Fuel puddle under the car - yikes...

[kajcienski]

Hello all!
After a year-long hiatus or more (It’s the first year of our first child, so the DeLorean lovingly took a back seat for a while!), I have dusted it off and have dug into a few projects. The first was cleaning up the harness and defunct wiring mods in the interior. That went very well. However, upon trying to start the car today, I ran into issues. The first few cranks yielded nothing. The next two almost caught, but immediately died. I noticed a fuel smell and looked under the car. I saw drip, drip, drip near the accumulator... I looked into the center console access panel and saw the problem (I have not been able to lift the car yet so hoping this is the only issue). Where the feed line takes a turn to the accumulator and joins the flexible hose, I see a leak. I am a COMPLETE newbie at the fuel system (I can harness all day though) so forgive me if there are any obvious solutions or procedures. Assuming the pictured leak is the issue, is this as simple as clamping it? Can I do this from the access panel by un-bolting the elbow and lifting it up to clamp? Or do I have no clue how this might work?
Thank you in advanced!

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[DMC5180]

Warning! Do not mess with that fitting. This job is fairly easy, but needs to be done from under the car.
The common fix is to cut the hose free from the fitting barbed nipple. Slide new hose onto the hose barb with clamp and tighten. There are two hoses that should be replaced. High pressure feed line between that fitting and accumulator and the low/no pressure return hose attached to the nipple on the end of the accelerator. Get the replacement line from your favorite DMC vendor.

[kajcienski]

Warning! Do not mess with that fitting. This job is fairly easy, but needs to be done from under the car.
The common fix is to cut the hose free from the fitting barbed nipple. Slide new hose onto the hose barb with clamp and tighten. There are two hoses that should be replaced. High pressure feed line between that fitting and accumulator and the low/no pressure return hose attached to the nipple on the end of the accelerator. Get the replacement line from your favorite DMC vendor.

I’m very glad you advised!
I might have felt a bit too brave in the morning 😂
I believe these hoses are no more than 5 years old.
If I cut and reseat as you advised (with a clamp), I assume I’ll be in good shape?
Also, do I need to drain anything before I make the first incision?
Much appreciated!!!

[DMC5180]

I’m very glad you advised!
I might have felt a bit too brave in the morning
I believe these hoses are no more than 5 years old.
If I cut and reseat as you advised (with a clamp), I assume I’ll be in good shape?
Also, do I need to drain anything before I make the first incision?
Much appreciated!!!

If they are only 5 years old, That means someone already did this repair, meaning the hoses are clamped on and “should” come off without to much difficulty. Even though they are only 5 years old, I highly recommend you install New hose, it’s cheap insurance. Replacement hose is Gates barricade fuel injection hose. Most Auto parts stores have it. Just take a piece of the old hose with you to match the sizes.

[jackb]

Make sure you use a fuel clamp, not a normal worm-gear clamp.

If you replace the line/clamp and reinstall it, yes, you should be good (assuming that is the problem, of course).

Nothing needed to be done in advance. Wear goggles just in case shit, though.

[kajcienski]

If they are only 5 years old, That means someone already did this repair, meaning the hoses are clamped on and “should” come off without to much difficulty. Even though they are only 5 years old, I highly recommend you install New hose, it’s cheap insurance.

That fitting isn’t clamped (the rest are though).
So I’ll be purchasing a clamp. I see from the other post I can’t use the usual worm gear clamp?
Just curious the difference?
And thank you!

[DMC5180]

That fitting isn’t clamped (the rest are though).
So I’ll be purchasing a clamp. I see from the other post I can’t use the usual worm gear clamp?
Just curious the difference?
And thank you!

Fuel hose clamps have a smooth surface band around the hose and use a side bolt/screw to close it. Worm clamps have the slots in the side which can damage the out hose cover.

[DMC5180]

Fuel hose clamp

[kajcienski]

Fuel hose clamp

Perfecto!