Fuel leak

[Shorty]

i have a nova 1.2spi K reg, when i fill the tank more than 1/2 full it stinks of petrol and can see a small puddle of petrol from under the car when its been left for a while

[mikeoxford]

wouldnt have thought you had a hole as in rust, more of a leak somewhere, so id check around the sender unit first.........

[mikeoxford]

and DONT even think about driving the car

[GSiLuvver]

Get the car up on axle stands and have a good look around under there. Remember that just because you find fuel under the car, it won't necessarily have leaked from directly above the puddle. The fuel can leak, and then run along pipes and chassis giving a false impression of where the leak is.

Is your fuel tank sender unit visible from under the car, or is it accessed from inside by lifting up the back seats? Does it ONLY leak when the tank is more than half full? Depending on where your fuel sender unit is, it could be a perished gasket (?1.70). Alternatively, if your fuel tank is nice and shiny and clean, it means that the petrol has cleaned off the underseal. This could indicate a hole in the tank, more than likely along the seem. I've got a K reg GSi and have just had to replace the tank due to it leaking, and they ain't cheap!!

[Shorty]

well if u put ?10 in it doesnt leak. (1/2 full)
but ?20 it does leak. (almost full)

[mikeoxford]

well if u put ?10 in it doesnt leak. (1/2 full)
but ?20 it does leak. (almost full)

that would say to me it IS leaking either from the fuel return pipe or sender area as these are both towards the top of the tank

[Shorty]

anyone know where the sender unit is on the 1.2spi

[mikeoxford]

have you got a haynes manual?

id buy one as u need it to get the tank off ne how

and sender is on top so it all has to come out im afraid mate

get it up on stands and see where itsa coming from........

[GSiLuvver]

mikeoxford, I agree that it is useful having a Haynes manual around, but having just done a fuel tank change myself, I didn't find it that helpful in this instance!

Shorty, if you do need to change your fuel tank, I should be able to give you some pointers so that it takes you less time than it did me!!

[Aragorn]

looks like a round disk on the back of the tank i think

theres summat under there on mine thats all rusty with 1 or 2 wires goin to it

if u lift the rear of the car onto stands and look at the tank from directly behind u shud be able to see it