I very well may be mistaken, but I don;t recall anyone ever posting a leak like I found this weekend.

After smelling fuel for several days in the cab, I launched my search and destroy mission on Saturday.

I redoped the connections on my Carter lift pump housing because they ooze a little fuel when it drops below 45°F.

Under the hood, with flashlight and inspection mirror (engine running), there were no leaks at all where the passenger side fuel line is clamped to the passenger head, nor anywhere around the fuel bowl or fuel line connections.

THEN I SAW IT!! A casual drop about every 4-5 seconds coming from my under hood fuel pressure gauge... from the GAUGE, and not one of the connections. I have a new replacement gauge on its way and will live with the drip until Thursday when the new one arrives. Then I'll also find out why the leak developed... hopefully.

Anyway... easy peasy this time around.

Has anyone else seen a gauge failure like this under the hood?

 

Use to read about these gauges failure. Lot of guys plug the gauge port off back then. Go with a very good quality gauge.

 

We don't see this because typical gauges are in-cab sensor type - not to say yours is unique. I wonder how many people leave that invisible gauge under there.

 

I've only had temporary fuel pressure gauges under the hood. I wouldn't want a permenant one because of chance for leaks, although I would be expecting a connection failure not the gauge.

 

You know, Trey, I was quite surprised by that as well, but the custom hydraulic hose I had made is still tight and clean at both ends... at least it appears that way for now, but I'll know for sure when the new gauge gets here on Thursday. Could be that the gauge doesn't fit snugly against the bracket. Regardless, it's only leaking now after having ridden that way under the hood for a tad over 7 years (roughly 140K miles). I guess it's had a decent life at this point.

Tug, I hear you regrading the "invisible" gauge issue, and confess that I've been tempted to return the new gauge on order and just install the Performax system with an in-cab electronic fuel pressure gauge. I have the Performax system with the three basic gauges sitting in the garage, waiting for my home-made custom over the dash gauge pod that I've never gotten around to designing and installing. However, with me still sitting on the fence about selling my existing 2WD and replacing it with a lower mileage 4WD, I am more hesitant that ever to invest the time for running the electronic stuff right now.

Even though I would rather have the in-cab gauge, I'm going to cheap it out with another good quality manual gauge for now because it is already on the way and will only take me about 15-20 minutes to swap out the gauges before my two-week out-of-towner for work.

 

Search back years ago Pete. Leaking gauges are a known, and even common issue. That's why folks used to recommend not putting then in the cab and we used to see pics of gauges in the cowl outside the windshield.

For fuel pressure, most folks now use a sending unit and electric gauge to avoid this issue.

 

I guess I'm a really a fortunate soul to have gotten the mileage off of mine the way I did!!

 

My son had this happen a couple of years back.

+1.

He was away at college when it happened so I told him what to buy at the plumbing store to plug it off.

Stewart

 

interesting, I guess I should remove my "invisible gauge", I use it to double check the electric "in cab",

 

You guys are all out to get me... aren'cha.

 

UPDATE... just to put closure to this thread.

The gauge was NOT leaking (sort of)... the fact that I did not have the gauge snugged against the bracket is the sole reason for my leak! Yeah, I know that it took me a while to get this done, but there has been lots going on that has kept this as a very low priority.

Anyway, the engine vibration caused the threaded connector on the back of the gauge to experience a wear groove that finally reached a cracking point, and that is where the leak occurred, but it took over 5 or 6 years to do this. Had I properly snugged down the gauge against the bracket, it would still be leak free.

Regardless, I removed the hose and gauge and simply inserted a 1/8" plug into the tee on the back side of the fuel filter housing. Now, I can simply carry my new gauge and hose around with me in my "goodie" bag for use whenever I feel the need, and at the same time run with no more potential for a leaking gauge under the hood.