Dripping petrol
Dripping petrol
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CHJ

Original Poster:

783 posts

242 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
Just blew away the cobwebs for the first time in a few weeks driving - everything ran beautifully, then filled up with super at the local garage and noticed some petrol dripping onto the garage forecourt when I was about to get back in the car. Parked the car in the garage at home and its still dripping - though slower now. I've had a look to see where its coming from but can't see exactly where at the moment. It is dripping from slightly right of centre (from the rear) and just a bit in front of the rear wheels. Is there an overfill pipe / breather pipe or something in that area, or is there a possible problem? I've never noticed any petrol smells or leaks before and the tanks look in good condition to me from the little I can see.

Thank for your help,

Chris

beastie

604 posts

252 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
I don't want to worry you but that sounds like the problem I had a couple of years ago, it may well be your fuel sensor gauge seal, which is a real bugger to get to, you might need to replace the wing lock seal on it, and make sure you use a good gasket seal as well.

l33

3,469 posts

253 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
You might have to go for a really long hooning tomorrow to allow the level of petrol in the tank fall to a level where it does not leak. When your tank is empty, you'll have to fill her up again just to confirm the small leak. If the leak re-appears, then another petrol wasting hooning session will be called for

If the weather forcasters are to be believed, tomorrows gonna be a nice day for it.

GreenV8S

31,017 posts

313 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
Maybe just excess leaking from a vent/overflow pipe if you have overfilled it?

beastie

604 posts

252 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
GreenV8S said:
Maybe just excess leaking from a vent/overflow pipe if you have overfilled it?


then it would come out behind the left rear tyre I think, I have had that too with a full tank, but in hot weather.

badredwedge

3,450 posts

257 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
Chris there is a number of pipes in that area you need to jack it up or better still get in on a ramp and find the problem, may be the swirl pot or just a clip. Good Luck thumbup

CHJ

Original Poster:

783 posts

242 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
Seems to have stopped now thankfully - I collected only about a mugfull, but its enough to make me put it on a ramp and check sometime soon. Petrol dripping near a hot exhaust pipe worries me a bit yikes

rev-erend

21,619 posts

313 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
It could be :

1) petrol pipes

2) Sensor in tank/seal

3) Tank(s) balance pipe

4) Swirl pot

Without getting under there and having a good look you will not know..

Report what you find.

blackspider

1,038 posts

238 months

Saturday 10th March 2007
quotequote all
Ive just replaced a pipe that goes over the propshaft beacuse it had bloated and was seeping through the rubber.Swirl pots corrode aswell.

Filled mine up today (early twin fuel cap),made the mistake of opening the one cap up ready to fill and then opening the other one and started to fill-There was a bit of a surge as the air pushed out of the other filler neck throwing fuel over the van parked next to me.DOH!!!!!!!

mikeb

2,869 posts

311 months

Sunday 11th March 2007
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The fuel pump and filter and located there as well, all mounted on a welded plate.

Check all of the pipes, if they are original then replace all of them as they would be knackered by now.

Use tidy high pressure pipe not some low pressure shite or it will end up sprinkling all over the place, and buy some proper Miaklor clips. Its relatively an easy job unless you want to replace the flow and return pipes as well that run the length of the car and are probably cable tied to one of the chassis outriggers.

MikeyB

ed_crouch

1,169 posts

271 months

Sunday 11th March 2007
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You have a serious fire hazard on your hands here!

If its after the pump, you must use high pressure hoze. If its before the pump, normal benzene resistant hose is sufficient. Neil over at TVRCarParts will sort you out. This is where I got mine. Be careful to measure up the OD of the stubs before ordering new hose, as not all Wedge fuel tanks are the same!! Mine wasnt!!

Please dont set fire to your car by leaving it until it drips onto the silencer and catches fire.

Ed.

P.S. Gates multi-carburant hose is ideal for the high pressure stuff from the pump to the fuel rail and the return. Its good for 1MPascal (148PSI!!). Get 10 metres of 8mm hose (you dont need this much, but its always useful to have). Its only £4 per metre from your friendly motor factor.

Edited by ed_crouch on Sunday 11th March 19:04

GreenV8S

31,017 posts

313 months

Sunday 11th March 2007
quotequote all
It would worry me too, but petrol is actually relatively safe stuff to dribble over hot exhausts etc as its boiling point is below its flash point - it boils away before it ignites. Oil and brake fluid are actually far more dangerous because they will spontaneously ignite if they get hot enough.

mikeb

2,869 posts

311 months

Sunday 11th March 2007
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Yeah, but this would still ruin your day............



MikeyB



Edited by mikeb on Sunday 11th March 21:32

blackspider

1,038 posts

238 months

Monday 12th March 2007
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Although its the vapour thats flamable not the liquid

jchase

572 posts

288 months

Monday 12th March 2007
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Hey, do you have receipt for Tescos 99 ?