Fuel leak.
 

Ok so when i got the car used a few years ago the mileage was great. but now more and more its starting to get worse and worse.

I have new tires with under 10k on them. keep up with oil changes, flushed coolant. new plugs. new fuel filter.

I only drive under 100 miles a week, and it uses half a tank.

If i drive obviously the gauge drops, but if i come to a stop, it will drop more. and if i shut the car off, let it sit, and restart it again, the gauge will drop even more. this shouldnt be happening correct.

I dont think that this could be the pump, or injectors, because i have tried the fuel injector/ system cleaning stuff, time and again, and it hasnt helped all that much.
whaat im starting to think that it could be a leak. but the problem with that is, that i never see puddles, so im thinking the leak if it is one, is spraying fine enough to just evap? But to check for this how would i look for it, and where would i start without dropping the tank. Rail, or injectors? and with gas prices i really would like to get this prob fixed as soon as possible.

Any advice, or help from ppl that have seen this problem and fixed it would be great. and its in the 2.2Eco forum, so thats then engine size, my cars yr is an 2002 with aprox. 115000 miles.

Park on a clean driveway and take a look for puddles and their locations? Check your injector area to see if fuel's all over the place?

if your gauge is moving that much.. then there should be a pretty noticeable leak somewhere..

something I notice is when im driving UP a hill, my gas gauge will act like its runnin out of fuel.. if I park somewhere where the nose of my car is facing downward.. the gauge will move up.. as far as 1/4 of a tank in some cases.

ok, ill try that. now i havent looked at the injectors yet.
and nnot to sound like an idiot, but where are the injectors located? or the general area

If you were leaking, you would smell it.

yea thats the other thing, every once in a while i do smell fuel.. but not often, only like once every few weeks, and if i fill up, but again it goes away fast

under the fuel rail, check for any spewing fuel/leaks along the fuel lines that go to the fuel rail, or the FPR on the left end of it, they sometimes leak

im not trying to steal the thread or anything.. look how friggin' small that belt is! lol

the one for the 3400 is about 8 times that size.. wheres the power steering for the 2.2 at?

oh u did not just steal my thread.. hahahahaha jk.. its all good.

and thanks ion. ill check this in the morning, and come back to te forum if i have any other questions

and if the rail is leaking, how much of a pain in the ass is the rail to change?

considering its location.. it should'nt be that hard.. gotta pull the intake manifold off the V6 to get the fuel rails off lol

Thats actually a good question... The power steering resoiver is on the opposite side of teh belt on mine, so without going down for a closer look in the rain, I'm guessing maybe electrically assisted.

haha back to me! lol.. if its leaking, could i get away with installing new O rings?

yar.. that'd be the only thing that I know of on the fuel rail that would be the cause of a leak- bad O rings..

ok.. so then if it comes to changing them, will i need to start the car, and remove the relay cuz cut off pressure?

or if not. what is the process to do this?

fuel system will depressurize after a while.. and even then you're still going to loose just a bit of fuel if you're removing the rail to replace O rings..

it evaporates lol

yeah if you need to let off fuel pressure just pull the fuel pump fuse or relay and start the car.

but try this to check for a "leak", know its happened to people i know. crawl under the car and see if there is a bolt shoved in ur tank bottom where someone has been draining ur gas. and get a locking gas cap. i now a couple people that have had gas stolen lately

so i could just shut the car off, wait a bit, and then just go into changing them? sweet

no, there will still be fuel there that will drain out when you take off the rail

let er' sit for a good 15 - 30 minutes.. have you a couple beers while you're waiting..

im not sure if theres a specific way to depressurize the system.. but hell its not like its going to explode in a firey vortex of flames that engulf your face and destroy your house and kill all your animals.

was that to much detail?

ok. i plan on filling the car, after i change them if it comes to that, i have a half tank right now