purge solenoid line issue

[Abbby]

I have noticed a gas smell coming from left rear tire area under my 2003 Bonneville SLE. Jacked it up and crawled under. There is a metal line coming from the EVAP purge solenoid on top of the engine and goes somewhere to the back of the car. Where the metal line turns to rubber/plastic the metal line is wet but not dipping any gas. Seems the smell is coming from that area. Questions are should this line have any liquid fuel in it? Can I just separate it at the connector and plug it somehow. I live in WI and as you can imagine things are rusty. If it was not a fuel line I could just cut it about 12" from the joint, add a new short line and then splice with a rubber hose. Just not sure if fuel will come flowing out and how I cut a metal line without blowing up the car. Any help appreciated.

[harofreak00]

The EVAP line is just fuel vapor air, no liquid should be in there. Are you sure you're not confusing it with a fuel feed or return line?

The EVAP line would be pretty easy to repair by just sectioning in a piece of rubber hose. You can cut the metal line with a tubing cutter, but unless the actual metal line is leaking, I would just cut the plastic line off the metal and stick a new rubber hose onto the metal barbs.

[Abbby]

Glad I looked into this more. It is actually the fuel return line. Not sure what to do. My thought is to cut the plastic line and cut the steel line and use a 5/16 fuel line hose and clamps. Not sure about the fuel line hose over the plastic line though. I may first try to separate the metal fuel line from the plastic line and insert a new metal line if I could find a piece that has the special end on it. I am concerned how much gas will flow out of this line. I do have the tank near empty.

[harofreak00]

You need to use metal barbed fittings or it will probably leak. Dorman makes repair kits for this, just stop into your local parts store. You will spill minimal fuel, it could easily be contained in a towel under the repair area.

[AZ_Sam]

I 'd like to know what you did to make the repair, with photos if possible. My 2000 Bonnie SSEi has a fuel vapor smell from the left rear. Recently I overfilled the fuel tank and the fuel spilled out from down under the car towards the left wheel, not from the filler neck.