Smell of petrol and engine running very hot

Good morning all I am looking for some help please on two different issues (I think they are different anyway)

Sometimes when I run the van there is a strong smell of petrol in the engine bay when i park up back in the garage not every time but sometimes it is very strong

Also when i have been parking up lately i have noticed that the engine seems really hot and is actually like cracking sounds coming off it

I never take the van far but was hoping to get away for a few nights next time i am home from work so just wondering is either of the above

A) Normal - i have taken to opening the tail gate when i park up in the garage after there was a small oil leak a while back and I used to open the tail gate when I parked up just to check there was no "spray" of oil in the compartment

B) Worrying to the experts on here?

C) Is there anything i should do to check the above out

The van is running lovely and pulling well just a bit concerend abut the above (maybe no need for concern)

Thanks in advance for your help

 

You need to find the fuel leak.
It will be evaporated so not on the floor as a puddle.

Fuel leak first.

 

Don't rush to turn engine off/ put away in garage....the engine gets hotter once you turn ignition off.
If your left hand side vent smells/ smells the worst, there's a hidden little breather pipe that is often overlooked.
There's a thread on here with diagrams of all breathers.

 

As above, you have a fuel leak somewhere. What you don't say is... what's the engine, Type 1 or Type 4?

 

When you say you don’t go far, how far?
You might not even be going far enough to get the thermostat flaps opening, if it’s got them?
Fuel smell sounds likely to be tank breathers but that’s just a guess!
Some pics of your engine bay always helps.

 

It's a type 1 engine 1600

 

How would I know if the thermostat flaps are opening?

With regards distance 20 0r 30 miles on a run mainly just to keep the brakes free and the battery charged, I have used it more as an ornament but really want to use it as it should be used and get away in it for a few days but just want everything right before i do that and i am definitely no the most mechanically minded person

 

The fuel pump is also a possibility, along with the breathers in a Type 1; it's in the engine bay.

If it's the breathers don't fill the tank to the top until you get it sorted. In fact, best to sort the fuel leak before going anywhere.

 

Ok thanks very much I am away working at the moment but will look at the breathers and the fuel pump (on youtube Lol) when i get home and see if i can sort this out

what could be the outcome apart from smelly van and losing fuel?

 

Outcome of a fuel leak? Barbequed van potentially!

 

Much too hot unless you were thrashing full revs up a steep hill in a low gear. For driving about normally it should not be doing that.

Have you checked you haven't got fuel in your oil?

 

Exactly, don't be like this..

 

Check your timing is still correct, that there is nothing blocking the air flow into the fan (though that causes vibration)
Check that there are no splits in the rubber boots on the inlet manifold, where it joins the castings going to the cylinder heads on each side.
Check you have all the tinware present, this isolates hot air below the engine from cold air above, if a bit is missing it sucks in hot air and gets hotter.
Check you have a foam seal round the edge of the engine bay.

It should not really be able to get massively hot in 20 miles.

Generally too hot is an air leak, or dirt in the carburettor leading to lean running. Or if the timing is very advanced because the points are worn, that can cause heating up.

Petrol smells - also just look at the fuel pipes. If they are fabric covered rubber, and a section of the pipe covering is darker and looks "clean" that can be a petrol leak, the pipe can crack.
In fact if you havent changed the fuel pipes in the last few years they need a good checking over and quite likely replacement.

If this bus is new to you , it deserves a good checking over .

 

I had engine very quickly, getting too hot, bubbling sounds and cracking sounds (expect cracking was expansion and contraction of metal).

Mine was mechanic who set my timing very wrong.
Worth checking timing with a strobe, if it’s safe to do so. It would have to be badly out for this, so I’d have thought just checking it at idle, quickly,would be adequate.

 

If your fan housing is the one that was once painted red and dented in a previous thread then it hasn’t got the flaps in it so that won’t be your issue!

 

If you can get to your fuel sender on the tank
The seal is worth checking as mine had disintegrated and my rear end stunk of petrol.


Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

 

Early non-doghouse fan in a doghouse fan housing is a classic error.

 

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice once i get home i will work my way through the suggestions / comments and hopefully get to the bottom of the problems

Much appreciated

 

Yup

 

@kevin smith
Where do you live?

There may be a local member who could have a quick look etc