cutlass47

On my original owner '72 Cutlass, I installed new repro gas tank (made in Canada with attached fill tube) about 2 yrs. ago after sitting for 4 yrs. without being cranked, along with new rubber and metal fuel and vent lines from front to rear, new fuel pump, new sending unit and o-ring and locking ring and new gas tank pad. After about 300 miles of driving car with new tank, I recently filled up tank for first time and immediately that night began smelling strong gas fumes in enclosed garage and house. On lift, found no evidence of leak anywhere, except all around top edge of gas tank there was gas and strong gas odor around the tank area. I now recall that I had smelled slight gas odor in the garage after driving the car since tank installation, but thought it was normal smell of car with 192,000 miles. Any thoughts on what is possible cause/s of fumes and leak - pinched o-ring and/or incorrectly tightened locking ring; leaking rubber hose connections on sending unit; or bad vents in repro tank that leak when completely full with gas? Will be estimated $120 to drop tank by local mechanic to diagnose cause of leak. Cannot drop tank myself due to 2 previous neck operations. Bought new sending unit, o-ring, locking ring and gas tank pad to deal with source of leak. FYI, I have never changed filter in charcoal canister, but that would not cause leak around tank, would it? This is my first post on this very informative board. Thanks in advance for your responses. Tommy Crowe

Bluevista

Howdy and welcome, It sounds like you have this pretty well under control and have touched all the bases to me, even have the suspected parts ready. I don't think that filter would have anything to do with gas leaking in the rear but maybe somebody knows different. You really shouldn't smell gas if everything is right, maybe faintly. My gas tank was dripping a little fuel when I would start it and I looked underneath and noticed that a few drops of gas were leaking down a hose from the top of the tank. I dropped it partially, it's a wagon, and found that the fuel return line clamp was loose from the factory, never even clamped on. 120 bucks sound like a very reasonable price for the job, that is nothing to mess with. The hardest part of that job is draining the gas out, make sure it all goes back in or the job should be half that price or less. I won't do that stuff in my garage either, in fact the local old time repair shop just burned to the ground. The mechanic and owner was drilling a hole in a leaking Buick wagon tank to drain it and when the gas hit the drill motor it was all over. He was fine physically, there is just the floor lift sitting there now, I want to pull my car up on it and take a few pics.
I had a neck operation a few years back too, titanium plate and a few synthetic discs, permanent ringing in my ears from the meds drives me crazy sometimes but anything is better than the pain. You're smart not to attempt any heavy lifting or neck straining. I felt useless for a long time but your better off being on the safe side, I didn't want my head to fall off.

Allan

Oldsguy

I hope you can correct the problem and as Allan has said, you have touched all the bases it seems.