Club 80-90 Forums

Any idea why at 2.1 Petrol camper would develop a strong smell of petrol when stored in a non ventilated garage?

I had to move the camper outs its normal storage space in a well ventilated building. I drove it for 10 minutes and parked it in my parents garage which adjoins their house. within an hour i get a call saying the house is stinking of petrol and can you move the camper before something goes boom!

yes there was a strong smell of petrol, but there was no dripping or obvious leaks underneath, the van runs and starts great. its got about a third of tank of fuel in it.

Any idea why it would smell so much? may always have been like this and its just the first time ive noticed it with it being in an enclosed space.
Its a syncro, just in case that makes a difference. garage was also heated!

thanks
Alastair

VW, in their wisdom, designed the most fiendish petrol tank arrangement ever,
The tank is an inverted U shape with expansion tanks in each front wheel arch and plumbing connecting everthing together.
The unique shape allows water and crap to lodge above the tank, eventualy rotting through, and allowing fumes to escape when part full and petrol in Piddle out when full.

You dont say what year your van is, but even the yougest ones are now suffering tank rot.
T

vans an '87

sure you must be right about the tank. would be the only place with enough petrol to create such a stink so quickly.
i know the Syncro fuel tank is at the back, and weve already had to replace one tank strap as it was completely rusted through, so will that fits with your theory.
Need just need to take a look and see how bad it is.

Alastair

Now is the time to replace all your petrol pipes, including the engine bay.
The original ones perish and start to weep petrol on to the woven cloth material that covers the pipes.

I have had 2 vans with the wiff of petrol and both came down to perished pipes.
Removing a tank on a 2wd is'nt difficult, getting the petrol out is though.
Syncro tanks are plastic unless im mistaken, well my petrol syncro is and my diesel syncro are.

syncro up wrote: Its a syncro, just in case that makes a difference.

Note to self "read the posts properly"

I cast myself at the mercy of the mods
Sorry.
T

My 1987 Velle Syncro is going into the garage tomorrow for .......... a petrol leak.
In 2005 it went in for the same reason (same garage) and required a new `sender.` That cured it ......... until now.

I shall post the result of the mechanics efforts, god willing, on Friday. Apparently, it's a bitch of a job, as said earlier in this thread.

Eric.

The uk spec syncro fuel tank is a cheapo version of the US market one. The UK one does not have a method of retaining any expanding petrol fumes, where as the us ones have a charcoal canister and is sealed. The uk spec tanks expansion pipe ends open just behind the filler cap and vents to your nose. The fumes migrate through to the rear air vents and is very noticeable. Some people do not report a fuel smell with the syncro, but I have always had some smell.

I get a strong smell of petrol when the engine and gearbox are hot, and the heat goes straight up and into the tank!!! I note the americans usually have a heat shield around the bottom of the tank.

I took my tank out, this is a full days job at least, after you have the gearbox out. I replaced all the hoses and the two gravity vents at the top of the tank. I still get the same petrol smell as before. It is not strong, and goes away when the engine cools down, but it is still present.





I believe that you can change the main fuel lines without dropping the tank, you just have to route the lines around the tank instead of up and over it.

Hope this helps.

Just touching base.

Petrol leak solved (not tested yet on a long, fast run tho), which was a rotten hose.

Eric.