[TR] ethanol in gasoline

[davgil at aol.com]

To the list
The discussion of ethanol and its impact on fuel systems makes me think of a
problem with my 1976 TR6 that I will have to deal with shortly.  I keep it at
another location and when I was there a week or so ago, I smelled a strong
gasoline odor.  I have had a problem with the gaskets in the carb float
chambers deteriorating and leaking gas so I guessed that was probably the
case.  Unfortunately I passed by the car a little later and saw a puddle of
what looked like heavy oil near the left rear tire.  I touched it and it had a
strong gasoline smell.  I was otherwise occupied and when I got back the next
day, the puddle remained but there is no longer a gasoline odor.
Unfortunately, I had to leave before I could investigate the situation.  My
fear is that the fuel lines have deteriorated allowing gas to drip onto the
ground, carrying something with it on the trip, probably dissolved
undercoating.  I don't know of anything else that would be in the rear of the
car that could leak other than the differential, but I don't know of any
reason that a leaking fuel line would cause it to leak as well.  There was
distinctly a strong gasoline odor to this substance.  I won't get back for a
couple of weeks, but does anyone have any ideas as to what I should consider
as possibilities.  Just an aside, the car is parked on a concrete floor in a
garage with no ignition source and is directly under a fire sprinkler so I
believe that the danger of fire is minimal, which is why I was comfortable
waiting to deal with this later.
David Gill
1976 TR6