underbody gas leak --2 places

[1983Pinin]

Hi,
I've posted elsewhere about this 1983 Spider I bought and still have not been able to get it home.
It hasn't been started in 2 years. I tried to siphon old gas out but got nothing, although maybe I wasn't getting down low enough in the tank with my hose. I know it hit something--I thought was the bottom of the gas tank, but no fluid. I put in 4 gallons of new gas-- gauge now read a little over 1/2 tank, so maybe there was old gas in there and I don't know how to snake the siphon tube down to the bottom of the tank.
Anyway, I tried to start her up. Cranking very nicely, but no start , so I shot some starting fluid into air intake. She tried to start ( sounded great!) but died. Did this multiple times and then noticed gas leak underbody from 2 places. One place was somewhere near the gas filter just after the pump , and another in the line after the filter where it dives under the driver side underbody heading up to the motor.Gas leak would slow down and stop with time. If I tried to start again, the gas leak starts up again, then slowly stops.
Why would this be happening? Hoses and clamps look good. I did not take off filter shield to see where leave was leaking there, but does not look like it's coming from the fuel pump.on that side. Could this be a frozen fuel pressure regulator? Could this be from a clogged gas line somewhere?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
--Peter

[azruss]

i would first change out the rubber hoses. you could have a crack that opens up when you get pressure. you can only determine this by watching the gas lines while they are dry and just starting to drip.

[narfire]

The rubber lines can break down in time and will leak. Swap out the rubber lines with new sections, perhaps a new fuel filter as well.
To drain the tank, I have loosened the clamps where the short right angle rubber filler hose joins the tank and let it drain into a container.
When the tank sits for any length of time, it can rust and then the flakes can get into the fuel pump and muck it up. There is supposed to be a strainer of sorts on the fuel pick up in the tank but that can disappear as well.

[1983Pinin]

Surprise surprise! I had trouble getting the car up the ramps of the U Haul car transport I rented, so seeing no other option I put her in gear and asked the starter motor to do the heavy lifting. It got up the ramp and almost went off the other end because she coughed and started --but sounded like only a few cylinders firing.
I got the car home, and though maybe I should try starting with a healthy shot of starter fluid. I did this and surprise! She fired right up!
So I guess the leak I saw was due to fuel being pumped but restricted up front by the injection system, so the fuel found the path of least resistance and squeezed out around the fuel line clamps.
I did purchase new fuel lines and fuel pump to put in , but I don't think it's as urgent of an issue.
So the Fiat is alive and well.
Now for the NYS inspection!
--Peter

The rubber lines can break down in time and will leak. Swap out the rubber lines with new sections, perhaps a new fuel filter as well.
To drain the tank, I have loosened the clamps where the short right angle rubber filler hose joins the tank and let it drain into a container.
When the tank sits for any length of time, it can rust and then the flakes can get into the fuel pump and muck it up. There is supposed to be a strainer of sorts on the fuel pick up in the tank but that can disappear as well.

[76was124]

Surprise surprise!...........I don't think it's as urgent of an issue.

If it were me, unless I owned a fire extinguisher factory and lent the car to someone I didn't like.....I would make changing the hoses a priority.

[wizard124]

There is an anti-siphon screen in the fuel filler pipe, BTW

[1983Pinin]

I had already ordered all new hoses and a fuel filter before all this happened.
I see no evidence of leaking now but I am planning on replacing the fuel lines and filter.
Believe me - I've owned a couple of Fiats before and I know if something will go wrong it will. I don't want to burst into flames.

Like that Christmas eve in upstate New York in 1977 ( I think )-- was one of the coldest Christmas eves on record.
I was leaving my in-laws that night driving my first 124 spider, and within about 5 miles the engine .. overheated! In sub zero weather! Yes, the thermostat froze and I must have had some air in the system. Ended up getting a ride and coming back the next day to get it going again.

--Peter

Surprise surprise!...........I don't think it's as urgent of an issue.

If it were me, unless I owned a fire extinguisher factory and lent the car to someone I didn't like.....I would make changing the hoses a priority.

[76was124]

I had already ordered all new hoses

I expected so ......but just in case, I thought I would state the obvious!