What is this rusted business under my rear seat?

[Shu]

I pulled my seats today to clean the mess that is my newly acquired car's interior and found this under the rear seat. I've looked through diagrams of the fuel system, but can't quite determine what it is. Would love it if someone could school me on it!

[Shu]

Nevermind, discovered it's the vent tube.

[nomansland92]

Mine did the same thing, Check behind the wheel where it comes through the body, it's most likely rusted and leaking which is what caused that.

[///M42 sport]

shit

[cory58]

Just found this same problem on my car (1988 Touring - damn German salt). It looks like the actual rubber and plastic vent tubes run through this metal tube. Is that correct? If I seal up the hole in the wheel well, is it a problem to just leave this tube as is?

Has anyone replaced the rubber and plastic vent hoses? Is it tough to get them out through this metal tube? I'm guessing that the tank would need to be dropped, correct?

Thanks. Any advice is much appreciated.

Cory

[Shu]

In a couple of hours of research, this is the only thread I could find that detailed how they solved for the issue:

http://e30performance.info/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=934&start=30#p15365

Even then, the solution is just a patch.

[ahlem]

Mud gets inside there and keeps in the moisture and causes eventual rust. Ask people who have changed their gas tanks...The rubber hose starts to degrade and makes it fun to pull a new one through that mess. Also included is that cover inside the passengers side wheel well.

[cory58]

Thank you for the responses! I should have access to a lift by early spring, so hopefully I can wait until then to drop the tank and replace these lines.

[jeffnhiscars]

Just found this same problem on my car (1988 Touring - damn German salt). It looks like the actual rubber and plastic vent tubes run through this metal tube. Is that correct? If I seal up the hole in the wheel well, is it a problem to just leave this tube as is?

Has anyone replaced the rubber and plastic vent hoses? Is it tough to get them out through this metal tube? I'm guessing that the tank would need to be dropped, correct?

Thanks. Any advice is much appreciated.

Cory

It looks like the lines going through the metal tube are steel so as long as they are not rusted through they should be ok to leave. You can do a pressure test once you get in there.

If you remove the top section of the plastic fender liner that will give you access to the expansion tank and I think most of the hoses for inspection and/or replacement. There's also a tab that supports the expansion tank and mine was gone so the tank is just resting on the plastic liner. I forgot until now so clearly not a problem