Massive Fuel Leak Need Help / Fuel Line Question 98 V70

98V70T5 · Post by **98V70T5** » 30 Jun 2021, 00:57

Hello,

I have a 1998 V70 T5 with only 135k miles. Bought it 10 years ago. It is in excellent shape, and I love it so much, but today I could have lost it, and my house due to a massive fuel leak!

It was almost 100 degrees today, and I was going to go start the car and let the AC cool it down, but I decided not too and to just get in the car and drive to my destination. When I started the car I turned on the AC and all the windows were rolled up but immediately I started to smell gasoline. I backed the car up about 15 ft I noticed a giant puddle of liquid on the ground where I was previously parked. I got out and noticed it was gasoline and immediately shut the car off as another large puddle of gas was forming under the car! Had I turned the car on and went back in the house I'm fairly certain the car would have caught on fire and burned the house down as it was parked right next to the garage.

I am still shaking from the events that happened today, but I was able to get under the car and photograph where it was leaking from and now I need help identifying the hose that ruptured, the repair needed, and the difficulty of the repair itself.

To my untrained eye it appears there is a rubber hose, about 1/2" in diameter, that is part of the fuel return system. It is located directly above the fuel filter and held on with a clamp. The hose leads into some type of junction that has a connector of wires plugging into it again directly above the fuel filter on the passenger side of the car just in front of the right rear tire. By moving the hose, I was able to expose a 1 in long rupture in the hose that was leaking gasoline with the car off as I was bending it. Eventually the leaking had stopped. If this was part of the fuel return system I can only imagine how much fuel was spraying out in the two minutes the car was running as the puddles on the ground were huge!

I tried searching online for a part number but I can't find anything in the diagram that even closely resembles to what I'm looking for and need help identifying the hose, a part number, and if you could tell me what its function was, I would be very appreciative of that. Can you also tell me what that junction with the electrical connector that the hose connect to does? Finally, what tool is needed to install those OEM clamps?

I have included three pictures below showing the hose. In the picture with the red line, the red line indicates the crack.

I come from a background in Japanese cars, and 99% of fuel supply and return lines are steel there is rarely ever used any rubber hoses in any part of the system and I am shocked to have found a rubber hose that could rupture as mine did, or tear in an accident in a way that seems to be very easy! This leads me to my last questions:

How much rubber hose is used in a 1998 V70 in the fuel system? Are steel lines used?

At this point I am considering changing all of it somehow even though I would have to hire a mechanic to do it.

Just the other day I was traveling 80 miles an hour on the freeway, and I just cannot believe the timing of this hose breaking compared to all the places I have recently been, and the fact that I almost let the car cool down for 20 minutes only to come back to see it in engulfed in flames!

Thank you for the replies!

Post by **abscate** » 30 Jun 2021, 04:27

The 2 cm hose on thst valve is part of the evaporative system and isn’t the source of the fuel leak. If you overfill the tank badly it can have gas there but it won’t be under pressure.

Your fuel filter might not be seated right, it’s at high pressure of 50 psi and will leak fast if the orings roll. Recently replaced?

I would check the feed line too. Volvo fuel lines are hard nylon with rubber bonded, they can be repaired if they break but you need a repair kit to get them to seal, not rubber hose and clamps

Oetiker clampsare removed with dikes or aDremel, install with high aspect dikes or an oetiker tool.

98V70T5 · Post by **98V70T5** » 30 Jun 2021, 04:46

I had the fuel filter replaced 10 months ago, by a Volvo technician. I only had 3 gallons of fuel in the tank, and never fill past 12 gallons at fill ups.

So you are telling me the hose indicated in the picture is not the source? That's good to know

. Is that hose replaceable? Perhaps it was soaked with gasoline from spray off the fuel filter then.

I did just get a check engine light a few weeks ago. Perhaps it was related to that EVAP hose tear?

Could the o rings on the fuel filter have gone bad? I have watched a few videos, and I don't see any mention of changing the o rings?
It seems like the lines just push on?

There wasn't a hint of any gasoline leak until yesterday. With a leak this bad, it would have definitely been noticeable!

Thanks!

Post by **Chuck W** » 30 Jun 2021, 05:17

98V70T5 wrote: ↑30 Jun 2021, 00:57 Hello,

To my untrained eye it appears there is a rubber hose, about 1/2" in diameter, that is part of the fuel return system. It is located directly above the fuel filter and held on with a clamp. The hose leads into some type of junction that has a connector of wires plugging into it again directly above the fuel filter on the passenger side of the car just in front of the right rear tire. By moving the hose, I was able to expose a 1 in long rupture in the hose that was leaking gasoline with the car off as I was bending it. Eventually the leaking had stopped. If this was part of the fuel return system I can only imagine how much fuel was spraying out in the two minutes the car was running as the puddles on the ground were huge!

So, you're saying that you DID see a leak in that hose? Sounds like that is your problem.

Honestly I would have someone start the car and then have a look underneath to verify where the leak actually is. Even just turning the key to prime the system may be enough, but it sounds like it shouldn't need to run for more than a couple seconds to ID the culprit.

98V70T5 · Post by **98V70T5** » 30 Jun 2021, 06:37

I did see gasoline dripping off that emissions hose, but I am suspecting it was from the spray from the fuel filter? Car was off when I was looking under the car.

Can fuel filter connections just randomly go bad after 10 months for no reason? What is the solution if the fuel line fittings need to be changed, or o rings if possible?

Thank you!

Post by **abscate** » 30 Jun 2021, 06:46

"If the repair was successful, its MVS-accessible"

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77135&hilit=dorman+ ... e&start=20

The Orings are buried inside the car connector and can't be changed easily. The repair involves cutting off the factory bit and replacing with the Dorman pipe.

You have to secure the Dorman pipe from walking off the fuel filter with zip ties. It doesn't have the nice grabber the factory one does, which is why it got ruined removing it, too.

Post by **Chuck W** » 30 Jun 2021, 07:38

98V70T5 wrote: ↑30 Jun 2021, 06:37 I did see gasoline dripping off that emissions hose, but I am suspecting it was from the spray from the fuel filter? Car was off when I was looking under the car.

Can fuel filter connections just randomly go bad after 10 months for no reason? What is the solution if the fuel line fittings need to be changed, or o rings if possible?

Thank you!

Can you push the connector onto the filter more? I seem to recall the connectors being seated a bit more on the filter fittings.

dj_v70 · Post by **dj_v70** » 30 Jun 2021, 08:35

I am confused, are the first 2 pictures the leak? If so, this looks exactly like the leaks that I previously posted and repair could be the same (let me know if you can’t find by searching through my posts). I had 2 separate leaks that look like that. Both times the car was sitting for several weeks in areas with lots of squirrels. Lines look like they were chewed on. The repair has held up well over the past few years.

98V70T5 · Post by **98V70T5** » 30 Jun 2021, 15:40

^ I initially thought gasoline was coming from the large hose which I agree is an emissions hose, and not a fuel line.

I have yet to search for the leak but I am suspecting it is coming from the fuel filter connections. In a post above it's obvious that larger hose is part of the evaporative control system.

98V70T5 · Post by **98V70T5** » 01 Jul 2021, 03:17

Haven't had time to crawl under the car, so I made a quick video last night to analyze later. Here are some screenshots.

Can somebody tell me the hose that the red arrows are pointing to, what this is? It runs right next to the fuel filter, and is held to the fuel filter assembly, by a small bendable bracket. If you look closely in the first photograph, it looks like there's a hole in it!

If this is indeed the fuel return line, what are my options? I feel like replacing the entire fuel line system is needed, but I don't know if that's an affordable option? Can this be repaired or would you suspect the entire line could fail at any point again? Does Volvo make this part? Numerous online Volvo parts retailers do not even LIST fuel lines!

I will be able to confirm if that is a hole later today.

Thank you!