Petrol smell outside the car with a full tank

themeanmachine · 4th December 2020, 09:20

Hi all,

My 2004 1.8 NA ZT has started to smell strongly of petrol when standing outside it. Only happens when the car has a full tank and dies down when it has dropped a bit. No obvious leaks underneath. Is there a known issue or likely cause?

Lee T · 4th December 2020, 09:26

Have you checked the seal on your filler cap?

Mike Noc · 4th December 2020, 09:30

If you unclip the rear seat base there are two panels under it. Remove those and there are two modules that sit in the tank - one is the pump and the other the filter. They are kept in place by two large locking rings and it's not unknown for the seals to leak if they haven't been fitted correctly.

FrattonEnder · 4th December 2020, 10:50

That happened on my 2005 diesel ZT. Previous owner had replaced the in tank pump and not fitted the seal totally square meaning the locking ring didn't screw down far enough. Every time I filled up with a full tank or after a spot of vigorous cornering, my driveway got a nice coating of diesel.
Seat up, panels off, reseated the seal, locking rings screwed down. Now the only dampness on the drive, apart from the British weather, is a weepy power steering pipe.

T-Cut · 4th December 2020, 10:57

How To - Fuel Filter and Seals: https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...ead.php?t=9108

Note specific advice on the placement of the fuel tank port seal. That's always the cause of petrol leaks.

WIn the susceptible models, tank leakage typically follows the fitting of the Fabled Orange Clip (FOC) or through messing with the fuel gauge floats.

TC

Yorkshire GOC · 4th December 2020, 12:27

If the fuel was leaking past the pump or filter seals under the back seat would not the inside of the cab be reeking of petrol fumes

FrattonEnder · 4th December 2020, 15:57

Could depend on how well the access covers are bolted down . If the seals are still in good nick and doing their job then possibly not. I certainly didn't notice any waft of diesel in the cabin when I had my leakage issue.

T-Cut · 4th December 2020, 16:59

Most reports talk about petrol smells outside, especially around the rear wheel arches. Interestingly, the inside of the car isn't often mentioned. Interior smells appear to most often involve engine breathers. It could be down to vapour densities. Fuel vapours are denser than air, so when the car's stationary, the fumes are most likely to roll across the tank and fall downwards.

TC

Mike Noc · 4th December 2020, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorkshire GOC

If the fuel was leaking past the pump or filter seals under the back seat would not the inside of the cab be reeking of petrol fumes

Funnily enough no - effectively there is a sealed bulkhead between the cabin and fuel tank once the hatch covers have been replaced, unless of course the conduit pipe has rusted through. In the event of a heavy shunt you don't want fuel or fuel vapour getting into the cabin.

bl52krz · 4th December 2020, 23:04

Hi Mike. You have highlighted a possible fault I have been mentioning for the last 3/4 years. Discovered this happening when I changed my in tank pump on the diesel. Not as bad as that though. A container of expanding foam sprayed towards the rear wheel arch cured it.

4th December 2020, 09:20	#1
themeanmachine Newbie MG ZT 1.8 Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: West Sussex Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Petrol smell outside the car with a full tank Hi all, My 2004 1.8 NA ZT has started to smell strongly of petrol when standing outside it. Only happens when the car has a full tank and dies down when it has dropped a bit. No obvious leaks underneath. Is there a known issue or likely cause?

4th December 2020, 09:26	#2
Lee T Gets stuck in MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Liverpool Posts: 850 Thanks: 180 Thanked 248 Times in 189 Posts	Have you checked the seal on your filler cap? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

4th December 2020, 10:50	#4
FrattonEnder Avid contributor MG ZT Join Date: May 2020 Location: Gloucester Posts: 233 Thanks: 40 Thanked 47 Times in 28 Posts	That happened on my 2005 diesel ZT. Previous owner had replaced the in tank pump and not fitted the seal totally square meaning the locking ring didn't screw down far enough. Every time I filled up with a full tank or after a spot of vigorous cornering, my driveway got a nice coating of diesel. Seat up, panels off, reseated the seal, locking rings screwed down. Now the only dampness on the drive, apart from the British weather, is a weepy power steering pipe. __________________ Serial Longbridge owner - Rover 213SE, Rover 216GTi, Rover 416 SLi, MG ZS 120+, MG ZT CDTi, MG ZT-T 190. Flies in the ointment - Ford Mondeo Mk4 CDTi Zetec, MINI Cooper 1.6

4th December 2020, 12:27	#6
Yorkshire GOC I really should get out more....... Rover 75 connoisseur se v6 auto Join Date: May 2014 Location: Hull Posts: 2,063 Thanks: 1,842 Thanked 623 Times in 469 Posts	If the fuel was leaking past the pump or filter seals under the back seat would not the inside of the cab be reeking of petrol fumes __________________ She came off the Longbridge Line on 20-05-2003 The Silver Machine was the 13th of 160 Rover 75's to come off the production line that day and is the 100th of 527 Starlight Silver Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur SE Auto saloons listed in the build records produced world wide.

4th December 2020, 15:57	#7
FrattonEnder Avid contributor MG ZT Join Date: May 2020 Location: Gloucester Posts: 233 Thanks: 40 Thanked 47 Times in 28 Posts	Could depend on how well the access covers are bolted down . If the seals are still in good nick and doing their job then possibly not. I certainly didn't notice any waft of diesel in the cabin when I had my leakage issue. __________________ Serial Longbridge owner - Rover 213SE, Rover 216GTi, Rover 416 SLi, MG ZS 120+, MG ZT CDTi, MG ZT-T 190. Flies in the ointment - Ford Mondeo Mk4 CDTi Zetec, MINI Cooper 1.6

4th December 2020, 09:30	#3
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	If you unclip the rear seat base there are two panels under it. Remove those and there are two modules that sit in the tank - one is the pump and the other the filter. They are kept in place by two large locking rings and it's not unknown for the seals to leak if they haven't been fitted correctly.

4th December 2020, 10:57	#5
T-Cut This is my second home Rover75 and Mreg Corsa. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin) Posts: 21,752 Thanks: 341 Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts	How To - Fuel Filter and Seals: https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...ead.php?t=9108 Note specific advice on the placement of the fuel tank port seal. That's always the cause of petrol leaks. WIn the susceptible models, tank leakage typically follows the fitting of the Fabled Orange Clip (FOC) or through messing with the fuel gauge floats. TC

4th December 2020, 16:59	#8
T-Cut This is my second home Rover75 and Mreg Corsa. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin) Posts: 21,752 Thanks: 341 Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts	Most reports talk about petrol smells outside, especially around the rear wheel arches. Interestingly, the inside of the car isn't often mentioned. Interior smells appear to most often involve engine breathers. It could be down to vapour densities. Fuel vapours are denser than air, so when the car's stationary, the fumes are most likely to roll across the tank and fall downwards. TC Last edited by T-Cut; 4th December 2020 at 17:01..

4th December 2020, 23:04	#10
bl52krz This is my second home Rover 75 cdt club + Rover 2.5 KV6 Conni SE Join Date: May 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 11,387 Thanks: 6,587 Thanked 2,262 Times in 1,729 Posts	Hi Mike. You have highlighted a possible fault I have been mentioning for the last 3/4 years. Discovered this happening when I changed my in tank pump on the diesel. Not as bad as that though. A container of expanding foam sprayed towards the rear wheel arch cured it. __________________ Great Barr, Birmingham.