Last time I used my van (end of august) there was a strong smell of petrol inside the van. I stupidly used it and got back okay but it's been standing for a few months since then. Where the van was standing smelled strongly of petrol for most of that time then the smell stopped. Which I'm guessing is because all the fuel evaporated/leaked out! as when i went to use it a few weeks ago it was registering as having no fuel and wouldn't start. I couldn't see where any fuel had been dripping out and the engine bay never seemed to smell that much it was more in the actual van and generally wafting around near the van. Hoping someone on here can tell me where the problem is most likely to be so I can at least direct my search in a few key places. I have already replaced the T connector in the engine bay and a small length of flexible hose about 3 inches long that was behind the passenger side rear light so i know its not them. Thanks in advance for your help James
Check over all fuel lines with engine running THOROUGHLY. Beware moving parts. If nowt found there its time to check filler pipes and breather system. In he 'How To" section check out " If Your Van Smells Of Petrol Read This" thread, all there.
If it had fuel in before and it doesn't now then it's leaked out. Can only be the hoses or a hole in the tank. Or through the carb. The first thing I would do is check your dipstick. If the oil smells of petrol and is watery then that's where your fuel has gone. If that's not it then the Easiest way to see where it's leaking from is to put fuel in and watch where it leaks from. The best way to do this (assuming your bus isn't lowered) is to get a 5 litre can with 4 litres of fuel in it, put the fuel in the tank, then using a funnel put the can straight under the van to catch any leaking fuel. If its a drip drip leak it will take an age to leak out, so if its a hose leak just cut the hose and drain the tank ASAP.
i put a about 4/5 litres in earlier and watched for any drips but nothing dripped out at all from under the van. I have replaced the short flexi in the breather pipes in the left rear vent as that was cracked but its not that.
Have a look under the bus up behind the g/box on the right hand side, where the tank outlet spigot is. These are known to crack/corrode. If the fuel pipe is pushed all the way up to the top, any leaks here will migrate into the fuel tank compartment. Also, the fuel inlet rubber can perish or become dislodged...you'll still be able to fill it, but the fuel will evaporate...you've not screwed anything into the rear seat bulkhead? This has been done before...but how much fuel leaks out (if any) will depend how high the screw hole is...
hi vanorak, will have a look tomorrow. I have screwed a rock and roll bed hinge to the rear bulkhead a while ago and I have been wondering if i could have pierced the fuel tank, the 2 bolt things are very short and i was very careful when i put it in. took the bolt out today and shined a light through the small hole and could see the fuel tank but no obvious damage. knowing my luck though i will have holed the top of fuel tank! again thanks for the input everyone. I will have a proper read of the other thread before I go and look again. cheers
Check your oil... A smell of fuel when it's parked up usually points to fuel not shutting off at the carb and just draining straight through the cylinders into the crankcase...
If you've got the cloth covered fuel line it'll have perished... the current level of ethanol in petrol rots that particular type of fuel line... you'll need to get twin wall rubber hose that is R9 rated!!
that was my thoughts ..... If you've just fitted a R&R bed @justdunnett I reccon that might be your problem .....have a snif around the screw holes and see if that is where it smells strongest .....might be a tank out job .....I'd rule out all the other bits as previous posters have mentioned first.....replacing all old fuel lines etc
I took a while to replace all the old traditional fuel hoses when I bought my bus. Nobody who owned it ever drove it for more than 2 tankfuls of fuel before selling it again since 2005... I started using it a lot and bits started falling apart - In two places it was scary -one time I wondered why the fuel pipe by the fuel pump was looking so new and clean and smelt so much of petrol, and had a little drip on it. The other time was when I was actually changing the hose feeding from the fuel tank and the hose crumbled away as I took it off. And then it smelt of petrol until I found all the missing bits of tank breather pipe.
