Keep smelling petrol

born_again

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

I doubt it. Not unless they're still lingering over 24 hours later :rotfl:
.

I reverse up to the house and as i'm walking around the rear i can certainly smell petrol.

You a very slow walker then? 24 hours just to get from drivers door to rear of car :rotfl:

JustAnotherSaver

born_again wrote: »

You a very slow walker then? 24 hours just to get from drivers door to rear of car :rotfl:

I suppose so

jimbo6977

I once had a similar petrol smell, low mpg, actually ran out of fuel, problem. Took the car to a mate who knew his stuff, we opened the bonnet and a fountain of petrol was pee-ing all over the engine bay, thankfully missing the hot manifold. Just needed a new rubber hose, cost about £5.

JustAnotherSaver

Others are smelling it now. It's definitely from the rear and i'd say it's also definitely from the drivers side, or at least very likely.


I went over to the passenger side & couldn't smell it that much (that's where the fuel filter is).
Head back to the drivers side and i'm smelling it stronger. Look up in the rear wheel arch and it's wet but i'm not sure if this is water or petrol. I dabbed it with some kitchen roll and had a sniff but it doesn't smell of anything. Its wet in and about the 'neck' of the fuel filler as it drops down in to the tank but like i say, dabbing with kitchen towel doesn't leave anything smelling.

Goudy

You need to get this looked at quickly, obviously!
There are a couple of areas that I seem to remember cause issues with fuel leaks on the Astra G and some similarly aged VX's.

First is the fuel filter, that and it's pipes are slung under the car tight up against the fuel tank.
You'd normally smell this strongly outside the car.

The next is the fuel tank lifter pump/gauge sender, that's accessed under the rear seat squab, drivers side (RHD models). This tends to stink up inside the car, particularity in the back.

Both have clip on fittings but the pipes themselves are crimped/heat shrunk on to these fittings and can become brittle and crack over the years.

Another thing to check is the seal on the filler cap, these can twist and rip and cause the tank to vent out past the seal.

basill

Goudy wrote: »

Y

The next is the fuel tank lifter pump/gauge sender, that's accessed under the rear seat squab, drivers side (RHD models). This tends to stink up inside the car, particularity in the back.

My last Vectra had a leak here, the seal had rotted away and a puddle of petrol would form every time I filled he tank right up. Must have been common as the mechanic went straight to it.

JustAnotherSaver

Goudy wrote: »

You need to get this looked at quickly, obviously!
There are a couple of areas that I seem to remember cause issues with fuel leaks on the Astra G and some similarly aged VX's.

First is the fuel filter, that and it's pipes are slung under the car tight up against the fuel tank.
You'd normally smell this strongly outside the car.

The next is the fuel tank lifter pump/gauge sender, that's accessed under the rear seat squab, drivers side (RHD models). This tends to stink up inside the car, particularity in the back.

Both have clip on fittings but the pipes themselves are crimped/heat shrunk on to these fittings and can become brittle and crack over the years.

Another thing to check is the seal on the filler cap, these can twist and rip and cause the tank to vent out past the seal.

I really need to get under there but i'm struggling at the moment. I wont have access to a pit until the new year.


The under the seat thing - is that applicable to the G? I was aware it was something with the H. I know the H also doesn't have a removable fuel filter (why is that even a good idea?) but wasn't sure about the G.


The rubber seal around the neck has seen better days. It's also a little rusted under this but not to the point i can push it all through. Also when i fuel up i am pretty careful. I've paid for the bloody stuff so i don't just pull the nozzle out, i knock it off a few times so petrol doesn't get everywhere.


I don't really smell it inside the car, it's certainly outside. Like i say, i'd say it's more the rear drivers corner (which is where the fuel filler cap is) than the rear passenger (which is where the fuel filTer is) but to be honest i'm only trying to follow my nose which means i could easily be wrong.


It seems stained in and around the rear drivers arch. I need to give that a good degrease and wash down and see what shows afterwards.

mgfvvc

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

This has been going on for a few month now i'd say. Certainly a few fill ups and i fuel up approx every other week.


I reverse up to the house and as i'm walking around the rear i can certainly smell petrol. The problem is there's no obvious markings on the driveway.
I keep tabs on my fuel consumption/MPG and looking at it it seemed to drop off slightly mid/end September but then that seems to have happened the year previous and i just put it down to the change in weather/temperature.


I imagine it must be weeping somewhere if there's no sign of it on the floor. How can you locate a weepy leak, if one even exists?

Lots of good possibilities suggested, but I would say, don't leave it until the problem becomes a serious leak. Some years ago, I was getting the odd whiff of petrol from my 1995 Civic, but it wasn't obvious where it was coming from. I meant to get it checked out, but it didn't seem too urgent. Suddenly it became a proper leak with petrol on the drive. The garage said my fuel tank was rotten and I couldn't drive the car until it was replaced. This was a day or two before my wife went into labour and it took them a week to source and fit a replacement.

JustAnotherSaver

mgfvvc wrote: »

Lots of good possibilities suggested, but I would say, don't leave it until the problem becomes a serious leak. Some years ago, I was getting the odd whiff of petrol from my 1995 Civic, but it wasn't obvious where it was coming from. I meant to get it checked out, but it didn't seem too urgent. Suddenly it became a proper leak with petrol on the drive. The garage said my fuel tank was rotten and I couldn't drive the car until it was replaced. This was a day or two before my wife went into labour and it took them a week to source and fit a replacement.

Well thankfully we aren't having kids



I believe the fuel tank on mine is some kind of hard plastic? Happy for someone to confirm/deny this. At any rate i do know the fuel tank itself actually has a metal cover/guard around it which long since rusted & fell off. Not uncommon on these.


Anyway as you said, i didn't really want to leave it longer than i had to as the smell has been getting slowly stronger.



I got the car jacked up at the rear & whipped the wheels off ready to degrease and wash inside the arches and possibly even sections of the undercar, depending.
Sniffed in the rear drivers arch where the fuel neck is. No petrol.
Moved to the other side & sniffed around the fuel filter - no petrol, dry, and i'd actually marked it up as having been changed last year.


Then i got to the centre at the rear & saw it. Where the fuel filler neck runs down it must switch from plastic in to a rubber hose & as this rubber hose meets the fuel tank the jubilee clip didn't look too healthy. It was all wet around this area too. I gave it a little poke with a screwdriver & it just flapped around looking sorry for itself.





So long story coming to an end, i went for a drive to where i can get access to a pit, replaced the jubilee clip and fingers crossed that's the only problem with it.


Thought i'd post back with the (hopefully) answer as i know so many don't bother updating with a (hopefully) end to their problems.

Banacek

Check the inline fuel filter underneath the car near the spare tyre well. Looks like a metal canister with plastic pipes connected both ends. Had one of these leak on me in the past check it with the ignition switched on so fuel pump is active and system is under pressure. Internet search for how to replace there's videos.