WARNING On Underbody Fuel Filters!!!

[Porsray@aol.com]

Just today I had a good scare with my Coupe Quattro.  For the past few
days I have been having a starting problem manifested as an approx. 
10 second cranking time before the car starts if it has been sitting for
approx
an hour or more.  I figured the fuel pump check valve was going, and
started doing the research on replacement.  Just this night, after pulling
the car into the garage, I went back down approx. an hour later and
smelled gas.  Looking under the car just forward of the left rear wheel, 
noticed a puddle of gas.  Jacking up the car and crawling underneath 
with a flashlight, noticed the leak was at the fuel filter inlet fitting.
 Tried
tightening the fitting, but it was securely tight.  Next, I decided to unbolt
the fitting to see what was going on.

Apparently it was rust/corrosion over time.  The filter fitting and the end
of 
the banjo bolt were rusty; what was causing the fuel leak was that the 
aluminum crush washers had apparently started to get eaten internally 
due to corrosion and opened a leak path.  I could see the pits in the 
washers where they had been eaten away.

Considering it is Sunday about 7:00 PM, for a temporary fix I used emery 
cloth to clean the crush washers and fittings, then applied a little 
non-hardening joint compound on the washers and bolted everything up
 again.  Started car and let it run for a few minutes; all is dry.  Will be 
picking up a new filter and crush washers tomorrow.  If you don't hear 
from me again, I'll probably have ended up as a "Crispy Critter" on the road
to the car parts store.

I have replaced this filter before, but it could have been on there for at
least two years.  Folks with filters in similar vulnerable spots might want 
to check them.

Ray Calvo (porsray@aol.com) 
getting a new filter and crush washers tomorrow