I searched through the archives, and couldn't find anything on this - so I decided that I might as well post and see if anyone else has seen (or had) this problem.

My truck is an '04 CC SB V10 4x4, and yesterday at work when I went to get into it I noticed a puddle of gasoline about 18" in diameter under my truck...I hoped it wasn't coming from my truck, but it was. When I got under the truck to look, the gas appeared to be coming from the top of the tank - right about where the cab and bed come together.

I drove the truck home, and when I got in the garage I crawled underneath and used a mirror to check out the top of the tank. It looks like the fuel lines and pump/gauge wiring go through a round cap about 6" in diameter, and that cap is about where the gas leak was coming from (hard to tell once most of the gas had dried). I'm guessing - though it's just a guess - that this round cap-shaped piece of plastic threads onto the top of the gas tank. I'm wondering if this piece isn't sealing properly, and if that's where the fuel leak is coming from. I tried getting my hand up there and checking to see of that cap was tight (assuming it screws on), but I had a heck of a time getting my hand up there and getting a decent grip on it.

Has anyone here ever had a leak in this area of their fuel tank? I had just filled the tank, but I didn't top it off (and usually don't) - I just stop filling the first time the pump clicks off. Also, where I park at work the rear of the truck is maybe 4" lower than the front - so between the newly-filled tank and the position of the truck, there must be gas all the way up to the top of the tank in that area. I haven't decided yet if I should bother to make a warranty claim, or just find a new parking place that's level and keep an eye on it.

I haven't noticed a leak before this, so I'm not sure what's different this time that made it leak...maybe for some reason the pump at the station put in more gas than usual before shutting off.

Thanks for any help...I use enough gas as it is, I don't need to be leaking it out onto the ground!

LK

 

Sounds to me like you need to drop your tank and check the seal on the fuel pump/sender assy. The pump, sender, outlet fitting, vent fitting, and wiring harness are all one on metal assy. The 6 inch nut you feel, or see, holds the complete assy. in the top of the tank. Keep in mind the tank, and nut, are plastic.

I fill my fuel tank to the edge of the filler tube on every fill up and have never experienced any leaks.

I have heard of fuel tanks over flowing due to thermal expansion. The fuel underground comes out around 65 degrees. If you fill the tank to the top and park the truck out in a nice hot sunny location the fuel will expand and over flow the tank. I really doubt this is your problem being that you are in Michigan at the end of Dec.

Mark

 

it is a new truck, i would personally get ford to look at it, but imo, its gotta be the filler neck, or the fuel pump housing assy seal, as gav10 suggested. my old 150 did same thing, and only when parked as u state, but i turned out to have a small hole in the top of the tank do to our enemy, mr rust.

 

I have heard reports of someone filling their tank in the cool night/morning hours and coming out in the afternoon to find a puddle of gas. As the temp rose throughout the day, the fuel expanded and ran out of the overflow line.

 

My '00 will do that same thing if I fill it absolutely full. I dropped the tank in my driveway once to take a look at it, but did not have the special tools required to remove those high-pressure lines, so I just reassembled it. My temporary fix is to not fill the tank absolutely to the brim. I had a chance to speak to my mechanic later and we discussed replacing that seal or O-ring, whatever it is, but we just haven't done it yet.

 

Any type of gas leak is a serious cause for concern, i would have it checked out asap,and fixed! GAS FUMES can creep on the ground and if some one drops a lit cig, BOOM no more truck, but than your problem would be fixed, and if your are in it, and then we would all be ive seen to many fires they are not fun, a friend almost lost a truck and life! to this.only he was in it when it happened and he was stuck in traffic when it happened,he had a(minor) leak. the flash burned the hairs off his driverside arm,lucky he had a full tank of gas,rare igotta omit, but still cause for concern, now if it was a chevy break out the marshmellows