18 replies to this topic

[jasonbolger]

I have an overly strong smell of petrol from the car when its parked any ideas what I can do to fix this?

[peter-b]

find the leak.

[jasonbolger]

new fuel system no evidence of a leak

[mini1955]

try the breather pipe in boot it may have a split in it

I had the same problem

[Gerbil367]

As above, mine too used to stink until I fitted a new breather pipe (although mine didnt even have one to begin with!!).

 

Oh yeah, that and the fact the mech fuel pump had ruptured!  Fixed seperately before finding no breather pipe!

Edited by Gerbil367, 24 June 2015 - 09:22 AM.

[Gerbil367]

If still not the issue, check the overflow pipe (if thats what its called!) from the carb.  After that, Im all out of knowledge!!

[jasonbolger]

thanks everyone, I will check the breather pipe and the carb

[maccers]

My boot always smells of strong fuel, have an MPI tank with braided hoses. I keep 3 motorbikes in my garage and when I open the door in the moring there is a smell of fuel, and I know none of them leak. I think petrol just has ultra strong vapour smell.

[spiguy]

My boot always smells of strong fuel, have an MPI tank with braided hoses. I keep 3 motorbikes in my garage and when I open the door in the moring there is a smell of fuel, and I know none of them leak. I think petrol just has ultra strong vapour smell.

don't mean to alarm you but I have an SPi, and there is no petrol odour in the boot or in the car at all. There was a TMF'er (think it was steve220) who has an MPi and had a strong smell of fuel in the boot that he eventually tracked down to a leak from one of the fuel hoses. Trouble is of course, the fuel will evaporate very quickly so you can have no visible signs of fuel but a leak none the less. I would go hunting for a leak, we don't want you going up in a puff of smoke!

[maccers]

Yep, good shout, I'll have a look, its been like it for, um, few years now..!

[lewBlew]

You can normally tell when it's 'fresh' petrol leaking as it is so strong the warning bells go off in your head! I had this once where the fuel hose which comes out under the boot then tucks round the subframe had split, on it's way to the copper piping which stretches up the length of the car towards the engine. You could just about see the petrol evaporating if you looked hard enough. Check there? Or is the smell coming from inside the boot only?

[Dusky]

I was once driving (twin carbs at that time) and smelled lots of petrol, one of the fuel pipes popped off, only noticed it after like a mile when the engine started running weard... Terrible lucky with Hot fuel on the exhaust..

[lewBlew]

I heard all this petrol on hot engines/exhausts is nonsense and that petrol can only ignite with a spark, not just heat. Don't quote me on it though 

[DFulton]

Courtesy of Google / Wikipedia, the auto-ignition temperature of petrol is 280 degrees C.  I believe parts of your exhaust can get that hot.

 

Regardless, I'd be looking to fix the leak...

[maccers]

Its not fresh petrol smell, i know what you mean by that. I regulalry top of mower with fuel from bike tank. The smell i have in the boot is just fuel / car smell. Am sure there is no leak. The times I have dropped neat fuel the mrs always ask me what I am up to as she can smell it in the house..!