Leak around fuel pump

[Kim K Kaiser]

A short update,  new powerful battery turns the car over everytime from my starting woes,  going places in confidence now.

The new thing to address

I hv a pesky leak somewere around the fuel pump.  My question is, is there anywere that were the fuel pump attaches, can there be an oil leak.   There is oily substance on the brass fitting that leads to the fuel filter, but it does smell like gas. Sometimes i can see some on bottom of fuel pump.  so if there is not anywere that the fuel pump can leak oil,  im guessing its blow off from were the big pan attaches to the underside of block.

So,  if thats the case,  do you hv to remove engine to remove that large pan on bottom of engine to replace what im guessing is a worn gasket

The leak isnt bad,  i just know its there and dnt like it

[3n49omug8n28i]

Kim, you do have a gasket that the fuel pump attaches to the engine with. It can leak, but if you haven't recently changed it it may not be it. The more likely cause is the harmonic balancer/timing cover seal. The seal will wear out and also wear a groove into the balancer shaft. It leaks there and slings oil onto the fuel pump. Rockauto.com sells the new seals and a repair shim that you tap onto the shaft of the balancer to give a new flat surface. I've done this to mine after changing the fuel pump gasket. 

[3ft7bqmb7dryo]

The fuel pump gasket and the front or rear mount bolt for the fuel pump. I don't remember off hand.  The bolt hole passes into the timing chain area, and the back of the bolt gets an oil bath.  Pull the bolt and put a skim coat of RTV on it. That will seal the bolt in the threads.

[Kim K Kaiser]

Clovis,

i have dried out and wiped off everything around engine last few times out,, i know were theshaft goes into the engine, but i dont ever seem to get any new oil below that shaft,, its typically over on and around the FP,,i knew it was nt gas leaking as it didnt smell like gas,, i will need to get under it again to look and clean off again,  as far as I know, that gasket hasnt been changed since engine rebuild at 98k miles,(currently at 158K)

thanks for the info, in both cases,, one has to be the fix,,,i hope,,,

Russ,, same as above,,, i will look under and see were that bolt is and see if i can get that done as it sounds like the easiest fix,, if that is the leak,,for now..

if that doesnt work,, i i will go to the  fix mentioned from Clovis,,,

sorry, I'm lazy,, looking for the quick fix if possible

[Kim K Kaiser]

i would say, the from neck to neck fill- ups  21 gallons,,, i get 332 miles which is about 15 mpg,,,so other than these nuisance leaks, it seems the car is running very well,

[3n49omug8n28i]

Kim it could very well be the fuel pump. Just my experience with this situation is it was the balancer. I couldn't see any oil coming from it either so I assumed it was the fuel pump. I dont think I saw oil anywhere else for that matter just the fuel pump. That's why I thought that's what it was originally. My engine was rebuilt at 70000 and just is past that now. It's the groove that causes the leak. If it wasn't checked at the rebuilding stage it may have gotten missed

[Kim K Kaiser]

ok,  thanks for the addl info...I ll have to get under and look around again,,,, 

I'm guessing that your repair method mentioned above does not require the balancer to come off?   or am i reading that wrong,,

[3n49omug8n28i]

Yes the balancer has to come off for the new seal to be installed and sleeve put on the balancer. The fuel pump is no treat to do either. If your going to pull it to change the gasket, and silicone the bolt as Russ has suggested, you might as well replace the pump while it's off. Rockauto.com has a selection of them online now.