Fuel tank, fuel pipes and fuel smell.

[Markvh]

Hi all,
I'm looking for some advice on my fuel tank and fuel pipes please.
About over the past couple of years or so I have been getting a stronger and stronger smell of petrol in the boot. Enough to also make the garage smell when parked up.
Assuming I may have corrosion in the tank I took it out of the car today. I feel pretty sure that after studying the tank there are no leaks in the tank, though it does look if it has had some sort of repair in the past. The Stag was restored about 22 years ago.
If you look carefully at the attached photos you can just see where metal sheet has been cut and rolled around the curve of the tank and a joint seam right across the tank and heavy laid on black paint. I can't see any weld seams unless they are very fine. There isn't a drain hole on the tank. The brown marks are waxoyl residue.
I feel that the inside of the tank looks respectable, what do you chaps think?
Also the fuel pipes in the boot have te following printed on them W = BSAU108/2/L4/C4/R/ Fuel Hose 8.0/14/97, I presume this is outdated pipe and needs to be repalced anyway?
The fuel pipes under the bonnet read SAE J30 R6 suitable for unleaded 5/16" and 1/4". I guess this is still OK. I use the premium+ superunleaded E% fuel. (while I can still afford it anyway!)
I might change them all over to E10 resistant pipes while i'm at it, I think I will need the R9 pipe in this case, Is this correct?
When I took the tank off the filler pipe, I noticed the screw clip wasn't very tight at all, but it didn't spin on the pipe and the pipe was really really tight on the tank metal filler pipe, so maybe the smell was coming from that, but it was very tight, It was the hardest thing to remove.
Anyway, please could you have a think and let me know your thoughts.
Much appreciated, Mark.
Also, there was about 5mm of fuel in th fuel level float, so I guess I'll need a now one of those?

[gbb483]

Mine also had a petrol smell in the boot when I bought it. It was due to a split in the hose which was part of the venting system, and the end of which wasn't properly fitted to the external filler cap. After fixing them the smell went away.

[sujitroy]

my pump was leaking at the Bangor bolts only way I could tell was the PO painted the boot with tar like stuff and it came off

[gowerboy]

I put new seals on the banjo fittings to the fuel pump, from LD Parts, Nylon Washer Fuel Pump Unions 108346N. Instant result. I tried fibre washers from other suppliers first, but they were the wrong size ………

[Lingen]

Mark.
Two suggestions. The addition of ethanol to petrol has lowered the temperature at which it "Boils". This results in a lot of vapour coming from the carburettors when they warm up after switching off the engine.. If it is in a garage, you may find it helps to leave the bonnet open while it cools down. There is no permanent cure for this.
I also traced a fuel smell in my Stag to the disintegration of the rubber grommets where the tank breather pipe, and the spill pipe from the filler, pass through the back of the spare wheel well. On the move, air was blowing in to the boot area through the hole, bringing petrol fumes with it. You can check both of them from outside to avoid removing the tank again.
Mike.

[Markvh]

Thanks very much for the responses. I have now checked all your comments.
One thing I did find, There is a very narrow rubber pipe coming off the back of the fuel pump at the banjo end and a very small diameter elbow elbow at the other end of the fuel pump. Should this pipe be fitted to the elbow at the end of the SU pump? At the moment this pipe is just hanging inside the boot.
Thanks

[PaulShaw]

Hi Mark
i had the same problem with the petrol smell, my issue turned out to be the drain plug fibre washer underneath the tank leaking, I found it by putting some cardboard under the tank overnight to indicate where on the tank it was leaking.

[Lingen]

Mark.
I think they are just small breathers for the pump. They shouldn't be coupled together.
Mike.

[Markvh]

Hi,
Does anyone know what the correct i/d bore is for the fuel hoses that go into and from the fuel pump?
I've bought 5/16" (7.9mm) i/d R9 hose. It fits over the fuel pickup pipe nice and snug but is really loose on the banjo. The banjo has an external diameter of 1/4" and just under 5/16" diameter on the 2 barbs. Is this OK and I need to tighten the clip over the 2 barb collars? There isn't enough length to do otherwise. See photo.
I could fit 1/4" pipe over the banjo and force the other end over the pick up pipe but that doesn't seem correct.
Help please.
Thanks Mark

[Rigid]

I've got a smelly boot too.
No obvious loose clips or hoses failing.
I've seen video on the telly of fumes rising - is there any way of using a camera to video where petrol might be coming from?
(I'm thinking using polarized light might work but how would you do that)