Massive fuel leak!

[bucyrus]

Started my 4.0 Chimaera up the other day, its not been used much this summer, and drove off with a faint smell of petrol in the air, which got worse and worse. Looked in wing mirrors to see stream of petrol behined the car, engine now hot! Pulled into layby and looking underneath saw petrol streaming down between engine and gearbox, switched off engine, lifted bonnet and found pool of petrol behined cam covers in rear of V block, suspected perished hose. Left the car for 3 to 4 hours and when cold returned with tools, torch etc expecting to have to change fuel hose. Started car up to find leak....nothing, as dry as a bone and has been ever since,have pulled and pushed on every pipe I can find...... nothing. Concerned as it is a major fire hazard I can not find any fault and it might happen again with a more serious outcome! Anybody had a similar experience or any idea what might be going on?

[Prizam]

Is there a pressurization valve on the rail? I know with some cars, if they get left for a long time you can get negative pressure in the rail, opening the valve a bit and causing a leek. Solution is to press the valve for a second whilst the system is priming / pressurizing.

Tho i don't even know if a Chimaera has this...

[TJC46]

bucyrus said:

Started my 4.0 Chimaera up the other day, its not been used much this summer, and drove off with a faint smell of petrol in the air, which got worse and worse. Looked in wing mirrors to see stream of petrol behined the car, engine now hot! Pulled into layby and looking underneath saw petrol streaming down between engine and gearbox, switched off engine, lifted bonnet and found pool of petrol behined cam covers in rear of V block, suspected perished hose. Left the car for 3 to 4 hours and when cold returned with tools, torch etc expecting to have to change fuel hose. Started car up to find leak....nothing, as dry as a bone and has been ever since,have pulled and pushed on every pipe I can find...... nothing. Concerned as it is a major fire hazard I can not find any fault and it might happen again with a more serious outcome! Anybody had a similar experience or any idea what might be going on?

I would change out all the petrol hose just in case! Cannot explain why the leak has now stopped, but would not want to risk it leaking again as per your description especially with a hot engine. CHANGE ALL THAT PETROL HOSE. you may as well change the hose at the pump at the same time.

[Simon says]

TJC46 said:

bucyrus said:

Started my 4.0 Chimaera up the other day, its not been used much this summer, and drove off with a faint smell of petrol in the air, which got worse and worse. Looked in wing mirrors to see stream of petrol behined the car, engine now hot! Pulled into layby and looking underneath saw petrol streaming down between engine and gearbox, switched off engine, lifted bonnet and found pool of petrol behined cam covers in rear of V block, suspected perished hose. Left the car for 3 to 4 hours and when cold returned with tools, torch etc expecting to have to change fuel hose. Started car up to find leak....nothing, as dry as a bone and has been ever since,have pulled and pushed on every pipe I can find...... nothing. Concerned as it is a major fire hazard I can not find any fault and it might happen again with a more serious outcome! Anybody had a similar experience or any idea what might be going on?

I would change out all the petrol hose just in case! Cannot explain why the leak has now stopped, but would not want to risk it leaking again as per your description especially with a hot engine. CHANGE ALL THAT PETROL HOSE. you may as well change the hose at the pump at the same time.

Where those hoses are situated may be nothing more than heat that as cured the leak i.e bit of expansion got to agree with TJC46 on this one needs investigating & hose renewal do not press on hoping it as cured itself it as not, and I consider you to be lucky in this instance and give yourself a pat on the back for catching it on time or buy a Lottery ticket instead doing one at the moment hope this helps don't reuse those nasty Jubilee clips

Edited by Simon says on Wednesday 8th August 13:23

[Quietlybonkers]

Fuel pipes are two identical rubber hoses that run from above the number eight exhaust (rearmost cylinder on driver's side) and go to the plenum on top of the engine. Spraying fuel onto the hot exhaust not to be advised. I can supply photo when not on work's computer

[Bassfiend]

How hard is it to change these?

I know mine haven't been done in years...

Phil

[Quietlybonkers]

Mine were badly perished so had to be changed. I gather that the plenum has to come off, and its more fiddly than difficult.

[Bassfiend]

Bugger - I have *VERY* big hands!

Maybe a Griff owner might be able to help me out with their more dainty paws...

Phil

[Quietlybonkers]

I imagine our mutual friend with the strange taste in tattoos would oblige for a beer token or two...;)

[Bassfiend]

Suppose I should get a new valley gasket and take a look at the cam if I take the plenum off for the fuel pipes...

Phil

[Quietlybonkers]

Quietlybonkers said:

Mine were badly perished so had to be changed. I gather that the plenum has to come off, and its more fiddly than difficult.

.....and if your fault is at the plenum end of things, it might explain why the fuel was appearing where it was..............

[SILICONEKID340HP]

I used some extra insulation just to help with the heat,travels to the copper pipe each side of the gearbox ..From flebay

[Graham]

I had a very similar thing, fuel leak that stopped and then started and then stopped..

it was the fuel pipes the feed and the return.

they are a pita to change but I didnt need to take the plenum off.

[Bassfiend]

I was thinking of these...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1603790.htm

Phil

[Quietlybonkers]

Graham said:

............... but I didnt need to take the plenum off.

All I am passing on is what my techno-spanner told me - he took the plenum off to change the pipes, and in taking it off he found the stepper motor broken. Replacing that solved my erotic idling (a well known feature of Rover V8s in red light districts )

[bucyrus]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. Changing the fuel hoses is a must. Thanks to Simon says for photos and Bassfiend for link to hose supplier. I will see if I can get my wife to do the hose change she has got much smaller hands than me!! (some hope). After reading Prizams reply I had a look at the pressurisation valve on the rail, it has got a cap on it but the area below is very clean so this is a possibility as well. On and off all day I have been starting and stopping and doing very short journeys without any further leaks. Even with a hot engine and a long screwdriver in behined the fuel lines pushing and pulling(I will have to change them now!) no leaks not a drop, so I am beginning to point at the valve, but hey ho I will do the intelligent thing and change the fuel lines.

[blitzracing]

If the fuel return pipe gets blocked, or the regulator fails to open at 36 psi or so, it can force fuel past the O rings around to top of the injectors where they push into the fuel rail. This will rapidly run down into the V of the engine.

[bucyrus]

Ah Ah Blitzracing, you may have cracked it, this seems to be the most logical and no doubt would account for the quantity of fuel pouring out and slopping about at the rear of the V. A good engine degrease, clean up, hose change and further monitoring required I think!