Diesel leaking from the tank/filler pipe

[AndyN01]

Hi all,

Filled up the tourer for the first time and found diesel leaking onto the floor around the drivers side rear wheel.

Now, the last MoT (Feb 18) had a diesel tank leak as a fail, then, presumably mended by the same garage and passed. So I wasn't expecting any problems. Stupid me or what

She had 3/4 tank and was bone dry when I bought her. So I'm working on the assumption it's something to do with filling her right up.

I haven't had her back up in the air yet but looking on Rimmers diagrams there seems to be a connecting pipe with jubilee clips?

I'm hoping it's as "simple" as doing up or replacing the clips.

Anyone with any experience of this? I'm all ears to helpful hints and tips.

Thanks in advance.

Andy.

[MSS]

It could be the that the seal on the ITP pump ring that secures it in place on the tank is fitted incorrectly or damaged.

[AndyN01]

Originally Posted by mss

It could be the that the seal on the ITP pump ring that secures it in place on the tank is fitted incorrectly or damaged.

Thanks.

Hopefully not as that hasn't been disturbed - but you never know .

Presumably if I pop the rear seat off it'll be pretty obvious if it is that?

Cheers.

Andy.

[MSS]

Yes - any problem there should show up in the form of diesel around the area.

Have you looked around the small "radiator" just in front of the offside wheel arch?

It's a cooler for diesel being returned to the tank from the HP pump.

[Arctic]

HI Andy.
Yes pop the rear seat squab up and off it's locking lugs, I think you may find that the filler tube as rotted through, there have been cases of this.

[Mickyboy]

In my experience if the fuel pump seal is not secured correctly you tend to get a whiff of diesel inside the car when the tank is full, however as Steve has said the fuel cooler is prone for leaking at the pipe work section.

I too have seen some rot out at the filler tube, it can at times be quite bad
Mick

[AndyN01]

So, popped off the rear seat and found this looking through the grommet:



After taking off the cover plate it looks like this:



What isn't too clear from the photo is that the spring clip holding the rubber pipe (at 8 o'clock) was located quite near the bend in the pipe.

I'm thinking that the only way there can be diesel in the plastic "well" is a leak from the pipework.

If I pulled off the pipe, diesel came out.

Simples I thought - the clip has not been located correctly and the rubber pipe feels quite stiff and is a bit of a loose fit. Refit the clip and away we go. Maybe need a new pipe &/or a more substantial, positive clip?

I also unscrewed the locking ring - which wasn't "tight" - and refitted it with rather more enthusiasm with a drift & hammer.

Added some diesel, fired her up for a minute or so and waited to see what happened.

Bad news - there's still a leak, but it's not so big.

Good news - the "well" is dry, so the clip is holding.

Tried to get a photo of where is appears to be leaking. It's past the small white "clip" (?) on the edge of the locking ring. Maybe that's just the lowest point so that's where it shows?




So, I'm thinking that at some point someone has been into the in tank pump and the leak is something to do with the rubber ring not sealing properly. There is mention on the forum about the sealing ring must go in the right way up and be correctly located.

I'm also wondering how "enthusiastically" it needs tightening as the leak was less after I'd done it up rather more tightly.

There's nothing obviously leaking around the diesel cooler - but there are 2 wires hanging down and bared off & twisted together. They look maybe black and black/white? Investigating that is for another day .

I'm not too sure about the filler tube? There is a metal tube about 50mm diameter which sort of follows the line of the seat inside the car and inside that are a couple of pipes - seen over on the far right of the second photo. I don't think that's what you mean as it doesn't look right compared to the Rimmers diagram. I'm not slim enough to get under her without jacking her up to see where I think you mean.........

Thanks.

Andy.

[wullie480]

The wires could well be the brake pad wear sensor joined together to get the low pad light out.

As the garage has been faffing around with it I'd be tempted to take the seal out check it give it all clean up etc and put it back together if its serviceable and get a fuel pipe jubilee on the connection that's leaking.

[AndyN01]

Hi all.

Having given the top of the tank around the collar a good clean and been a bit more enthusiastic with the hammer & drift......

She's still weeping next to the white "clip" so I'm suspicious of the sealing ring/garage bodge job.

New one has been ordered from Matt @ DMGRS. For the sake of a few ££'s I'll pop a new one on and hopefully that'll be it sorted.

Fingers crossed it's not more serious.

Thanks.

Andy.

[AndyN01]

Been out this morning and done about 30-40 miles.

There's a very, very slight weep from the return (?) pipe - 5 o'clock on the second photo.

Nothing from the other one .

However, having cleaned the area around the locking ring it's now wet with diesel in a line from door to door going towards the back of the car.

All the leaks I can see underneath are well in front of the rear wheel and there's nothing I can see leaking from the back of the tank.

But I haven't had her up yet to do a good rummage.

So I think I'm looking at a duff/incorrectly fitted seal .

Would a problem on the filler neck do the same thing?

Andy