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View Full Version : 1997 c280; gas leak?


LeftCoastBias
11-19-2006, 11:33 AM
i just filled up the tank and someone at the station alerted me to the fact that i was dripping gas out as i was pumping it in.


it was dripping from the rear, near the tie-rods and axle. had to drive it home as it's sunday and the service bay wasn't open (or i would have pushed it 10 feet to the bay to ask them to have a look).

it's stopped leaking, but smells awful around the car- you can really smell the gas.



what are the options as far as where this could be leaking from?

what should i look for?
Denlasoul
11-19-2006, 12:09 PM
If you jack up your car, you will see a little plastic shield by the right rear tire. Remove that shield and see if your fuel filter may be leaking.
LeftCoastBias
11-19-2006, 12:21 PM
Originally posted by Denlasoul
If you jack up your car, you will see a little plastic shield by the right rear tire. Remove that shield and see if your fuel filter may be leaking.


i need to get me a floor jack. and a flat driveway. ...i knew i should have bought a home in the suburbs.
matt09
11-19-2006, 01:30 PM
Seems like its happening to everyone now..., there's a ~=1 inch thick black rubber hose that cracks and gas leaks from it when the tank is overfilled, you can see it pretty easily once you jack up the car, and its located where you saw the leak coming from.
LeftCoastBias
11-19-2006, 02:08 PM
Originally posted by matt09
Seems like its happening to everyone now..., there's a ~=1 inch thick black rubber hose that cracks and gas leaks from it when the tank is overfilled, you can see it pretty easily once you jack up the car, and its located where you saw the leak coming from.

is it by any chance an easy fix... or am i going to have to hawk some of my kid's xmas presents at the pawn shop to pay for a repair?
matt09
11-19-2006, 02:11 PM
I dont think its hard, but I didnt replace it since gas only leaks from there when you overfill the tank. For some reason its very easy to overfill these cars...
Im having my transmission fluid-filter-gasket changed next week, so if you are waiting until next weekend to do it yourself, I can take some pics and write up a DYI since the MB tech that works on my car tells me how to do everything.
97C28O
11-19-2006, 04:24 PM
I had a smog check yesterday and they tested my fuel cap and it failed the pressure test. Does this have anything to do with gas leakage? Also does anyknow know if this is dangerous or important to replace the cap? If so what is the part number for the cap?
LeftCoastBias
11-19-2006, 04:56 PM
Originally posted by matt09
I dont think its hard, but I didnt replace it since gas only leaks from there when you overfill the tank. For some reason its very easy to overfill these cars...
Im having my transmission fluid-filter-gasket changed next week, so if you are waiting until next weekend to do it yourself, I can take some pics and write up a DYI since the MB tech that works on my car tells me how to do everything.


that would be awesome, and i'd really appreciate it.


Originally posted by 97C28O
I had a smog check yesterday and they tested my fuel cap and it failed the pressure test. Does this have anything to do with gas leakage? Also does anyknow know if this is dangerous or important to replace the cap? If so what is the part number for the cap?

the gas cap isn't a big deal, just get another at the dealer. i had to replace mine this spring on my 1991 190e; and i replaced it with some crappy tin can version at the shop i got the smog checked...

it's junk compared to stock, but it passed, and works... which was enough for me.
97C28O
11-19-2006, 05:15 PM
yea that guy told me to get one at kragen which was 1 block away and it passed then i just used my original cap and dumped the kragen cap (looked like shit) in the trunk...
LeftCoastBias
11-19-2006, 06:13 PM
Originally posted by 97C28O
yea that guy told me to get one at kragen which was 1 block away and it passed then i just used my original cap and dumped the kragen cap (looked like shit) in the trunk...

uh... you realize it's a gas cap... not an armani suit.
loudandheard
11-20-2006, 07:13 AM
The same thing happen to me in the summer, look right beneath where you pump your gas and you willbe able to see a a rubber hose. I was able to get to see it with out having to jack up the car, but to fix it, it was much easier taking off the wheel. The hose was held on by two odd clamps and once I got it off and went to the dealer, they had to order the part and I would have to wait two or three weeks. I went to my local auto store and took the rubber hose with me. I ended up buying a water heater hose that was about the same diameter and cut it to fit. So far I have had no problems. Here's the link to what happened to mehttp://www.club202.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9928&highlight=gas+leak
LeftCoastBias
11-20-2006, 07:34 AM
Originally posted by loudandheard
The same thing happen to me in the summer, look right beneath where you pump your gas and you willbe able to see a a rubber hose. I was able to get to see it with out having to jack up the car, but to fix it, it was much easier taking off the wheel. The hose was held on by two odd clamps and once I got it off and went to the dealer, they had to order the part and I would have to wait two or three weeks. I went to my local auto store and took the rubber hose with me. I ended up buying a water heater hose that was about the same diameter and cut it to fit. So far I have had no problems. Here's the link to what happened to mehttp://www.club202.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9928&highlight=gas+leak


i wish you would have taken pics of the install! :(



oh well, i know it's not easy to work on a car AND use a camera ;)
loudandheard
11-20-2006, 07:41 AM
I forgot all about it when it came to trying to fix it. I just looked at it and it was relitively simple. There's a rubber hose that is fixed to two metal pipes by some odd looking aluminum clamps. The hardest part was taking off the two clamps. Instead of re-using the clamps I bought some that you tighten by a screw. All in all it was really simple, just a pain in the ass, becasue the space is so tight.
blind26
11-20-2006, 10:26 AM
If i recall right, RacerXofFL had gone over a speedbump too fast and popped a 'plastic molding end' off the tank..

Since the tank is plastic, they have these molded releifs, and apparently when he hit the tank, it popped off, spilling gas all over. His fix was just to epoxy over the hole and pressure test it. It seems to have fixed the problem.

Not sure if you have the same problem or not, but its worth a guess...