weird gas leak

[jp]

I filled the tank Thursday night and drove 1/4 mile home from the station

Friday morning I started the car, and began backing out the driveway, strong smell of gas. I got out and looked under the cr and there was gas dripping underneath near the front right wheel well. This morning I started her up and went looking all over and now there is no leaking anywhere. This is driving me nuts!!!!!

Happy Holiday to all

[davidb]

Sure you don't mean front LEFT wheel well [driver's side]?
That's where the charcoal canister is, approx. under the
battery tray [somewhat] near the brake booster. There are
no gas lines up front on the right [pass.] side IIRC. Hmmm?

[jp]

maybe it was the left, David. I did had a Rolling Rock prior, LOL

What's the deal with the charcoal cannister?

JP

[lancia_x120]

I got out and looked under the cr and there was gas dripping underneath near the front right wheel well. This morning I started her up and went looking all over and now there is no leaking anywhere. This is driving me nuts!!!!!

The fuel lines, supply and return, are on the right side of the car if memory serves. Look over by the timing belt cover, I think they pass over it. When were the flexible lines last replaced?

[Jim Keller]

If you overfilled the gas tank but topping it totally off, then left it overnight without driving enough to burn the fuel down some out of the neck, it can flow fuel back thru the vent line instead of just fumes and flood the charcoal canister, (vacuumn from the engine will pull anything that seeps into and fills the vent line when you start it too), if this happened, you need to sorce a new canister, once flooded, they won't scrub the venting gas fumes anymore and you'll always smell gas.

I have seen that happen to various brands of autos over the years, it's actually more common than one would suspect, especially with laydown flat style tanks like the Betas and many GM cars

[jp]

Thanks Mark, 95% of the fuel lines were replaced 2 years ago, but I will check that out.

Jim, I think you may be right- I seem to remember this happening a couple of years ago when I first took it out of winter storage and then it never happened again.

I just drove it down 95 for a half hour, no leaks, so smell. Where do you think I could even find a cannister- is it possible to get something close and modify? I am sure it is original

[davidb]

IIRC there was conversation in the past re: replacing the canister.
Maybe Jim knows. I do not. Alls I knoz is that sucker is really
buried. Good luck . . .

[ckeen74]

jp, I would make sure your metal fuel lines are intact. I got some fuel-ish smells and a leak under the right side of the car of black, gasoline-smelling liquid. I checked everything but the hard fuel lines running under the carpet until there was no other possible reason. By the time I checked the metal fuel lines, the carpet and insulation were soaked in fuel and there was a goopy stain behind the driver's seat.

Short story long, you might want to pull the carpet back and make sure everything's solid down there.

[Jim Keller]

I am sure if it starts to smell of gas all the time, you could sorce a charcoal canister for a Beta, check with vendors and the usual used parts underground, LOL, if you can't find an exact, a charcoal canister is a charcoal canister, what you will need to look for is a car with one that has a similar shape that will fit the spot it has to go into and then one with the roughly the same amounts of ports for the lines, if it has a couple extra ports, you can always plug those but I would want one that had ports close to the same location and same ports.

It is accessed thru the wheel well, remove the lower metal splash shield "and" the tie rod splash boot, you can get it swapped out thru those locations........I think?? ha ha, may have to remove the battery and tray but I don't think that is necessary

Good earlier point, the metal to rubber connection is just below the fuse box right side, if you swapped hoses, could be the clamps need tightened up, I have had new hoses need a second snugging before, especially the rad hoses