stihl 026 fuel leak where fuel line enters tank?

[johnbinsc]

Greeting everyone,
I've been on here in years gone by with the same username, but you must have had some server change or something, because I had to re-register, and I could use the same username I had before.
Anyway, I'm just a homeowner who has a wooded lot in a wooded neighborhood, and I've taken down a few trees myself over the past 30 years or so. I have a Stihl 026 chain saw bought in the early 90s.

My question today is:
Is there some trick to getting a better seal where the fuel line enters the gas tank?
Are you supposed to use some kind of sealant?
Or just depend on the rubber grommet formed in the tube to snug up adequately to the edges of the hole?

Needless to say, I had this fuel line out recently because I was tracing down a bigger fuel leak after working on the carb. The big leak was from the plastic right angle fitting entering the carb. I thought it was supposed to swivel around! Oops. Thanks to the shared wisdom of this forum, I figured that out and for the moment I have fixed that up with JB Weld.

I'm pretty sure the remaining leak is from where the fuel line enters the tank. It only leaks when the saw is on it's side.

Thanks!

 

[ZeroJunk]

Replace the fuel line. They shrink, get squeezed, whatever over time.

 

[Mad Professor]

Replace the fuel line. They shrink, get squeezed, whatever over time.

^^^that and make sure it is not the tank vent. They made several lines make sure you get the correct one, OEM is best.

Concerning the inlet elbow, they make metal replacements. I bought a few to have on hand

https://www.bennettbuilt.com/shop/Carburetors_and_Parts--Walbro_Metal_Gas_Inlet_Fitting.html

 

[johnbinsc]

Thank you ZeroJunk and Mad Professor, that is exactly what I was looking for.
Yes, the fuel line is the original, so close to 30 years old. I'll pick up an oem one.
I have one of those tall black tower tank vents, but it is not the fuel vent leaking in this case, because I only fill up the tank to cover the fuel line grommet and the leaking starts.

My tank vent probably also leaks, and may not be working right.
In general the saw is not running great. Last time I took down a tree, it would run for a good while but then become impossible to restart, until you let it rest a good bit, so that does suggest a tank vent. I'll test that if it acts up again.

This saw saw plenty of fuel with ethanol, over it's life, so I thought maybe that had gummed up the carburetor, so I just did a relatively thorough overhaul, i.e. I removed the Welch plug so I could spray cleaner through each of the 3 idle jets. But I did not service the main jet, and I did use carb cleaner (though NOT on the main jet), so I may have messed up the check valve.

If I don't give up and just buy a new carburetor, I may buy that right angle fitting the Mad Professor is selling. But I try to do things one step at a time, and I want to fix the fuel leak first.

Thanks again!