access and manipulation of the lines remove the back seat (2 screws) and pop the lines out the bracket.

 

[YVR Fozzie]

with all the gas fumes (use a fan, be smarter than me)

EEK! Be VERY careful when "mixing" gas fumes and electrical devices than can/will spark! A large well ventilated area (ie. OUTDOORS) would probably be MUCH safer...

 

[Real Lyte]

EEK! Be VERY careful when "mixing" gas fumes and electrical devices than can/will spark! A large well ventilated area (ie. OUTDOORS) would probably be MUCH safer...

I was outside, there is no such thing as wind in my hometown sadly. Good point though lol, I wasn't thinking straight for a while after I did that repair lol.

 

[GEORGEROV]

Hi Bosco, I had a fuel leak a couple of months ago on my 97 fossie in the area mentioned. The fuel lines on mine run from front to back underneath the car,loop in to the passenger compartment then back out underneath the car then over the top of the tank to the supply/return points. Removing the two access covers in the trunk gave me just enough room to remove two rusted lines and replace with fuel hose. Ideally you should lower the tank to get proper access but to do this means lowering the rear suspension.

 

[good dog]

Dog, I believe he referring to the fuel lines, not the filler neck. I have had both issues. The fuel lines go outside of the body for maybe 6 inches, there are three. I had pin hole leaks in all three simultaneously. What I did was kind of a ghetto fix but it hasn't leaked since early last summer when it first happened. Basically I did a step by step building on other things:

-Sand all rust possible off.
-Coat everything with rust reformer (I used rustoleum)
-Then here is fun part, buy some gas tank sealer/repair. It is a grey epoxy puddy stuf that comes in a tube that you mix together by hand, I advise wearing gloves for this step. You need to plan things out here timewise and have materials ready because this epoxy hardens quite quickly when it contacts gas (5 minutes max, don't mix all at once). You might wanna do one line/section at a time. Wrap a respective amount around the fuel line, then wrap that with several layers (folded is easiest) fiberglass wrap or I used non-metal window screen I had laying around. Then around that to ensure a tight fit for curing and reinforcement use hose clamps (fuel line clamps work best) to hold it all together, one at least on each end of the epoxy wrap.

To sum, fold tank epoxy around line, wrap in folded fiberglass/screen (non metal stuff), hose clamp each end of the section of epoxy.

Yes this may be a really ghetto fix, but it worked and involves things that you should mostly have in your garage. I was quoted ~200$+ to replace all three lines which were rotting. I believe that the rust reformer+my special wrap cost me maybe 10$, but took ~2hrs to figure out/do. It isn't pleasant work on with all the gas fumes (use a fan, be smarter than me), but hey I fixed it lol. For easier access and manipulation of the lines remove the back seat (2 screws) and pop the lines out the bracket.

Thanks, thought it was the more common problem.

 

[Bosco_Gman]

Thanks for your replies. / an FYI: I have over 240,000km on the car.

Unfortunately I can't do any of this work myself for several reasons.

I'm going to have to let my mechanic work on this. Hopefully the suspension will not have to be lowered or anything like that.

I'm guessing $500-$1000 ???? Thoughts?
Man this sucks!

2nd question - for those of you who have worked on this -was your car rustproofed regularly, even though there was rust ? Is this a normal occurrence on most cars?

 

[huck_this]

Wifes 97 Outback has smell of gas when she fills up.

 

[GEORGEROV]

Thanks for your replies. / an FYI: I have over 240,000km on the car.

Unfortunately I can't do any of this work myself for several reasons.

I'm going to have to let my mechanic work on this. Hopefully the suspension will not have to be lowered or anything like that.

I'm guessing $500-$1000 ???? Thoughts?
Man this sucks!

2nd question - for those of you who have worked on this -was your car rustproofed regularly, even though there was rust ? Is this a normal occurrence on most cars?

With a bit of luck your mechanic might be able to fix it without much dismantling. Depends how bad . Parts will cost peanuts but labour charge could be high. There is a lot of salt put on the roads here in the winter and coated steel pipes are a common rust problem on lot of cars. Rest of car is not too bad considering its had no protection applied underneath before I got it.

 

[Real Lyte]

Thanks for your replies. / an FYI: I have over 240,000km on the car.

Unfortunately I can't do any of this work myself for several reasons.

I'm going to have to let my mechanic work on this. Hopefully the suspension will not have to be lowered or anything like that.

I'm guessing $500-$1000 ???? Thoughts?
Man this sucks!

2nd question - for those of you who have worked on this -was your car rustproofed regularly, even though there was rust ? Is this a normal occurrence on most cars?

It is simply a poor design combined with vast amounts of salt. My foz was rustproofed with that rubberized stuff but that hasn't stopped my fuel neck (another poorly thought out setup), my coil springs, and fuel lines from rotting. On Foresters these are common spots, but all cars will have issues with rust, end of story.

 

[Bosco_Gman]

Gonna be abt 800.00 total. Sucks but what can you do. I esp need the car in the winter just to get out of our driveway! Using our Jetta TDI now for the most part.

Wonder if the new Foresters will have the same problem eventually.

 

[tom_tom]

hello, i bought a 2000 Forester about two weeks ago. i went to fill up the first time i could smell gas at the gas station but then it went away so i thought it was just the smell from filling up. second time i went to fill up was today. i had a hard time filling as the pump would stop several times as if gas was stopping in the filler line (pipe). then after i managed to have it go through i put in about 11 liters and then noticed that gas is no longer going into the tank but rather leaks on the ground. by the looks of it it was coming from the filler line (pipe) area... now the question.. how do i access the filler pipe where it attaches to the tank?? it seems to be on top of the tank and i doubt i would be able to get there just by removing the wheel.

 

[Real Lyte]

hello, i bought a 2000 Forester about two weeks ago. i went to fill up the first time i could smell gas at the gas station but then it went away so i thought it was just the smell from filling up. second time i went to fill up was today. i had a hard time filling as the pump would stop several times as if gas was stopping in the filler line (pipe). then after i managed to have it go through i put in about 11 liters and then noticed that gas is no longer going into the tank but rather leaks on the ground. by the looks of it it was coming from the filler line (pipe) area... now the question.. how do i access the filler pipe where it attaches to the tank?? it seems to be on top of the tank and i doubt i would be able to get there just by removing the wheel.

You have a pm.