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Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 21 Jun 2011, 21:35
by timdeniz
Hi All,

Just bought my camper - a T25 Westfalia - very exciting and will post pics soon.

One problem though - just went for a drive with the missus and there is a very strong smell of gas/petrol in the van. So strong we had to pull over to get a breather then drive back. The smell was definately not there when I test drove it.

Am very worried - does anyone know what this may be?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 21 Jun 2011, 21:38
by kevtherev
FUEL LINES..change them before it goes up in smoke

leaky tank
leaky carb

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 21 Jun 2011, 21:40
by timdeniz
oh right - that doesn't sound good.

is that expensive to do?

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 21 Jun 2011, 21:43
by kevtherev
look for where the leak is then we can tell you how expensive it will be.
Fuel pipe is dead cheap

get it checked at a garage for leaks

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 21 Jun 2011, 21:45
by California Dreamin
Obviously a leak, the most common reason is rotted breather pipes on the two expansion tanks under each of the two front wheel arches.
Tanks also rot on top.....vent unions can crack and break, fuel hoses at the rear can perrish, early metal filler necks can rot, the large filler grommet can leak.......one of the above.
All more pronounced when the tank is filled.

Martin

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 21 Jun 2011, 21:47
by timdeniz
gutted!

yup - definately got worse when i filled the tank up.

down to the garage for me!

thanks for the help.

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 22 Jun 2011, 06:41
by kevtherev
timdeniz wrote:gutted!

yup - definately got worse when i filled the tank up.

down to the garage for me!

thanks for the help.

if it's the breathers it's just a few pipes easily reached no major tools required.... save your money

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 22 Jun 2011, 10:07
by California Dreamin
Yup.....if it turns out to be the short lengths of braided hose on the expansion tanks it is no big shakes. A meter of 5.5mm braided hose from Brickwerks should sort it.

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... ory_id=114" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Martin

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 22 Jun 2011, 10:53
by yorkierob
When i filled mine to the brim it left a nice puddle of 4star on the forecourt - is this the afore mentioned tank grommet and if so is it a big job to sort myself?
cheers
Rob

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 22 Jun 2011, 11:34
by timdeniz
thanks for all the help.

spoke to the guy i bought it from just to see what was going on.

turns out he spilt a whole load of white spirit in the back before he delivered it to me - thought he had sorted the smell.

feel a little silly now - as now i know what it is - defo smells of white spirit.

just got to wait for the smell to disperse now.

thanks again though - nice to see how the community works here - hopefully at some point down the line I can be of some help to people too!

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 22 Jun 2011, 11:40
by California Dreamin
:ok :ok :ok :ok :ok :ok :ok :ok :ok

Fair enough....good to hear it's nothing too serious.

Martin

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 22 Jun 2011, 14:14
by DavidPallister
Its worth checking out the fuel lines, breather lines, tank filler etc anyway, just in case there is a problem with these, as you said it got worse when you filled up

Dave

Re: Petrol Smell Inside

Posted: 22 Jun 2011, 16:36
by Cruz
DavidPallister wrote:Its worth checking out the fuel lines, breather lines, tank filler etc anyway, just in case there is a problem with these, as you said it got worse when you filled up

Dave
Chances are the fuel lines have been there for donkeys. When I got my 83 5 yers ago they looked like they had been there since 83