Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[terry paget]

2000 2.2 petrol  manual saloon
Previous owner failed to changed fuel filter using Vx snap on connector filter to pipe, so cut it off and bttched it with hose clips. This had kinked the pipe, so I used a rubber petro-pipe (rubber hose with woven outer cover) and hose clips. This lasted 3 years, then leaked, so I stiffened plastic hose with internal tube and all seemed well. I handed car back to son, he complained it still leaked. I checked today, indeed it laid a trail of rainbow drops as he moved it forward. I got it over the pit again, ran engine, could see no leak. I wiggled all the hoses, could produce no leak. I removed the boot floor plate above the pump, but could see no leak there either. Yet driving the car on the wet drive it had left a trail behind of drops, and trail was behind filter side of car, not exhaust pipe.

I am baffled.

[Lazydocker]

Filter itself?

[terry paget]

Don't think so. I changed the filter on purchase, and checked it today, wiggling, etc. I have known a filter rust through leaving a pinhole leak, but this one seems OK.

[05omegav6]

Can you smell any fuel?

[b4ndit]

Tank ??

[terry paget]

Tank, possibly. Ben backed this car into a skip a month or so ago, smashing both boot lid lights. I replaced the lights. I wonder now if he also damaged the tank breather or filler hoses, or the tank itself. I filled the tank after my hose repair. Could be with a full tank it can slop out somewhere?

[05omegav6]

Filler neck is integral to tank iirc, any damage should be obvious with the offside rear wheel arch liner removed

[terry paget]

Thanks to all for help. I took off the inner wheel arch panel, as advised, could see the filler pipe and the tank neck, and indeed the filter and all the recently repaired pipework, but no sign of a leak anywhere. I showed it to son Ben, ran the enginei and thus the pump, no sign of a leak. I replaced the wheel and he took it for a short spin; still no sign of a leak. I have now returned the car to him to see if it still leaks.

My theory now is I had filled the tank to the top of the neck and driven it straight home. Expansion of the cold fuel caused it to overflow until the fuel level fell. I have known it happen once before on a Senator. Time will tell. I will report if the leak reappears,