Gas Tank Leaking

[TroyN]

Filled gas tank today, now it is leaking from the top. Is it possible I just over filled or what may be causing the leak. It has never leaked before. Opened the access panel to the Ascending Unit and it is wet with gas, but can't tell where it is coming from. Any suggestions?

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by TroyN

Filled gas tank today, now it is leaking from the top. Is it possible I just over filled or what may be causing the leak. It has never leaked before. Opened the access panel to the Ascending Unit and it is wet with gas, but can't tell where it is coming from. Any suggestions?

May be leaking where the rubber filler hose (depending on model) attaches to the tank. It should stop leaking when the gas falls below that level. Those filler hoses get very dry and cracked after so many years.





Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[TroyN]

It is a 59 Lark

[41 Frank]

It very well could be leaking from the fuel gauge sending unit gasket on top of the tank. I've seen that problem on several Studes I have worked on. On mine it was wicking up the screws, removed one at a time and put permatex aviation gasket sealer on them. There are supposed to be copper gaskets under the screws to prevent that.

Frank van Doorn
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1963 Daytona Conv
1941 Champion R-2 Rod

[Tom Bredehoft]

I concur with Frank, cork gaskets seem to dry out. When the tank is full that surface is below the top of the fuel.

[edit] correct grammar

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 573 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[Doug M]

My 51 had holes in the top where a felt strip layed to keep from vibrating. I patched it with 2 patch kits . Doug M

[4961Studebaker]

Vendors have a neoprene rubber fuel sending unit gasket this should take care of your problem, I concur with the others this area is most likely where fuel is getting by. Dried cork gasket, and copper washer under the screws.

ChopStu

[bondobilly]

Remove the access plate and wipe your finger around the tube that carries the fuel out of the tank. The tube is soldered, and over the years the solder gets stress cracks, and when you fill it up fuel leaks out through the stress crack. You can actually feel the tube move back and forth.

Another possiblity is the top of your tank has tiny rust holes on the top of the tank. Right now my Hawk is getting a new tank and sending unit for the same reason. Once we woould top off the tank the cabin would fill with fumes and fuel leaked out over the left exhaust pipe. Finally got good tank and the proper sending unit for my car. Took about two years to locate.

BG

[Lark8girl]

Just a thought to not park the car in a garage where a gas hot water heater is located or Gas furnace it nearby. Do not want a fire.

I too found Lark VIII girls car had the leak for the gasket on the tank.

Husband of Lark VIII girl.

[S2DSteve]

Just an extra caution on the sending unit gasket. I've had two catastrophic failures with the rubber/neoprene type gaskets. Both times they just swelled up and curled from contact with gasoline. I'm not sure what the material actually was, but they were the rubber as opposed to cork type. I would suspect ethenol, but the failures occurred 10 years apart. Regardless, I replaced with new cork type gaskets, and have had no problems. Whatever you get, I recommend you test it first by soaking in a cup of gasoline before using.


Steve Hudson
The Dalles, Oregon
1949 "GMOBaker" 1-T Dually (workhorse)
1953 Commander Convertible (show & go)
1953 Champion Starliner (custom/rod project)
1954 Champion Coupe (daily driver)
1960 Hawk (future project?)

[Green 53]

I agree with 41Frank that it is probably leaking at the sender. He fixed the one on my 53 a couple of months ago. We ruined a neoprene gasket as the screws didn't line up correctly. A rat tail file to fix that problem and new cork gasket with Permatex did the job.
Denny L

[S2DSteve]

quote:the screws didn't line up correctly

Probably because the holes are not evenly spaced. You have to rotate the gasket around until they line up with the staggered holes in the sender cover.


Steve Hudson
The Dalles, Oregon
1949 "GMOBaker" 1-T Dually (workhorse)
1953 Commander Convertible (show & go)
1953 Champion Starliner (custom/rod project)
1954 Champion Coupe (daily driver)
1960 Hawk (future project?)

[41 Frank]

Yes Steve I am aware the holes are spaced unevenly and for good reason. It prevents the sending unit from being clocked wrong. In our case (screws crooked) it was a case of the previous owner having installed some sort of universal sender and the holes would not line up no matter how you turned the gasket or sender.[iOriginally posted by S2DSteve[/i]

quote:the screws didn't line up correctly

Probably because the holes are not evenly spaced. You have to rotate the gasket around until they line up with the staggered holes in the sender cover.


Steve Hudson
The Dalles, Oregon
1949 "GMOBaker" 1-T Dually (workhorse)
1953 Commander Convertible (show & go)
1953 Champion Starliner (custom/rod project)
1954 Champion Coupe (daily driver)
1960 Hawk (future project?)
[/quote]

[bondobilly]

Got my car back the other day. No more fumes, or gas leaking. It was as suspected the sending unit. The tube coming out had cracked at the soldered joint.