Strong fuel smell in boot

[Videocameraman]

Caterham Roadsport SV 2006. There's a very strong smell of petrol in the boot after the car has been filled up. Smell gets into cabin. Lasts for a number of days. No overspill, all hoses tight and no drips anywhere. Breather pipe is fitted and clear.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Andy135]

Pinhole in the tank? Have you checked the seams of the tank for leaks?

[ChrisC]

Fuel hoses, possibly the hoses are getting on 20 years old, and not E10 resistant.  

[Roadsport06]

There is a rubber pipe from your filler pipe to tank that is worth checking .They can leak here. I'm not convinced that the rubber is resistant to petrol so perish. The other is the gasket for the fuel sender under the boot floor. I've had both perish.

[Videocameraman]

There is no liquid showing anywhere.  I'll have a closer look at the gasket. Checking the tank itself is a major operation. It's always filled with E5.

[john milner]

Mine is a 2003 SV. When the boot smelt of petrol it turned out to be caused by a perished rubber gasket on the fuel level sender under the carpet.

[CPS7]

Same as post 6 above

[Videocameraman]

Thanks again. I'm going to check that gasket tomorrow.

[SM25T]

It often seems intact, until you remove it, when it appears to have been attacked by a tiger !

[Tony P]

I’ve had one of those rubber (or whatever it is) gaskets disintegrate completely (does it melt in the fumes, I wonder?) and leave sticky black blobs in the tank, which are a pain to remove. Won’t be using one of those again.

I prefer a cork/nitrile composite one, or just one made from that hard pinkish compressed paper stuff used for pump gaskets and the like (it’s good enough for the sealing washers on carburettor banjos, so it should be plenty good enough for the sender).

[Videocameraman]

I've checked and both the fuel hose and sender gasket are in poor shape.  Ordered replacements so hopefully that's it solved. Tank seems OK. Thanks for all your suggestions and support. Great club resource.

[SM25T]

If a k-series, total of 4 flexible 8mm bore hoses. 1.5m enough to replace them all

[Tony P]

Fuel vapour can eventually permeate most hoses. Even the fancy Goodridge braided - and presumably other 'aeroquip' style stuff - is not approved by the maker for passing through the cabin of a closed car (they have a special, even-more-expensive line for that!).
I've no idea if the advent of E10 makes this more, or less, of a problem; but given other warnings I'm guessing the former is possible.

[Jonathan Kay]

Compatibility with E10 fuel has been in the ASTM specs for several decades. (It's in the archives somewhere.)

IMHO the problems are with rubbery bits that sneak into Sevens through unorthodox routes, and with the cars lasting so long. 

We should treat all of those bits as having a finite life.

Jonathan

[7 wonders of the world]

Ensure the hose is R14 grade  

 

[JP]

I'm just about to replace fuel hoses on a k-series.  Are you sure that R14 is right?  My reading of matters suggests that R14 is not for injection engines, but R9 is?

Here's a link to the SAE reference: http://www.volksbolts.com/faq/SAEJ30.pdf

But just to confuse matters Gates have R14 hose that is NOT for fuel injected, but other R14 hose that is? here

Is it just the permeability that is the difference with R14 over R9, but that Gates happen to produce an R14 that also meets the standards for injection, but other manufacturers may not?

 

[7 wonders of the world]

https://www.gates.com/gb/en/fluid-power/engine-hose/fuel-line-hose.p.4219-000000-000003.v.4219-06039.html

R14 can be obtained in low and high pressure in various sizes and roll lengths from Gates.

Sometimes worth buying a roll and splitting with other members.

[JP]

Thank you -- that explains it.