The Subaru SVX World Network   SVX Network Forums
Live Chat!
SVX or Subaru Links
Old Lockers
Photo Post
How-To Documents
Message Archive
SVX Shop Search
IRC users:

Go Back   The Subaru SVX World Network > SVX Main Forums > Technical Q & A

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-18-2003, 02:57 PM
StaceyVX
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Question Gas Leak?! What?!?

Recent events in the past week...(Keep in mind I just replaced the mass air flow sensor about a month ago.)

- I had a flat in the rear left tire...Ended up having to put a spare on b/c the Slime I used settled in the valve and can't fill the tire with air. Not that horrible of a problem.

Next...
- I hear horrible scraping metal sounds, almost like grinding coming from the rear right area of my car when I use the brakes. Okay, fine, I figure maybe I need new ones. My b/f takes it to his work (Pep Boys) to have it looked at today.

- I'm taking finals and he leaves me a voicemail saying, "They can't even look at your brakes because you have a gas leak. They won't even go near it b/c one spark will cause fire." OOOOOOOOOOohhhhhhhhhh. They also told him all I needed was for someone to throw a cigarette out of their car window and BOOM! No more Stacey. Good thing I don't smoke either, because they said the fumes going around and in the car could have made it explode. I smelled gas before, but just figured it was someone else's car.

- So, they tell him they need to attack the gas hose by taking the backseat out...They change their mind and say they're not going to mess around with the SVX; they hate it. They want to now charge me labor for the hour they "looked" at it...$60. He was arguing saying that he didn't tell them to diagnose anything because we knew something was wrong and that he only told them to fix it. They are at a standstill.

- He can't drive it, he suggested taking it to a dealer and having it repaired. That's mucho expensive and not to mention far. I called a Subaru place and they told me I better not drive it and when I do have it serviced, to have it towed to whereever I go. I don't even want him driving it back home.

What can I do? Does anyone here know anyone that can help me? It sucks also because I only have $100 to my name. Thanks to anyone that reads this and/or has any advice.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-18-2003, 03:00 PM
SVXer95 SVXer95 is offline
Word to Yo Motha
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Valparaiso, IN
Posts: 1,637
Send a message via AIM to SVXer95
did they happen to mention where it was leaking from?
__________________
Collin

1995 L AWD
Locker

1987 Porsche 944 turbo
80k miles. MBC + Chips. Relatively Stock
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-18-2003, 03:05 PM
Mr. Pockets's Avatar
Mr. Pockets Mr. Pockets is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Champaign, IL
Posts: 6,916
Send a message via ICQ to Mr. Pockets
Registered SVX
Quote:
Originally posted by SVXer95
did they happen to mention where it was leaking from?
I'm gonna guess no, because a lot of places won't touch the car as soon as they smell gas. I took my truck in for an oil change once and had them refuse me for a 'fuel leak.' I took it to another shop and they said the first was crazy - that it was just the charcoal cannister smelling a little.

Take it to another place and don't pay the first a dime unless you signed a repair order of some kind. Besides, what are they charging you for if they wouldn't even look at it in the first place?

No offense to your boyfriend, but I wouldn't advise anybody to take their car to a place like Pep Boys for more than a battery or new wiper blades.

Thinking about it a little more, I'm going to go out on a limb and say their pronouncement of the car as ready to burst into flames at any second is probably an overreaction. By all means, get it looked at right away. But unless the fumes are strong, then go get your car and drive it to another mechanic.

As for your brakes, it sounds to me like your caliper is probably seizing. It shouldn't take more than a half-hour of labor to clear that up - a little more if they have to replace the pads. Did Pep Boys do your last brake job, too?
__________________


2005 RX-8 Grand Touring
2005 Outback
2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 wagon

END OF LINE

Last edited by Mr. Pockets; 12-18-2003 at 03:09 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-18-2003, 03:17 PM
StaceyVX
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I forgot to say that they said it's in the flex hose near the wheel well and that it's rubbing against another hose...I don't know if that helps, but that's all they told him.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-18-2003, 03:23 PM
StaceyVX
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Pockets

No offense to your boyfriend, but I wouldn't advise anybody to take their car to a place like Pep Boys for more than a battery or new wiper blades.

As for your brakes, it sounds to me like your caliper is probably seizing. It shouldn't take more than a half-hour of labor to clear that up - a little more if they have to replace the pads. Did Pep Boys do your last brake job, too?
You're not offending my boyfriend; he knows the mechanics there are crappy. In fact, he only brought it in to see if the sound was the brakes. He wouldn't get it fixed there. The gas leak is something they found on their own. He works in the auto parts delivery, so he definitely knows what kind of people they are and the work they do. And the smell is pretty strong.

No, I didn't get the brakes done there. Actually, I've never had them done since I got the car in April. I wouldn't take it there, either.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-18-2003, 04:22 PM
Shot king
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Quote:
No offense to your boyfriend, but I wouldn't advise anybody to take their car to a place like Pep Boys for more than a battery or new wiper blades.
Ya know it really depends on which one ya go to and how well its managed. Although i've never taken a car there except for tires it really would'nt bother me to have work done there. I know most of the guys , they all take there job pretty seriously and have formal training also. When ya got guys like that the bad eggs get weeded out.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-19-2003, 01:37 PM
Mr. Pockets's Avatar
Mr. Pockets Mr. Pockets is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Champaign, IL
Posts: 6,916
Send a message via ICQ to Mr. Pockets
Registered SVX
Quote:
Originally posted by Shot king
Ya know it really depends on which one ya go to and how well its managed. Although i've never taken a car there except for tires it really would'nt bother me to have work done there. I know most of the guys , they all take there job pretty seriously and have formal training also. When ya got guys like that the bad eggs get weeded out.
You're right - I shouldn't make such a generalization. People here usually advise oters to stay away from Aamco shops, but the one I had replace an axle on my SVX did it quickly and inexpensively. They also clearly knew their stuff - when a friend of mine had his 3000GT's tranny replaced there, I grilled 'em some about autos. They gladly answered my questions to my satsifaction.

It just depends on the location.

But I do know that a lot of these chains have a policy to get any car which smells like gas out of their sight immediately, without finding the problem. If it were my shop, I would just make sure there was a policy to treat the car a little differently and make sure to be safe around the thing. I wouldn't boot it out the door.

But then I've never run a shop, so I don't really know what I'm talking about.
__________________


2005 RX-8 Grand Touring
2005 Outback
2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 wagon

END OF LINE
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-19-2003, 06:26 PM
Subafreak's Avatar
Subafreak Subafreak is offline
Superbeast
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Central Village Ct.
Posts: 4,330
Geez! I'm guessing they don't replace leaking gas tanks at Pepboyz? If we did that at my shop we would never be able to bring a ford p.u. into the shop

If the leaks in the wheel well it's might be the gas filler tube or vent hose. Does your car have an unusual amount of under body rust? I'v had to replace the filler tube on my 90 wagon and on a customers 97 Legacy! They ussually rot out right where the tab that hold the plastic cover is. On a Legacy it's a halfhour job at the most to replace. I haven't really looked at one on an SVX but it should be similer. Take a look at it to see if that s where the fuel is comming from.
__________________
92 SVX #772 140k 6speed, ECU Tune stage II, Koni/Ground control, 3,270lbs.
91 Legacy Turbo 5spd. FMIC, crappy stock turbo, ACT clutch.
78 BRAT (New toy) (Soon to be EJ22T powered)
90 240 SX. RB25 powered!! DRIFT!!!111!!! (GF's car)

To many cars to spend time on teh web!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-19-2003, 11:54 PM
StaceyVX
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
The hole is in a flex hose that apparently was rubbing against another hose. The hole is internal; we're really confused about how it happened. I don't think this is something normal.

The PepBoys he works at has the worst mechanics. Some of them don't even have certification. The master tech is the one who looked at my car and even went as far as to take the back seat out to check, but they said they "didn't feel comfortable".

I tried to have it towed from there, but towing places won't take it if it's leaking gas. I was told I had to call the fire department first so they could inspect it and if necessary, drain it because it's a fire hazard. I put some more gas in it and followed my boyfriend as he drove it to the Subaru dealer 40 minutes away.

Can't wait to see how much this is going to cost...Especially without me having any money.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-20-2003, 08:25 AM
Subafreak's Avatar
Subafreak Subafreak is offline
Superbeast
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Central Village Ct.
Posts: 4,330
Is the hose in the wheel well or inside the car? I'm just curious now and it might be something nice for others to know just incase, might be able to stop it before others start leaking.
__________________
92 SVX #772 140k 6speed, ECU Tune stage II, Koni/Ground control, 3,270lbs.
91 Legacy Turbo 5spd. FMIC, crappy stock turbo, ACT clutch.
78 BRAT (New toy) (Soon to be EJ22T powered)
90 240 SX. RB25 powered!! DRIFT!!!111!!! (GF's car)

To many cars to spend time on teh web!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-20-2003, 05:59 PM
StaceyVX
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I asked my boyfriend and he said he thinks it's inside the wheel well. They had to take the backseats out to get to it, but then decided they didn't want to touch it.

I guess no one here has ever experienced this; it doesn't seem like it's something normal. It's in the hands of Subaru now...
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 12-20-2003, 06:03 PM
Shot king
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Quote:
I guess no one here has ever experienced this; it doesn't seem like it's something normal. It's in the hands of Subaru now...
I had a gas leak in my Loyale once, but that was after takin it into the woods . 4Wheel drive is not a substitute for ground clearance
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12-20-2003, 09:48 PM
StaceyVX
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Quote:
Originally posted by Shot king

I had a gas leak in my Loyale once, but that was after takin it into the woods . 4Wheel drive is not a substitute for ground clearance
Again, not normal.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-18-2004, 09:03 AM
Bert Lops Bert Lops is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Lusby, MD
Posts: 14
Gas leak

I know you were dealing with this problem a while back but, did you find out what was causing the leak? or where it was coming from? how did you fix it? I'm having the exact same problem, my SVX smells all the time, i can tell where i'm parked at the mall by just following the gas smell!! i hope you found a cure to this problem. thanks
__________________
Thanks,

Bert
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-18-2004, 10:20 AM
TorG0d
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Dude, I wouldn't be driving that car anywhere. And I'd park it outside.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:13 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2001-2015 SVX World Network
(208)-906-1122