Heartbeat1991 Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Hello. I have a 1990 TGP. When I bought it, the previous owner said he had just done a fuel pump in it. I haven't driven it much, but recently got most of the bugs worked out. I filled it up, and it leaked gas. I dropped the tank. I am unsure where the leak came from as of yet, but there's a new sending unit on there too. The seal is not the standard o-ring type I usually see, it has a little bit of a collar on it. It seems to be too small to do the job right. I suspect this it likely the source of the leak. Has anyone else had a seal like this leak? What's the best way to fix that? I thought about using the plain o-ring type, but I am open to your suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 The original formed-rubber seal from my Trailblazer, with the replacement plain O-ring seal from the new fuel pump module. First Guess: your rubber seal was installed improperly, or has deteriorated. An O-ring seal could fix your leak. Have you verified that the filler-tube seal, and the tank vent are OK? Using the proper gas cap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Yeah, I think it's more likely to be a tube too. You'd have to have some cool driving habits too make it leak out the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartbeat1991 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 The seal and sending unit were new. If it wasn't installed correctly ( my first guess ) then when full, fuel would leak from that point. I suspect that's the case. I can see the path the leaking gas took, I just can't tell for sure if it came from that seal, or a leaky line somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 The gaskets included with most replacement fuel pumps and sending units are junk. I had to drop the tank on my Bonneville twice to replace the crappy gasket that came with my new sending unit with a GM one because it leaked so bad. I dropped my z34's tank a year ago as someone used a crappy gasket in there before. and Just today I put a pump in a 92' lumina and the gaskets included with the pump were both wrong. one way too small, the other way too big. ended up re-using the original one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartbeat1991 Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I think I am going to have to find a new seal for it. It's out, I'd rather replace it either way at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 If I had it to do over again I'd consider changing the gauge sender to see if the fuel gauge might become even a little more accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I'm not really impressed with the Spectra aftermarket sending units, they act different then the OE ones. feel like they hang out around empty forever when there is still 5 gallons or so. Or maybe I am just used to my OEM GM ones that hang out at full for forever then drop like rocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 aftermarket tanks with stock senders do some weird things too. i'm at nearly 3 gallons left when the needle hits and sticks on E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 My z34 has an aftermarket tank with stock sender... behaves about how you'd expect any GM gas gauge to behave my TGP has stock tank with aftermarket sending unit... behaves different but I don't have a baseline for it as when I got it half-tank equaled empty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartbeat1991 Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 My tank is stock, pickup and pump are replacements, most likely Spectra. It does show empty at 5 gallons or so. I tried to re-assemble it with the seal that was there, but it's not big enough to go around the entire opening. I'd imagine this was my problem from the start. I ordered a new o-ring style seal. It will be here tomorrow. Hopefully that solves my problem. Either way, I pulled out all the vent and EVAP lines. The steel was rusted up pretty good, and the rubber was no good either. I replaced it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 My fuel gauge swings violently from the little gas pump to about 1/8 of a tank when it gets low, and anywhere in that reading it could stumble and stall down a steep hill. I have to fix it or move to Jamestown NY. so I always know when I'm low on gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartbeat1991 Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Problem solved. The guy I bought the car from put the seal on the sending unit upside down. All better now. Pain in the butt job, but better than leaking expensive premium fuel. Plus it has all new EVAP lines now too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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