Leaking fuel line

[77 K20]

my dad filled up the driver's side tank on his K15 GMC square the other day and said fuel was spilling out from the tank area.

He claims it is not the filler neck or the vent tube. Instead he says it is a section of rubber line that goes from on top of the tank then goes under the cab where it joins the metal fuel line.

He is saying he is going to drop the full tank (or try to siphon it out) to do this.

1) how easy is it to replace the line with everything bolted on? Possible at all?

2) if not, wouldn't it be easier to unbolt the bed and then lift it up a few inches in the front? Maybe wedge a 2x4 or something on top of the frame...

I'll be heading down there to that area this Thursday afternoon and would like to know what I'm up against before I get there (he lives 160 miles away, and the nearest autoparts store is another 30 miles from him).

Thanks guys.

 

[MadOgre]

Yep honestly unbolting the box is probably easier. If you can get your hands in there then its an easy fix.

 

[chengny]

1) how easy is it to replace the line with everything bolted on? Possible at all?

First I would determine which line is leaking. There are 3; the fuel pump suction line, the return line and the evaporative emissions connection to the tank.

If it was the fuel pump suction line - he wouldn't be running now

If it's either of the other 2 lines - fuggedaboutit. Reach up over the frame rail from the inside and jam a plug in the part of the hose still attached to the tank. Or pull that piece of hose off and push a cap on the tubing that comes out of the sender. Trim back the steel tubing that leads forward (to give yourself some room to work) and cap that off as well. Done.

If you are determined to repair the line rather than decommission it, consider removing the bed front. There are 4 short 3/8" bolts that run down each side - heads are visible and accessible between the cab back and the bed front.

Also 12 similar bolts that run along the bottom and join the bed floor to the front. There is only one that is hard to access - the one directly over the gas tank. But even that isn't too bad - just only allows for about two clicks of your ratchet per pull. But it will come.

And your father's idea of simply dropping the gas tank is probably the most straight forward approach. Pump the tank out. Get one of these at Harbor Freight - Sale: $5.99 :

Fluid Siphon Pump Pittsburgh Automotive - item#60598

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Use an imp (mini tubing cutter) to cut the steel tubing just a couple of inches downstream of the hoses. You can make them up with compression fittings or hose/clamps when the tank is back up in place. Release the fill neck and vent, Disco the electrical from the sender head. Then put on some safety glasses and release the tank brackets from the frame rails.

An empty 16/20 gallon gas tank is not heavy.

Good luck - and tell the old man; if he would just stop filling the tank up so GD high, he wouldn't have this problem!