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Tracing a fuel leak


shn7

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Some months ago we replaced the fuel tank on Keith H's car with a brand new one due to a pin hole in the bottom left corner.

 

Now a number of months later he's suffering with a new leak. So today we lifted the boot floor to investigate. There are witness marks in a number of places down the sides and on the bottom of the tank and some more faint traces (cleaner surface) on the top of the tank.

 

We found that the top jubilee clip on the main rubber hose connecting the filler to the tank was not very tight. Having removed the filler neck and inspected everything this seemed to be the most likely cause.

 

So we put it all back together and also added some masking tape to the top of the tank around the level sensor and the filler/breather pipes hoping that this would give us an indication of where fuel was leaking if tightening the jubilee clip wasn't the cure.

 

Keith drove home only to find that there still a smell of petrol when cornering (half full tank) *mad* *mad*.

 

He lifted the boot floor again but could find no witness marks on the masking tape.

 

So are there any better suggestions for working out where the leak is?

 

Oh and when we fitted the new tank we did the breather mod with the one way valve.

 

Suggestions welcomed...

 

Steve.

Sussex (West) AO

Not forgetting Percy the Polar Bear

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We did look at that one but can't see any sign of leakage around it. If it comes to it we may just have to replace all the seals and hoses as a belt and braces approach but I don't like being defeated on finding the actual cause.

 

Steve.

Sussex (West) AO

Not forgetting Percy the Polar Bear

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Hi Steve,

I had a leak 😳and found it to be the tank was porous, seaping fuel out of the front of the tank(felt like condensation) 😳 CCsouth said it was seals, but couldn't find any traces of a leak apart from drips off the bottom ( was told it was a badly made ali tank ) *eek*

New tank all sorted now 😬

 

2003 vintage car

 

Hope this helps 😬

Mark

 

 

 

Superlight R 400

 

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Hi Mark,

 

Hmmm I did look closely for signs of a pin hole especially round the welds but nothing definite could be seen yesterday. Did your's leak from day 1?

 

Steve.

Sussex (West) AO

Not forgetting Percy the Polar Bear

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Steve

Not that i am aware of 😳

2nd owner.

CC told me that tank was faulty/bad quality ali. Not leaking on corners but porous on front panel so was difficult to trace apart from condensation about half way up 😳 Maybe a few tanks had this problem ???

Well worth calling CC and see if this is a ongoing problem 🤔

 

Cheers

 

Mark

 

 

 

Superlight R 400

 

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Good Lord .... no more responses ... I thought we would be overwhelmed with knowledge. 😬

 

The tank was brand new from CC just a few months ago so I would hope that it was not porous *eek* - but could be worth a call to them.

 

Any other thoughts, else I shall just have to do the whole job over again with all new rubber & gaskets *mad* *evil* 😔

 

Thanks,

 

Keith

 

C4TTT

 

Edited by - Keith Henson on 30 Jul 2007 14:30:04

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If you are sure the seals are o.k i'd take the plunge,remove the tank and pressure test it. Make ali plates for the pump apeture/sender unit and use the OE gasket to seal. Fit pipes with plugs in to blank flow and return pipes. You then have to pressurise the tank - visit your local tyre depot and blag and old inner tube, cut a circular section out around the valve stem, stretch this over the filler neck and jubilee clip in place. Not pretty but adequate for a test. Pressurise to 3-4 psi using a foot pump,immerse in water and check for leaks.

I've tested tanks in the past where the welded seams look o.k but have in fact leaked.

Good luck *thumbup*

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MM, That certain sounds like one option. What do you think Keith? I could probably get the inner tube & valve and we could quite easily make up the other bits given some time to work on it.

 

Steve.

Sussex (West) AO

Not forgetting Percy the Polar Bear

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Well it would certainly be a different way to spend a day

 

I'm game if you are! What I can't really do is nothing

 

I need to get this sorted. Also to be on the safe side I thought that we should perhaps just check all the fuel lines again.

 

Keith

 

C4TTT

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