80q Fuel Smell - Problem Solved!!

[AllradAudi at aol.com]

I had a quick post a couple of days ago about my 1991 Audi 80 Quattro having 
a noticeable fuel smell when I got in the car and after I drive it. The smell 
disappeared. After a couple e-mail I decided to investigate. So I turned the 
heat on in the barn this afternoon and drove my truck while my Audi was 
warming itself. (Hey I live in Buffalo).  
     Anyway what I discovered after removing all the carpet from the truck 
and I was starring at the gas tank, I figured "How the heck can this have a 
problem?"  Everything look like new. So I got underneath and THAT looked 
great too, (Car was originally from VA)  I DID.  It snowed today so looking 
for moisture was out of the question. So I started wiping things and sniffing 
for fuel. Sure enough, The big hose coming from the tank was coated with gas. 
 I went back to the trunk and looked some more, at this point I was using a 
trouble light. I snagged a flashlight and looked directly underneath the tank 
and WHAM There it was. a small pool of gas in my trunk.  So I Jumpered out 
the fuel pump relay with a wire and hooked a hose to the fuel line (under the 
hood) and pumped out the tank with the fuel pump. ( had a little over 1/4 
tank) took about 5 min.  Removed the tank and could NOT see anything wrong.  
So I plugged off all the holes in the tank and sprayed soap all around where 
the main fuel line goes.  What I found was a TINY pinhole  about 1/8 to 1/2 
of an inch away from where the neck is.  WHY?  Not sure, either a pebble got 
up in there and made a hole OR the Tank is rotting from the inside out?  I 
don't think Its rotting because There was really strong metal all around the 
hole, I poked a screwdriver in it and roughed it up to give the solder 
something to hold onto.  I soldered it up and put it all back together and NO 
MORE SMELL!!!   The most frustrating part of the job was getting the rubber 
boot back in the hole through the floor (previously soaked with gas)  It was 
actually not bad,  ALLOT Easier than replacing the tank in my 5KtQ.  Took 
about 2 1/2 hrs (but I cleaned my wheels too and vacumed all the carpet 
before I put it back in the trunk.     I  hope this helps anybody with the 
same car going through this type of problem. 
Glen.
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