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Fuel Smell in beetle cabin
Euro_67 - November 4th, 2017 at 09:51 AM

I have a persistent fuel smell in the '67.
I have checked the breather from the filler neck to under the car and it is fine. I checked for apparent fuel leaks and found nothing.
The cap seal is fine and the cap locks on with a positive click.

The only other possible source is some kind of leak between the filler neck and tank. Has any one experienced this? or have another possible source for the smell?

I should add the fuel in the tank is also quite old.

Wayne.


beetleboyjeff - November 4th, 2017 at 12:28 PM

Have a look under the car and check if there is any wet patches. A leak in the fuel line will work its way out under the car somewhere.


vw54 - November 4th, 2017 at 05:42 PM

yep as per above look at the floor pan fuel will leak through the seams very easy

or is the glove box have a good seal around the edges the smell may be coming through there


nbturbo - November 4th, 2017 at 11:00 PM

Check the rubber hose between the tank outlet and the fuel pipe into the pan-had one recently.The owner reckons he checked every possible cause- I put it on the hoist and with a lead light-about 20 seconds later spotted the fuel hose was actually wet.It had perished and the fuel was weeping out of it.


Euro_67 - November 5th, 2017 at 10:12 AM

all good advice guys, clearly time to check all fuel hose junctions front to back.

I should also add, the PO had the metal line through the tunnel replaced with a larger diameter rubber fuel injection hose. I am not sure on the life cycle of a rubber hose, this hose is at least 11 years old now, but more like 15 years old.

Can you source replacement metal lines to run through the tunnel? I doubt I need the extra fuel delivery capacity of the larger diameter rubber line now anyway.


vwo60 - November 5th, 2017 at 10:31 AM

Have you checked the fuel gauge sender at the tank, they weep around there as well.


1303Steve - November 5th, 2017 at 06:08 PM

I had a filler neck tube leak, the hose looked fine but it acted like a wick and was damp on the ends