Fuel Sender leaking

[VillaTA]

So the fuel sender on my car looks amateurish and has just a tube with a bolt coming off of what I assume either the vent or return. I noticed strong gas smell in my garage last night after filling up. It’s dripping off of it. Is this even the correct unit? I also seem to be missing a ground for this as well. (Already ordered).
Should I replace or is there a better way to seal off the leaky pipe?

 

[Flchallenger]

What happens when you take the gas cap off. Is it hard to turn. I might be building pressure and making it more likely to leak. I drilled a small hole thru my gas cap to better vent it. It solved the problem. I have a 71 with all the cannisters removed that would be venting the gas tank.

 

[Juan Veldez]

Here is a shot of mine. 73 Chally. New tank & sender. I believe the earlier models vented differently, so the extra line on yours is probably that. Obviously not supposed to be "bolted" off.

Check cheap and easy things first: clamps tight, rubber hoses not brittle. It looks like your lock washer is fully seated, so that's good. Clean it all up very well and then monitor it to pin point the leak.

 

[VillaTA]

What happens when you take the gas cap off. Is it hard to turn. I might be building pressure and making it more likely to leak. I drilled a small hole thru my gas cap to better vent it. It solved the problem. I have a 71 with all the cannisters removed that would be venting the gas tank.

This is exactly what I experienced last night. Almost needed pliers to get the gas cap off. I assume since this vent stub is so close to the pick up, it’s the path of least resistance and the pressure is forcing the fuel out.
Would it be best to replace rather than drill the cap?

 

[Righty Tighty]

I don't have a picture of my sender, but even with these spring clamps it doesn't leak.

I think either you're building pressure as mentioned above or that hose is too big for the nipple and can't seal properly.

My sender also has the nipple for the vapor return, and it's temporarily capped until I get my return set up. No leaks.

 

[marks ebody]

on your T/A i’m not sure if there was an N 95 emissions on that car. But on the filler tube on top close to the Qt panel,Should be a nipple, and that hooks up to a vent hose and metal tubing that goes through the trunk floorboard, down to the rear frame rail.If someone replace that with a N 95 California Emissions filler tube, it would have nowhere for it to vent which would cause excessive pressure.
On righty tighty it’s a later E body, which would vent through a carbon canister on the right front corner by the window washer tank. That vent line ran right alongside the fuel line.T/A had no carbon canisters.

 

[moparleo]

That shortpiece of fuel line looks too bag id for the vent. And/or pushed on too far and clamp is not tightening on the flat but on the curve.

 

[Drivun]

I used that tube for a custom return line direct from the carb to prevent vapor lock. Before that I too found the bolt solution leaked. I replaced the bolt with an NPT hose barb that was capped on the NPT end. No leaks or smell.

 

[marks ebody]

One of the problems when you use a threaded bolt the liquid can go right down the threads and cause a leak.

 

[VillaTA]

My factory style vent is attached, which is why I was wondering why I’d have pressure build up. I think my cap is just really tight. I replaced the clamp and it solved the issue for now. I do agree that the hose may be too large.

 

[383RT]

I see a couple of issues here with the leaky fuel sending unit.
The tube with the fuel line and bolt type plug is for the fuel return on models that use a “Fuel Vapor Separator” (440 & 426). It appears you don’t have the 1/4” line that would follow the fuel line back to the tank. IMO I would replace the sending unit with type that has just the pickup tube only. Be careful of the replacement sending units as most of them are cheap linear sensing Chinese units and not very accurate. The lock rings also are not as thick as OEM lock rings and therefore don’t exert enough pressure on the rubber gasket to make a good seal.
The lock ring in both pictures is only wedged into place and not locked. Locked would be when the tang on the lock ring is rotated far enough that it is under the cup section of the gas tank ring. See attached picture where I’ve circled it in red.
Also, be sure your using a good quality fuel hose like Gates Barricade series. It’s the best with all of the different fuels available today. You only want to do this once.

 

[marks ebody]

Replacing the sending unit without 1/4 Emission tube pretty damn hard to find. He does have 3/8 fuel line, in the pictures that you show 5/16. l don’t even know if they make it without that line.

 

[VillaTA]

Thanks to all for the advise! If someone is aware of one that isn’t a cheap Chinese part, please let me know!!

 

[383RT]

That’s true. I don’t think a 3/8” only pickup tube type sending unit is available. Wasn’t an option.

 

[Righty Tighty]

I had an issue with a cheap replacement sender, so someone told me about the Spectra brand senders. Tried it and it works great. I also have a 3/8” line, I’ll try to find a link.

 

[VillaTA]

I got my grounding strap today. Not long enough for my application. It’s 3 3/4 inch. Needs to be much longer for my car.
If someone finds a link for a good single tube sending unit, please advise

 

[cuda joe]

I had a problem with my 71 building pressure in the tank i could not blow air through vent line under hood to the gas tank found the blockage in the air fuel seperator in the trunk took the top off and there was a little rust on the end of the vent line it;s crimped from the factory . it took a little doing to get the top off it;s calked on .recalked it and good to go