Diesel Diesel Everywhere!

[Rust&Rot]

It's one bloody thing after another with this new pick up!

I filled the pick up right up with diesel for the first time yesterday and when I walked back across the forecourt loads of bloody diesel had poured out onto the floor. I would guess about two litres.
This then slowed to a regular drip.
I have used the pick up over the past few days to drop the level and as long as I don't park on a slope it has slowed to odd drips.
I assume that as I still have supply to the engine it's not a hose and that as it was only when the tank was totally full it's at the top of the tank.

Questions?
What's at the top of the tank?
Is there anyway to inspect the top of the tank?
What else could be the cause?
I heard that tank tops rust out due to trapped crud, if this is the case how easy is it to replace the tank?

Thanks (again) for all your help.
Jon

[discipleofsketch]

It's a common thing, with many possible causes - loose breather, perished pipes, rusted top of tank.

Mine always leaked if I filled it right up, got a local VW indy place to drop the tank - it was actually a loose breather causing the leak, but the top of the tank was badly corroded - it wasn't holed, but the fuel they siphoned from the old yank was full of rust, so they put a new tank in.

[Rust&Rot]

It's a common thing, with many possible causes - loose breather, perished pipes, rusted top of tank.

Mine always leaked if I filled it right up, got a local VW indy place to drop the tank - it was actually a loose breather causing the leak, but the top of the tank was badly corroded - it wasn't holed, but the fuel they siphoned from the old yank was full of rust, so they put a new tank in.

How easy is it to drop the tank?

[discipleofsketch]

How easy is it to drop the tank?

I found it really difficult....... to hand over the ££££ for a mechanic to do it!

It's not a major job, but I didn't have any off-street parking and didn't want to try it by the side of the road.

[NeilHarris]

Mine did the same whilst in Germany this year. Id already had to replace the pipes up to the expansion tanks, so I had an idea it was the breathers on the top so we continued home with no problems as long as we didnt overfilll the tank.
I ordered new parts including the tank and gave it a go. The only bit that needed two persons was getting the new one back in place again. I guess you could use a jack, but my son was around so he helped. The only bit that slowed it all down was painting the tank and making good the van where the tank sits. Painting, undersealing etc.
without all of that, it would have been a day job.
Judging my mechanical experiance- id say , give it a go yourself.
there's plenty of help and photos on here and elsewhere

good luck

[tommin]

You must remember when filling the tank to stop at the first click of the nozzle. This is a normal mistake made by many people me included. The tank should never be overfilled ie. to the neck or brim, there are loads of articles on the net but it should tell you in any owners manual.