98 EX V6 fuel leak near tank?
 

Over the last month or two I've occasionally noticed a gas smell after pulling into my garage. Not overwhelming, but noticeable. Today, I filled up my tank, drove home, and parked in the garage. A little while later, I noticed a much stronger gas smell and went back to investigate.

I found a small spot on the garage floor after pulling the car out of the garage. Looking under the car, it looks like there is some kind of leak and fuel is coming down the front of the tank.

First question, is it safe to drive this way or not? (like for a day or two)

The most I've done mechanically on my car is take of the intake manifold and EGR to clean out the EGR ports. Should I just leave this one to my mechanic? Any ideas what sort of damage I'm in for?

Thanks,
Tyler

I would recommend to not drive the car. A hot exhaust + a large fuel leak = extremely high risk for a fire.

It depends on what is leaking. There is an access panel to the fuel pump in trunk near the back seat. You'll have to remove the carpeted cover to see it. Remove the cover and see if you can spot the leak.

The cost really depends on what is leaking.

I found the access panel yesterday and removed it. Everything looks dry from the top side, so it looks like I'll need to just take it in to my mechanic. Dropping the tank is above my skill level and time available, unfortunately.

You might be able to find the leak at the fuel hoses, then decide if you can reach the connections without too much trouble.

It's even possible to have corrosion in the steel fuel lines. Those would be difficult to change, and possibly require dropping the tank anyway.

Turn the ignition key on and off a few times to pressurize the system and check the flex fuel line from the tank to the steel lines that runs to the engine. If that is the culprit it is pretty simple to replace since you have an access port to the pump. It can be done without dropping the tank. There is simply a banjo bolt at the tank and a flare fitting which should be accessible by removing the left rear tire.

I'm back to tie up the loose ends here. I was not able to find any leaks on the hoses. As far as I could tell the tank itself was leaking. I took it to my mechanic and they used their camera through the trunk access to confirm it was leaking from the seam in the tank. $350 for the tank, another $350 in labor. Shiny new tank and I'm back on the road. Sucks to drop $700 on a car with 144k miles, but hey - with a new car payment I'd pay that much in two months.