Found a leak under right rear of car where gas tank is.can i fix it myself?
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I noticed a gas smell coming from under right side rear passenger seat, mostly from outside only. couldnt find a puddle underneath but when i took a closer look i noticed the whole underside of what im pretty sure is the gas tank was wet with a single drop (of gas, i assume) was pooling and ready to fall. I have every tool imaginable for home AND auto repair left to me by my grandfather, but very little knowledge of how to fix it myself. Can/should i do it myself? I also have very little money. If i have to replace the tank, then i will. but i just want to know if there is a simple, cheaper solution (assuming the tank itself is not cracked), such as a replacement gasket, or tightening that needs to be done somewhere under the car. Thanks! There is no check engine light or error code anywhere fyi.
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Once leak is located you can try this : http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/J-B-Weld-Waterweld-white-epoxy/_/N-25y6?itemIdentifier=921984&_requestid=13330459
So i could use this if i were to find a crack in the tank itself? great! thanks! ok so i just jacked up the right side to get a clear view of the underside. it seems the leak is localized to the right side just behind the right rear wheel. i wiped the side and underneath the tank to dry up the area. but i couldnt find any sign of damage. even when i turned the engine on while it was jacked and pushed a little on the gas pedal, there were no new wet spots or signs of leaking.....until i lowered it. as soon as i slowly released the two blocks and two jacks , it started dripping heavily. down the side that i had just wiped dry, and so much so, that a good four to eight drops spilled onto the floor. so ive narrowed it down to either the seal between the bottom and top halves of the tank(on the right side), or somewhere on the right side of the upper half of the tank. any thoughts?
Have to know exact location of leak. If it is the seal between halves, probably need a new tank. If it is a small hole or crack, then try the compound I showed you.
Yes, this is an old thread but others may seek solutions to similar problems.
The leak! Most leaks for the Saturns are related to the fuel pumps! Yes, the leak will show on the right side of the car and there can be a puddle 3/8" deep of gasoline so be careful screwing around. My 2002 LW station wagon had this problem and NOBODY wanted to fix the thing because of the work removing the tank. I REPAIRED MINE!
I removed the rear seat along with the covering on the metal's top below the seat. Next I generally located where the pump is from pictures online. Next, took a trip to Harbor Freight to purchase an air chisel and connected it to my small compressor. I used that chisel to open the floor like a can of soup making the fuel pump accessable from inside the car. Purchased a new pump on EBay for $50 and installed it. NO MORE LEAKS! I folded the metal I opened back into place and took some sheet metal and pop riveted it to cover the hole along with using some caulking.
So i could use this if i were to find a crack in the tank itself? great! thanks! ok so i just jacked up the right side to get a clear view of the underside. it seems the leak is localized to the right side just behind the right rear wheel. i wiped the side and underneath the tank to dry up the area. but i couldnt find any sign of damage. even when i turned the engine on while it was jacked and pushed a little on the gas pedal, there were no new wet spots or signs of leaking.....until i lowered it. as soon as i slowly released the two blocks and two jacks , it started dripping heavily. down the side that i had just wiped dry, and so much so, that a good four to eight drops spilled onto the floor. so ive narrowed it down to either the seal between the bottom and top halves of the tank(on the right side), or somewhere on the right side of the upper half of the tank. any thoughts?
Have to know exact location of leak. If it is the seal between halves, probably need a new tank. If it is a small hole or crack, then try the compound I showed you.
ok thanks so much!!! now i just need to find a diagram or instructions on how to drop the tank, or at least how to access the top half. thanks again!!