Help!! Petrol leak....

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by .CK., Jul 19, 2019.

  1. That's worse, fuel and air together :p
     
    Pedro del monkeybike likes this.
  2. Lucky it didn't catch fire driving it back. Do not start the engine or you may get an explosion. Disconnect the battery earth side once the petrol vapour has dissipated.

    Its a catastrophic leak, which to me is more likely fuel line from tank to pump has failed or tank outlet itself. There should be a short metal section of pipe going through a rubber grommet into the engine bay, I have seen the metal pipe missing and rubber fuel line cut on the metal hole.

    As suggested you could get underneath and take some pics and put them up here. If you feel not confident to fix it, get someone in who can, its all about safety.
     
    Merlin Cat and Bulletooth like this.
  3. Merlin Cat, snotty and F_Pantos like this.
  4. If you're working on fuel or brake hose a pair of clamps like this are really good to nip off the flow without damaging the hose. These are off the Machine Mart site but I think I got mine at Halfords.[​IMG]
     
    Merlin Cat, mgbman and F_Pantos like this.
  5. Not sure that the T4 engine has a metal section of fuel pipe. Needless to say the grommet is essential.
     
    philntfc likes this.
  6. Correct, that's on a type 1. The pipe from pump to carbs is a normal fuel hose that goes directly up through the tin(via a grommet) to a T-piece and then to the carbs.
     
    andyv likes this.
  7. It was my son's CU engine T25 which had a cut fuel hose through the bulkhead, we replaced with metal section and rubber grommet.
     
  8. 400B4DA8-3079-4D81-958A-933FFB526D6C.jpeg 7C4BD978-DDA6-45E2-938F-620008C42D9D.jpeg Huge thanks for all advice and knowledge. You lot are fab. If my kids hadn’t turned up early from their holiday and I wasn’t going to Cornwall next week I would have delved further....however...
    Top marks for those who said fuel line, parts of pipe had perished so he replaced some of it enough to get to garage Monday hopefully. Few drips from fuel pump too which stopped after tightening loose screws. Put fuel back in and drove round the corner. Hope replacing the whole fuel line is a quick cheap job!
     
    Merlin Cat, philntfc, paradox and 3 others like this.
  9. Quick and cheap ....


    Only if you do it yourself

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  10. If I had a ramp and someone to tell me what I’d done was done properly I would absolutely have a go.
     
  11. That looks proper rotten! Likely it's all as bad!!!

    Get all the fuel pipe checked over, and if possible, it should be replaced with Ethanol safe pipe. R9 standard as a minimum, tho a lot of folk on here say even that's a bare minimum.

    Also check the fuel tank breathers that run along the ceiling of the noisy cupboard and up into the air vent where the spare wheel well is.

    Better still, see the sticky thread on the first page of "mech" tech so that when you go to the garage you can tell them exactly what you want checked over. Forewarned is forearmed.

    Next invest in a decent trolley jack and some 2 tonne axle stands then work out how to use them :thumbsup: then you can do it yourself next time :)

    PS: Edit...I don't want to scare you but you were dead lucky this time around.....
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2019
    Merlin Cat and art b like this.
  12. Get it to a VW garage, rubber fuel lines need changing regularly to prevent vehicle fires.... you have been very lucky today!
     
  13. I really have been lucky, I’d been driving for an hour and half so engine was hot. Maybe the non stop heavy rain helped!
    I take it to (and had it mot’d last week) at a garage where the owner has a bay, beatle and t4 so I will ask him to check it over properly!!!!
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  14. You had it MoT'd last week & he didn't spot this? Take it to a different VW specialist!
     
    MorkC68, Merlin Cat, mgbman and 2 others like this.
  15. I didn't spot that! That's well scary!!!!!
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  16. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    If it was not dripping when you went to the MOT then it would not have been raised as an issue. After all the carp fabric covered hose is exactly the type-approved original factory fitted hose, not modified..

    Those original style fuel lines can be roasted, crusty and dry. Then you vibrate them or bend them poking around and they give up. Back in 2010 my bus came back from having a fuel sender replaced and the fuel hose going to the carburettor suddenly looked new. It was damp with petrol where it had started cracking...



    It shouldnt take too much time for a garage to fix. Might be worth choosing and buying an ethanol rated fuel hose kit and bringing it to the garage for them to fit.


    After all I read that a side effect of Dieselgate is a surge in demand for fuel in the UK caused by running more less efficient petrol cars, so we will soon all be getting E10 petrol from the 95 pump to increase the bio fuel percentage...
     
    Betty the Bay likes this.
  17. You were lucky this time, your lovely van and you could have faced a major fire, and all for the sake of inexpensive fuel lines, which should be replaced often. Learn from this.
     
    .CK., F_Pantos and Merlin Cat like this.
  18. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    Great it’s been temporarily sorted. Did you have a look underneath whilst the AA man was there? If I have a breakdown I always ask the breakdown man to explain and show me exactly what’s happened in the hope I learn something mechanical.

    I’ve had a couple of fuel leaks and changed the bits myself the second time as the mate who did it first time showed me how to do it.

    Mine were drips compared to yours tho! Now that yours is sorted and you don’t have to panic I will echo what others have said, you were v lucky! :)
     
    Lasty likes this.
  19. Fruitcake

    Fruitcake Supporter

    It shocked me, as soon as I've finished my brew I'm going to have a good look at all my fuel pipes as I'm doing a 100 miles or so early next week:eek:
     
    .CK., F_Pantos and Merlin Cat like this.
  20. MorkC68

    MorkC68 Administrator

    Glad it’s been temporarily sorted, others have offered wise advise in getting the whole lot changed.

    It’s an easy job to do, couple of hours & voila!
     
    .CK. and Merlin Cat like this.

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