I don't think I've ever quite seen a leaking fuel pressure regulator, tho
it's possible of course.  I have many good used ones.
 On an 91 Carat recently - same thing - I'd get a whiff of gasoline smell
and couldn't find anything.  A few go-arounds of that, smell but couldn't
find anything.
  Finally, about the 3rd time it happened, I did find the leak - it was
where the supply hose from the tank connects to that plastic fire wall fuel
fitting ( and it's a mystery why a vanagon even has that part on it - serves
no real purpose at all, and they've been known to fail - I usually remove
them on subaru engine conversions ) .
   But that's where the 'hidden leak was' on the 'forward' side of the
firewall, where I was hard to find in the dark and general muck under there.
It's kinda hidden by the air intake boot too. 
Scott
www.turbovans.com 
  

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Ben S
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 11:33 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: leaking fuel pressure regulator?

hi all,

over the last few weeks, of the couple dozen times i've opened up the
engine compartment after running recently, i have seen (and smelled)
fuel residue on the pressure regulator maybe twice.  for the last few
days, i have gone out each evening, driven around a little and
rechecked and have not been able to re-create the problem.  i replaced
all the supply fuel hoses about 3 years ago and they still seem in
great shape.  no amount of wiggling the hoses with the engine on will
cause leakage.  is it possible that the regulator itself could be
leaking?  has anyone ever seen or heard of this happening?
considering that it's a $100 part, i'd hate to replace it on
speculation, but i can't figure out what else could be causing this.
leaking fuel is scary as hell.

Ben.