How Do You Make The Gasoline Stop!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,527
Likes: 764
Gas tank empty
The next morning, the gasoline had stopped leaking out. I installed the news fuel filter and cranked up the engine. I had a half tank of gasoline before I started the procedure. Now, it's on empty. The system siphoned my tank dry. I'll never let that happen again. I changed the fuel filter three years ago, and all went well and very little gasoline was lost.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
From: North Bay Ontario
Changed the fuel filter on my '85 this afternoon. Put the car on ramps, pulled the fuel pump fuse while it was running. Engine died in about 4 seconds. Sprayed some Liquid Wrench on the connections (at the threads and where the steel line slips inside the connection). Let it soak while I removed the fuel filler door (4 screws), removed the rubber boot around the filler nozzle, pinched the rubber hoses with vice grips (not hard). Used a 3/4 wrench to hold the fuel filter and a 5/8 wrench to loosen the connection. Less than a 1/2 cup of gasoline poured out the lines, removed the filter, replaced the little o-rings on the lines, re-installed filter, replaced the fuel pump fuse, released the vice grips and it fired up - no leaks. Between phone calls and neighbours dropping by to chat - the job took a little over an hour. (A half hour job without the distractions) I got the car 3 years ago and had no idea when the fuel filter was last changed so it was on my list of little things to do. I understand that some C4's are not as accessible when it comes to changing the fuel filter as the 85's but this one was pretty straight forward.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,527
Likes: 764
Pletzvet, what you describe is a duplicate of my experience almost four years ago when I changed the fuel filter the first time. However, I didn't have to pinch the lines and the flow stopped after a pint of gasoline came out.
I need to replace the fuel filter in my minivan, and that requires dropping the gas tank. I'm considering replacing the fuel pump, which recently started making a whinning noise.
I need to replace the fuel filter in my minivan, and that requires dropping the gas tank. I'm considering replacing the fuel pump, which recently started making a whinning noise.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
From: North Bay Ontario
Next time, I'll try doing it without pinching the lines and see if the fuel stops just as quickly. I had about 3/8 of a tank, and with the front end higher than the rear (i.e. on ramps) that might have stopped any siphoning from happening too.
