Newbie Fuel Leak after Filling

[alanf_uk2002]

Hi folks,

Finally got the van back on the road at the weekend after 2 years of ownership and filled it up for the first time yesterday. I was suspect about filling it up after reading the WIKI but my filler neck all looks sound and is plastic. I checked for fuel leaks whilst filling and only put £50 in and much to my relief there were no drips underneath! It filled it just over half way on the gauge (!) but on my short journey to work down a dual carriageway I could smell petrol.

When I pulled in to work I couldn't see any drips or evidence of fuel leaking from around the tank so assumed it was on top of the tank.

However in the workshop last night I could see fuel had leaked down around the filler cap on the outside, a bit but not much, but underneath the side skirts was a huge amount of petrol stained with underseal completely covering the bodykit from front to back and presumably then on to the back wheels. I can only think that as I went around a fast left hand bend on to the carriageway that fuel went up the filler neck and spilled out, I assume because the seal around the filler cap isn't completely leak free. I think most of it ran down the inner wing taking the underseal with it and ran down the sideskirt.

Has anyone else experience fuel coming out the filler cap? The filler neck didn't leak when I filled so I assumed it would be OK. Is it just a case of sealing the filler cap area or should there be something to stop fuel getting back up the filler neck (a baffle)?

Cheers
Alan

[AdrianC]

First fill of our new acquisition (to the click-off on the pump) saw petrol forming a lake under the offside of the tank. But no smell, and by the time I'd got <10miles home, no leak. I swapped the rubber neck bit, but the old one was fine. I'm thinking it's the breathers, so got to drop the tank for a look.

When we refilled it over the weekend, I didn't take it quite to the click-off, and it didn't appear to leak. But... £50 took it from the red on the gauge to damn near full. It appears to have had a new metal tank, but I know one of the breather tanks (nearside arch) is just-about-missing the nipple for the breather hose.

[phredd]

Check the petrol expansion tanks under the front wheel arches for leaks if you can smell it in the cab.

Good luck.

Phredd

[alanf_uk2002]

Thanks for the posts. The expansion tank pipes look OK, no evidence of leakage plus they seem to be too far from the sideskirt to be the culprit - however they will be changed just to make sure!!

I have ordered a new rubber connecting hose and stainless clamping ring from Brickwerks because I think that the clamping ring is missing altogether and that the shroud is screwed straight in to the rubber - with no securing ring on the back to pull it up tight.

I'll see if that helps

Alan

[Donald360]

We have a petrol leak that only occurs when the tank is almost full and have traced it to the round o-ring seal on the petrol gauge. The fuel gathers in the valley in the centre of the tank and then pours out under the van when driving. Maybe worth a check if you are still having problems.

Cheers
Donald.

[renokey]

Hey,

I had a leak which only appeared when turning right, I had a few ideas but knew dropping the tank was the only way to find out. Upon dropping the tank found that one of the hard plastic Y pieces which join the tank to the breather tank hoses was broken, so I will replace the culprit, clean up the tank, reprotect and replace all hoses. Should do the trick.

Long way around to say, drop the tank there will be at least one thing that needs sorting, don't mess when it comes to leaking fuel.

Now please can somebody tell me where I can get a new Y piece for my fuel tank!!?