Pedro'74

OK, it's actually a sequence of bonehead moves... Yesterday I put the rear of the Vette on jackstands, to clean it up and adjust the parking brake. After some time, what's that smell? Fuel! There was a lot of gas on the intake, and starting to puddle on the floor. I had completely forgotten that the tank was full, my carb was in Colorado visiting Lars, the gas line was open, the car's butt was up, the front was down, and that under those circunstances certain laws of fluid mechanics would come into play, and.... Anyway, I figure, "this should stop soon; I'll just put some paper towels here to absorb the gas".

After some hours and after soaking 3 rolls of paper towel, I realize I need a more effective way to collect the gas. I try to use a small cup, but every 5 min I had to go there to empty it. So I attached a hose to the gas line, to direct the gas to a fuel container. Yeah, that should work... Genius... :rolleyes: :D I woke up twice during the night to check it, and the hose had somehow disconnected from the gas line, and the fuel was dropping on the floor.

Now 24 hours have passed, and there's still fuel dropping from the gas line. Maybe I should (have) just syphon(ed) some fuel out of the tank... Or maybe not... let's see how long this takes to stop... :conehead :D

-Pedro

AlwaysWave

:eek: Yopu must have the rear end wayyyyyyyyyyy up in the air to get puddles on the intake :eek: I would have thought using something like a vacuum fitting cup would work on the gas line?

Pedro'74

No, the rear is not that high, but the tank was completely full. I've collected already 2 gallons of gas or more.

The keyword here is thought. As you can see, I'm not really using this verb... :crazy:

-Pedro

AlwaysWave

ah well...we all make boo boo's. Just be careful about a flame.

Smokehouse69

Pedro! You obiviously burned out too many brain cells getting that Phd! :D
Good luck!

72GACRZR

It may not stop until the pickup isn't under gas(like using a garden hose to sipon a flooded basement). Can you put a bolt in the end of the line and tighten a clamp on it? :eek:

Lohkay

hahahhaha.....beaten by the law of gravity. :p: There isn't much u can do unless u unplug it at the gas tank...but I doubt u have the body off to do that. :lol: the only other solution is to plug that hose, clamp it or pray god. :jester

GTR1999

Pedro,
For safety sake, stop the leak. Use a rubber hose with a bolt and clamp on it or pinch the rubber fuel pump hose but stop the leak. I hope you're clear of any ignition sources ie: hot water heater in a garage? Those vapors will travel farther then you expect.
Gary

70BBvert

Why not put the front end up on jackstands also?????

Pedro'74

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the suggestions. After more than 24 hours I decided to measure the height of the gas line fitting (the one that connects to the carb), compare w/ the height of the gas tank, and figured that there'd still be gallons of gas to come. So I did what I should have done one day before: clamped a hose to the gas line, and crimped it with a vise grip. Problem solved. What surprises me is that I didn't see this problem coming, and that it took so much time to jump-start my brain. Yeah, Steve, I burned too many brain cells to get that doctorate.... :D

-Pedro

Pedro'74

Gary,

No, there's no heater in the garage, I don't smoke and do not light candles in the garage :crazy: so I think there wasn't a big risk... But I was scared to leave it unattended...

-Pedro

ericshaw

"...do not light candles in the garage..."

Ha ha haaa :lol: but I like the smell of fresh lavender in the garage and filling the shop sink with bubble bath keeps my hands soft... :lol: :lol: :crazy:

Frank75

Doc? Physics? :eek:

You never know though; our FD has been to 2 garage fires in the past year or so where people thought they were "safe", both times fueling up a lawn mower. Gasoline can be pretty weird stuff. I use small vicegrips all the time while working on boats: just cut a couple of pieces of oversize tubing to cushion the fuel line a bit.

Other than the unburned HC's into the air, I'm glad that everything worked out OK.


[Modified by Frank75, 3:14 PM 8/28/2002]

Pedro'74

Frank,

Thanks for the advice. But you make me nervous, though. Maybe I'll go home, open that garage, to ventilate it a little, since it still smells gasoline.

I'm not sure what to do with that big trash bag full with gas soaked paper towels, though. I put it in the trash can, outside, in the back yard. Hope that's not a hazard to me and others...

-Pedro

ericshaw

burn it of course. :D

Pedro'74

:lol: :lol:

That's perhaps the most efficient way to get rid of unburned HC! :D

-Pedro