Victor Silva

I just picked up a used A4 2.8 and didn't notice until now that there is a
gas leak in the area behind the rear left wheel. Any ideas or suggestions
on where it may be. It's not very much, no liquid is actually seen, just
strong odor.

Thanks,
Vic

Jim

Victor Silva wrote:
> I just picked up a used A4 2.8 and didn't notice until now that there is a
> gas leak in the area behind the rear left wheel. Any ideas or suggestions
> on where it may be. It's not very much, no liquid is actually seen, just
> strong odor.
>
> Thanks,
> Vic
>
>
Did you climb under and look? Leaky fuel filter connections maybe?

Victor Silva

Thanks, but I found the problem. Some idiot drilled a hole through the sheet
metal in the trunk behind the left rear seat into the tank. Nice! I'm going
to cut out a little trap door -- 2 inch round -- and put a permanent epoxy
fuel tank patch on the hole in tha tank. I gave a cursory look under the
car and it looks like there are 2 or 3 fuel tanks, either that or the fuel
tank is a very odd shape and hugs the underbody. Anyway, where the drilled
hole is the top of the top is almost impossible to get at. The only way to
get at it seems to be to loosen the whole rear suspension and drive shaft. I
think cutting a small access panel shouldn't be a problem. There is already
some kind of access panel behind the rear right seat that is about six
inches around.

Any thoughts from the group would be appreciated.

Thanks,
--Vic
"Jim" <jv9999@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:VIENEE537D2F@vienneau.net...
> Victor Silva wrote:
> > I just picked up a used A4 2.8 and didn't notice until now that there is
a
> > gas leak in the area behind the rear left wheel. Any ideas or
suggestions
> > on where it may be. It's not very much, no liquid is actually seen,
just
> > strong odor.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Vic
> >
> >
> Did you climb under and look? Leaky fuel filter connections maybe?
>
>

Jim

Nice one! Glad you found it. Probably didn't leak (much) until they took
the screw out. If it was my car, I'd drill the trunk floor a little
bigger than the current hole (being careful not to go into the tank) and
then put a sheetmetal screw with it's threads coated with silicone into
the tank.

Victor Silva wrote:

> Thanks, but I found the problem. Some idiot drilled a hole through the sheet
> metal in the trunk behind the left rear seat into the tank. Nice! I'm going
> to cut out a little trap door -- 2 inch round -- and put a permanent epoxy
> fuel tank patch on the hole in tha tank. I gave a cursory look under the
> car and it looks like there are 2 or 3 fuel tanks, either that or the fuel
> tank is a very odd shape and hugs the underbody. Anyway, where the drilled
> hole is the top of the top is almost impossible to get at. The only way to
> get at it seems to be to loosen the whole rear suspension and drive shaft. I
> think cutting a small access panel shouldn't be a problem. There is already
> some kind of access panel behind the rear right seat that is about six
> inches around.
>
> Any thoughts from the group would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> --Vic
> "Jim" <jv9999@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:VIENEE537D2F@vienneau.net...
>
>>Victor Silva wrote:
>>
>>>I just picked up a used A4 2.8 and didn't notice until now that there is
>
> a
>
>>>gas leak in the area behind the rear left wheel. Any ideas or
>
> suggestions
>
>>>on where it may be. It's not very much, no liquid is actually seen,
>
> just
>
>>>strong odor.
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>Vic
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Did you climb under and look? Leaky fuel filter connections maybe?
>>
>>
>
>
>

Victor Silva

Jim,

Great idea. This way I can minimize the size of the access hole. However,
I don't think I'll use silicone. I've tried it before on another car and it
doesn't last when in contact with gasoline.
I'll use the screw like you said but use two part epoxy made to patch gas
tanks.

--Vic

"Jim" <jv9999@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:VIENEE868479@vienneau.net...
> Nice one! Glad you found it. Probably didn't leak (much) until they took
> the screw out. If it was my car, I'd drill the trunk floor a little
> bigger than the current hole (being careful not to go into the tank) and
> then put a sheetmetal screw with it's threads coated with silicone into
> the tank.
>
> >
> >
>

Jim

Silicone would be OK if you let it fully cure before you drove it (and
sloshed it with gas). Epoxy should work fine as well.

Victor Silva wrote:

> Jim,
>
> Great idea. This way I can minimize the size of the access hole. However,
> I don't think I'll use silicone. I've tried it before on another car and it
> doesn't last when in contact with gasoline.
> I'll use the screw like you said but use two part epoxy made to patch gas
> tanks.
>
> --Vic
>
> "Jim" <jv9999@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:VIENEE868479@vienneau.net...
>
>>Nice one! Glad you found it. Probably didn't leak (much) until they took
>>the screw out. If it was my car, I'd drill the trunk floor a little
>>bigger than the current hole (being careful not to go into the tank) and
>>then put a sheetmetal screw with it's threads coated with silicone into
>>the tank.
>>
>>
>>>
>
>

NPNoonan

>Jim,
>
>Great idea. This way I can minimize the size of the access hole. However,
>I don't think I'll use silicone. I've tried it before on another car and it
>doesn't last when in contact with gasoline.
>I'll use the screw like you said but use two part epoxy made to patch gas
>tanks.
>
>--Vic
>
Look for a product called "seal all". I used it on a very leaky 200q tank and
it works. It is gasoline resistant. for the larger areas of rust (around the
seam), I used lots of seal all and a fiberglass mesh, such as you would use to
patch a hole in drywall. Works great. Do a search on audifans for other
testimonials.

-- Tom Werner