I smell petrol

[ozzy]

No leaks when i fill the tank up but have just started to get a whiff of petrol especially when i wind the window down a little anyone else come across this before before i crawl under the bus?

[HarryMann]

Lots of members have experience of this I imaine... usually to do with the vents, vent pipes and vent tanks above the main tank. Also check the fuel pipes through the engine bay and any joins (plastic especially) on the front engine bulkhead...
Hopefully others will go into more detail

[Cruz]

As Harryman said check your breather pipes as if they are original they could be rotten. Also check the grommets where the breather pipes enter the top of the tank as these can pop out.

[toolsntat]

I had this for a time and was convinced there was a hole at the exp tanks etc.,but no, it was the fuel pipe that had perished, only been on there a short while just before the filter!!!
Hate getting that petrol whiff and its allways worth getting to the root of the problem!!
Hope you find the cause soon....

[amazingdave]

Most likely the pipes to the expansion tanks or the breather pipe at the top end, inside the wheel arch.

[Blingpanzer]

On mine, it was the rubber pipe between the fuel tank outlet and the fuel filter. It was so badly perished that it broke up when I removed it.

[trundletruc]

As far as I can see the under wheel arch expansion tanks vent via tubes into a chassis member. I don't think there is anything on the end of the pipes. The air has to go somewhere I suppose It isn't a closed system with a carbon filter like new cars.

So if it has been a cold night and the day warms up and the petrol expands you may get a wiff of petrol Particularly under the van?

[gilbo]

Hi I need help with this problem too - I have a 1981 Aircooled LHD Westy Joker. I have never put more than £30 in, usually when it's 'below the red'!

On Wednesday I went ahead and put the full £61 in from empty.

The petrol smell, which I have never had before, started immediately. The smell is incredibly strong and is also very strong inside the van. The van was parked for next 24 hours with no signs underneath or on the road of a leak. The fuel level did not drop during that time but the smell remains.

I went out yesterday and did 100 miles just to see if lowering the level in the tank would cure the problem. It didn't. The gauge now shows 2/3 to 3/4 full, or thereabouts.

I am a total dufus at this stuff, can anyone please post me a diagram or something to help me find what could be causing the problem before I get ripped off at the garage? I am a genuine amateur with these vehicles, although I am quite clued up on old Fiats lol.

Thanks a lot everyone.

Chris

Gekirindan@aol.com

[Cate]

Gilbo, the fuel tank is a flattened out U shape, to avoid an air pocket on the far side it has equaliser pipes from one side of the top of the U to the other and out to the expansion tanks, which then have pipes which vent into the chassis somewhere.
These pipes can rot out and the 3 grommets they go through can rot out, as can the grommet the filler pipe goes through to get into the tank, these may be your problem, the exit fuel pipe and fuel return pipe may leak too.
Just behind the filler cap, under the wheel arch there is a short rubber sleeve from the filler cap end onto the filler pipe, this easily rots through as it accumulates a lot of muck thrown up by the wheel. Ffumes may be escaping through here.
Unfortunately VW being the tricky littel monkeys they are like to make things a little difficult, you propbably wont be able to see these grommets and pipes unless you have a 3" high head, you should be able to follow these down with your hand and feel the condition of them.
Best of luck.. and just don't smoke!