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I'm new to the forum so if this has already been answered I apologize I already tried searching posts. I have a 69 Ghia and it all of the sudden started leaking gas from a small hole in the bottom of the exhaust manifold. I checked all the gas lines...no leak. I suspect it has something to do with the fuel pump but was not sure. If anyone can shed some light on the subject I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

Hi TB2Blazer,

You may have gas running down the engine case from a leaky fuel pump, and if it is the pump, it could be anything from a split fuel line to an actual crack in the pump body. This includes the carb leaking, which is just above the pump and might seem to be a pump leak.

You know the drill -- this is a potential fire. Be careful and don't drive it anywhere until you fix it.

Check the fuel lines first, and if good, look for evidence of gas leaking from the carb (check the brass plug on the side of the float bowl) around the base of the pump as you and your fire extinguisher stand by.

Get a friend to help you.

FJC

FJ
Thank you for the information. I just went out and checked again and there are no leaks in the fuel lines anywhere. I checked the fuel pump for leakage around the base and still nothing finally I checked the carb for potential leaks and didn't find anything. I removed the fuel line going to the carb and capped it off temporarily so I could clean the leak area up to identify the source and after cleaned I reconnected the fuel line and watched and it doesn't seem to be leaking from the carb or fuel pump it only comes out of a small spot on the exhaust manifold where it has rusted through. Really strange. Thank you again for the information and the help and if you have any ideas I'm all ears.

Hi TB2Blazer,

OK, no leaks just sitting still. That leaves running next.

Get your fire extinguisher, and a friend who can sit in the driver's seat and turn off the engine on command, and spead a few clean sheets of newspaper under the engine.

Start the car. With a droplight or good flashlight, watch for leaks as it idles. If there is a carb or fuel pump leak that only happens under flow and pressure, you'll see it. Drips will show up on the paper, too.

Are the exhaust pipes outlets sooty? Does the engine just idling burn your eyes? It's possible you could have such a rich condition you actually have unburned hydrocarbons mixing with the water that is a combustion byproduct (burning 1 gallon of gas makes 1 gallon of water!) and you are seeing that seep out of the muffler.

For that matter, is the engine idling or running normally?

You could have random carb float bowl overflows that are pouring gas down the intake. You'd know this by stall-outs that restarts can fix.

That gas is coming from somewhere, if it is gas and not just water with some hydrocarbon byproducts in it.

Let me know.

FJC

You might check where the gas Hard line runs through the tin at the front of the engine. If the grommet is worn out, the tin could have "sawed" through the gas line and could be dripping on the heater box and be appearing to drip from the heater box.

Fred