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Petrol smell

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Blue65 Officially Full-On Dubber

298 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#919959
Hi - it seems petrol is splashing out of the cap (just a tiny bit) when I go driving. I've tried various petrol caps but I can still smell the occasional smell of petrol when I turn a corner hard or brake hard. Is there any remedy for this?
______________________
Owner of a 1964 VW Beetle, 1641cc engine, etc..

toey1984 Commited Dubber

73 posts · joined Feb 2012 ·

#919962
Hi, guessing its in a early beetle?
Other than knowing its the correct cap for that tank and putting new cork / rubber seals in the cap ( was a problem with my old buggy) and make sure breather piping as crack free ( as this too could be your smell if it's not the cap itself)
Nathan

Blue65 Officially Full-On Dubber

298 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#920120
toey1984 wrote:Hi, guessing its in a early beetle?
Other than knowing its the correct cap for that tank and putting new cork / rubber seals in the cap ( was a problem with my old buggy) and make sure breather piping as crack free ( as this too could be your smell if it's not the cap itself)
Yes, its a 1960s era Beetle. Did all that. Maybe I'll try it again.
______________________
Owner of a 1964 VW Beetle, 1641cc engine, etc..

silver Dangerous when poked

2,169 posts · joined Dec 2002 ·

#920140
check the seal under the fuel gauge sender
Keeping it real !

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#920180
Blue65 wrote:Hi - it seems petrol is splashing out of the cap (just a tiny bit) when I go driving. I've tried various petrol caps but I can still smell the occasional smell of petrol when I turn a corner hard or brake hard. Is there any remedy for this?
I can remember the 65 beetle fuel caps and they weren't very well made...

You may need to find a rubber washer to put on it...
the original washer will shrink or be pushed in over many years..
a new cap or washer should fix the problem of fuel smell...

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#920232
Maybe relevant, but i was in the same situation.

See, the stock breather pipe for my 69' goes from the filler neck, under the dash and back towards the tank near the passenger side then out under the front wheel arch area on the passenger side. When i'd fill the tank up, particularly when taking right turns i'd get a fuel odour, and upon investigation i culd see the breather pipe outlet near the wheel arch was damp. This 'seems' like the normal operation, but when full it allowed the excess to creep up and out and maybe loose a few mL's of petrol which didn't bother me but would certainly make a smell.

NOW! Where I am going, is the reason i could smell the fuel on the outside during the normal breather operation, was because of the bonnet seal and the seals for the indicators not being present (I believe). When you drive the cabin is often under vacuum (bernoulli's effect with windows down or the vacuum from the rear of the car passing into the engine bay and channels in the roof as you drive), and this causes the cabin to suck in air from the outside at the front into the bonnet, into the cabin (through the speaker grills, dash holes, demister vents etc). and thus, because i had no seals for my indicators, nor any bonnet seal, the fumes from the petrol breather at the front could pass into the cabin easily and get 'sucked in'.

After going nuts with silicone around the indicator wire holes and fitting a seal on the bonnet, it has cured it! Could possibly be the same cause for yours if there are unsealed openings from the bonnet into atmosphere. (This includes holes for the inspection plate covers).
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

Blue65 Officially Full-On Dubber

298 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#920705
68AutoBug wrote:
Blue65 wrote:Hi - it seems petrol is splashing out of the cap (just a tiny bit) when I go driving. I've tried various petrol caps but I can still smell the occasional smell of petrol when I turn a corner hard or brake hard. Is there any remedy for this?
I can remember the 65 beetle fuel caps and they weren't very well made...

You may need to find a rubber washer to put on it...
the original washer will shrink or be pushed in over many years..
a new cap or washer should fix the problem of fuel smell...

LEE
I've changed the washer twice. But I have noticed that when I pour in new petrol, the washer area is wet with petrol that has splashed upwards.
______________________
Owner of a 1964 VW Beetle, 1641cc engine, etc..

vw54 Administrator Always Waiting 4 Friday

16,723 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#920754
check the small vent tube on the filler neck and the tube as well

if this is blocked it will pressurise the tank and force the fuel vapours past the cap gasket
I read it on FACEBOOK so it must be true


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=91278&page=1#pid848630


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=63561&page=1#pid624099


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=4832&page=1#pid452603


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=60650&page=1#pid574409

Blue65 Officially Full-On Dubber

298 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#923110
vw54 wrote:check the small vent tube on the filler neck and the tube as well

if this is blocked it will pressurise the tank and force the fuel vapours past the cap gasket
I checked the tube. Its OK. However the metal vent tube seems to have been pinched on the inside - inside the tank. Is that normal?

I squirted some WD40 from one side of the metal tube and the vapour does go through somewhat.

I made the opening even and I hope that will help.
______________________
Owner of a 1964 VW Beetle, 1641cc engine, etc..

Blue65 Officially Full-On Dubber

298 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#943146
Just to conclude this discussion - I am happy to let everyone know that after I unpinched the vapor slot in the fuel tank neck - the issue of vapor fumes has largely gone away.

I think the previous owner clamped the vapor slot thinking it would solve the fuel vapor problem. What he probably didn't realize was that fuel line that runs inside the car chassis spine tunnel had rusted and was leaking - I got Volkscare to fix that.

Most of the vapor fumes are noticable esp after I pump in the fuel. But it does occur in rare odd moments when I'm doing normal easy driving.
______________________
Owner of a 1964 VW Beetle, 1641cc engine, etc..

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#943344
bajachris88 wrote:Maybe relevant, but i was in the same situation.

See, the stock breather pipe for my 69' goes from the filler neck, under the dash and back towards the tank near the passenger side then out under the front wheel arch area on the passenger side. When i'd fill the tank up, particularly when taking right turns i'd get a fuel odour, and upon investigation i culd see the breather pipe outlet near the wheel arch was damp. This 'seems' like the normal operation, but when full it allowed the excess to creep up and out and maybe loose a few mL's of petrol which didn't bother me but would certainly make a smell.

NOW! Where I am going, is the reason i could smell the fuel on the outside during the normal breather operation, was because of the bonnet seal and the seals for the indicators not being present (I believe). When you drive the cabin is often under vacuum (bernoulli's effect with windows down or the vacuum from the rear of the car passing into the engine bay and channels in the roof as you drive), and this causes the cabin to suck in air from the outside at the front into the bonnet, into the cabin (through the speaker grills, dash holes, demister vents etc). and thus, because i had no seals for my indicators, nor any bonnet seal, the fumes from the petrol breather at the front could pass into the cabin easily and get 'sucked in'.

After going nuts with silicone around the indicator wire holes and fitting a seal on the bonnet, it has cured it! Could possibly be the same cause for yours if there are unsealed openings from the bonnet into atmosphere. (This includes holes for the inspection plate covers).
I get fuel smell for my work car coming from the front but the leaks are in the rear (leaking breather hoses and main filler hose, love todays "improved fuel") the vacuum under the car pulls the fumes up and around the car and into the front windows when down.

sounds similar to that.

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#943357
silver wrote:check the seal under the fuel gauge sender
well, I had My sender out to fix a couple of rusted holes in My tank..
I repaired from the nside and outside...

Now the seal for the sender does leak... even though I have tried permatex, which has helped except for very hot days...
when the fuel expands...
I tend Not to fill the tank right up.. lol

I'll just have to replace the seal...
and recheck all the breather hoses too...
I have lost one of the screw plastic seals too...??
where I had an earth wire...

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

empi Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,131 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#943489
check sender seal, cap seal and breather pipe near the cap is attached.
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