petrol smell

[storm grey]

Filled car up with fuel last weekend ready for first trip away this year. Got in the car tonight to wash it and it stinks of fuel. Any ideas?

Thanks steve

[mistermagoo]

Petrol leak!!

[gavgavgav]

It's easy enough to visually check the pipes, the usual culprits are the pipes in the engine bay to the fuel rail, or around the fuel filter and pump behind the passenger side rear wheel, or the tank in the boot. The tank is the hardest one to check. Just turn the ignition to on and you will hear the fuel pump prime and pressure up the system, that is usually enough to find the leak.

[storm grey]

its only smelling in the car and since i filled it up which seems strange as there was obviously fuel in it allready

[pinchmeimdreamin]

Daft question but did you spill any when you filled up ?

[Mr MoJo]

First thing I'd check is the fuel tank. I speak from experience.

[Alexdaredevilz]

Prime the fuel pump again and again with out starting, then check the floor under

Mine stinks of fuel some times when cold, but thats just a rich mixture

[storm grey]

didnt spill any when filling up just been in the boot and pulled the carpet away from the top of the tank cant see anything obvious.

[Clippy]

Gravity works on petrol so try the carpet at the bottom of the tank

Some have found steel tanks to pinhole and cause the smell, and usually a damp patch somewhere around the bottom of the tank...

Giles

[BliarOut]

Do you know if the flexible fuel lines between the bulkhead and the engine have been replaced? If there's ANY doubt, replace both the flow and the return lines as a matter of course. Failure can lead to fuel misting directly on to the manifold!!

[seeby]

BliarOut said:

Do you know if the flexible fuel lines between the bulkhead and the engine have been replaced? If there's ANY doubt, replace both the flow and the return lines as a matter of course. Failure can lead to fuel misting directly on to the manifold!!

+1 Had that problem myself on the feed pipe chafing on the bell housing. Only a small split and near on invisible..

[storm grey]

found the problem went in the boot tonight to load it up for a weekend away and felt under the right hand side of the tank it was wet with fuel so stripped the carpets off the tank and released the strapes holding the tank pulled it forward and could see fuel coming from the pipe behind were the tank sender is no split in the pipe but tightened the clip up and put a extra one on hopefully job done.

[BliarOut]

Do your engine bay pipes if you're not sure... Please

[Herbie Hammer]

I had the same thing a few years ago - the jubilee clip that keeps the pipe from the tank to the filler hole can work loose so when you fill up, you get petrol seeping into the boot.

Bet if you look in the left corner of the boot it will be damp with petrol

HH.