Another diesel leak from full tank!

Vossy · 31st May 2022, 09:55

I fuelled up yesterday with an eye watering amount pennies, I always brim to brim and never had a problem, but this time once I returned home I noticed a smell of fuel and the precious liquid was dripping from under the car in front of the back wheel, the underside is now covered with a fuel spray. After leaving it overnight with a tray under there I collected maybe half a litre.
It seems to have stopped dripping now but I decided to lift the rear seat and head for the obvious tank seal.
What I found is that the tube that the fuel lines run though inside the car has corroded and I can definitly smell and feel fuel on the rusted part of the tube, hence the smell of fuel inside the cabin.
I have sliced the tube all along so that I can open a flap to see the pipes and there it is, fuel seems to have been seeping from the smaller of the two pipes inside the plastic shroud, how and why I don't know as yet.

Is the smaller hose a breather hose or is it an actual fuel hose?

I'm guessing breather because the leak has now stopped and in total only about half a litre has been lost, if it was a fuel carrying pipe it would still leak when the engine is running and I don't fancy stripping all the fuel hoses from the back if it's just a breather and I can get away with just filling it a little less.

Typhoon190 · 31st May 2022, 10:53

I am in the process of repairing my diesel due to corrosion under the back seat where the tank breather hoses pass from the OSR wheel arch into the car and out to the top of the fuel tank.

Obviously means removing the fuel tank, but replacing the rear brake lines at the same time.

Vossy · 31st May 2022, 11:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoon190

I am in the process of repairing my diesel due to corrosion under the back seat where the tank breather hoses pass from the OSR wheel arch into the car and out to the top of the fuel tank.

Obviously means removing the fuel tank, but replacing the rear brake lines at the same time.

Yeah I have looked more into this, the fuel pipes themselves are not in bad condition so I don't want to remove the tank but I don't need to now, I am just going to split the pipe and use straight push connectors to join the pipes again, as it's only a breather pipe and under no pressure this should be my fix, I will fill that rusted tube with Dinitrol to stop the advancement of the rust and re-seal. £100 to fill up is no joke if you lose half of it.

Mike Noc · 31st May 2022, 12:51

Yes the pipes in the metal tube are breathers, and go up to the rollover valve at the top of the OSR wheel arch. From there a small vent pipe goes down to the side of the fuel cooler where it clips on.

31st May 2022, 09:55	#1
Vossy Why? ... MG ZT+ Cdti Auto saloon. Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Blockeswich, South Staffs Posts: 1,548 Thanks: 173 Thanked 483 Times in 330 Posts	Another diesel leak from full tank! I fuelled up yesterday with an eye watering amount pennies, I always brim to brim and never had a problem, but this time once I returned home I noticed a smell of fuel and the precious liquid was dripping from under the car in front of the back wheel, the underside is now covered with a fuel spray. After leaving it overnight with a tray under there I collected maybe half a litre. It seems to have stopped dripping now but I decided to lift the rear seat and head for the obvious tank seal. What I found is that the tube that the fuel lines run though inside the car has corroded and I can definitly smell and feel fuel on the rusted part of the tube, hence the smell of fuel inside the cabin. I have sliced the tube all along so that I can open a flap to see the pipes and there it is, fuel seems to have been seeping from the smaller of the two pipes inside the plastic shroud, how and why I don't know as yet. Is the smaller hose a breather hose or is it an actual fuel hose? I'm guessing breather because the leak has now stopped and in total only about half a litre has been lost, if it was a fuel carrying pipe it would still leak when the engine is running and I don't fancy stripping all the fuel hoses from the back if it's just a breather and I can get away with just filling it a little less.

31st May 2022, 10:53	#2
Typhoon190 This is my second home MG ZT-T 190 Monogram Typhoon Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 4,704 Thanks: 328 Thanked 557 Times in 443 Posts	I am in the process of repairing my diesel due to corrosion under the back seat where the tank breather hoses pass from the OSR wheel arch into the car and out to the top of the fuel tank. Obviously means removing the fuel tank, but replacing the rear brake lines at the same time.

31st May 2022, 12:51	#4
Mike Noc This is my second home Rover 75 CDT Manual Connoisseur SE, Rover 75 CDT Automatic Connoisseur SE & a Freelander Td4. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,547 Thanks: 3,470 Thanked 3,119 Times in 2,247 Posts	Yes the pipes in the metal tube are breathers, and go up to the rollover valve at the top of the OSR wheel arch. From there a small vent pipe goes down to the side of the fuel cooler where it clips on.