Smell of gas

[csw]

Took the car out a few nights ago, filled up on the way back home, open the garage the next morning to the smell of gas. Go inspect and find a little bit of gas on the floor, dripping from under the tank. When I say a little, all night might have had a spot as wide as your thumb. Upon further inspection, I noticed the following. After 2 1/2 years, I sadly can't remember if the tank straps looked like this when I bought it with 700 miles on it or not. I was wondering if anyone has has a tank "shift" for lack of a better term as it looks like that could have happened looking at the straps, just not sure that it is possible. Plan is to get it on a lift this week, but was wondering what some of you other guys have seen or experienced. Sorry if it comes in upside down, I've tried a couple times to turn it around with no luck!
Thanks

[Ozzie Goat]

I don't have that fuel tank, mine is aluminum.
I had a hole from a stress fracture that was leaking.

I also cut a hole in my trunk fiberglass to locate the fuel gauge sender without dropping the tank. If you go that way, PM me and I'll e-mail pictures where to cut. I was poking in the dark, and as a result my hole is wholly larger than it needs to be.

Also, you have the hose to fill, the hose to vent, and the feed hose. Any of those hose end connections could be loose.

Hope that helps

[REY 427]

My straps look similar to yours but I don't have a fuel leak. I'll take a picture when I get home for comparison. You mentioned you filled it up on your way home. I know you've had your car for a while so this may be a dumb question, but did you fill it all the way up? Did you top it off past the first click on the pump? The reason I ask is because I had this same problem when I first bought my Backdraft. I filled it all the way up past the ventilation holes on the filler neck and my garage stunk up with gas fumes.

[PeteH]

I have had fuel drip from the tank vent hose when full or nearly full on two different cars, especially if the temperatures have warmed up. It's a real pain when it happens on a lift and drips on the car below! I have been known to connect a hose on the tank vent tube, and stick the end in a clean cat food can to catch the few drips that may come out.
I was spooked last month when the garage smelled strongly of fuel, it was from the tank vent tube on the under construction FF 289 FIA, it only has about 3-4 gallons in it, but still must have vaporized and condensed when the outside temps warmed up. Ethanol content may contribute to the problem.

[DJPlaster58]

Is the tank near full? If so it is likely leaking from the fuel level float unit. I found mine leaking from there as it was installed (from factory) with just sheet metal screws and blue RTV. It should have used a fitting (comes with float unit VDO I think) that goes on the inside of the tank that has tapped holes for machine screws. You use that with a gasket and the leak is solved.

[csw]

Thanks for all the thoughts, and it looks like as a few of you suspected, I filled it more that usual while talking to a stranger about the car, combined the summer temps here in GA, must have been the problem. Took it out last night to see if we dropped the fuel level of there was still an issue, and not a drop this morning or this evening. Still plan on getting it on a lift to inspect and change the fuel filter since it hasn't been done in a while, but hopefully we are good to go.

[BDR0572]

when mine just did that last year i found my vent tube weld at the filler cracked ,i brazed it coated with flex seal (gray) ,most of exposed tube and installed with new hose from speedway motors.

[JBCOBRA]

May be this. Gas is cold coming out of the tank in the ground. So when you fill up all the way and the gas reaches outside temperature, the gas will expand and drip out the overflow in the filler.
Ask me how I know I was like wtf?!? when this happened to me.