Car Won't Start, Fuel Tank hole?

1437 Views 14 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Anderson2005, Feb 28, 2010

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · Feb 27, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

Hello, ok for awhile I have been smelling fuel but could not locate the source of the problem and as the car was running fine I was going to leave it till next week when I have time off work and so I won't need the car for a week. Unfortunately today after leaving work, I got into the car and could smell a really strong smell of petrol like 100x worse than before... like as If I was sitting in petrol... I thought it was abit odd but just ignored it... I tried starting the car it started for about 10seconds then cut out... I my mate could hear something pouring like water was leaking somewhere... so I looked undert he car and there was a puddle of fuel and a pretty big drip of something clear (almost like water) leaking from the car... I am pretty sure it's petrol based on the strong smell.. and the puddle under the car (after I moved the car forward) was deffinately petrol... but it had some dark parts to it aswell so I was wondering if it was oil? but either it deffinately smelt like petrol.

I'm really worried and don't know what to do... my mechanic is going to come down and have a look at it tomorrow but what do you guys think it could be and do you think it will be expensive to fix?

thanks

1 - 15 of 15 Posts

Rich

· #2 · Feb 27, 2010

Check the fittings haven't come away from the fuel filter...

--R

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 27, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

thanks for replying.

but It can't just be something like that though can it? because it has been smelling of fuel (just not as strong as this) for a few weeks now I've just been stupid and put it to one side till now.. or is this the normal kind of thing for when the fittings are loose?

Mabok01

· #4 · Feb 27, 2010

Hello Anderson.

could be a loose union in the fuel lines. drip from front or back of car. If you have been smelling petrol for a while and suddenly have a puddle it would suggest something loosening up that has finally come undone. Not too likely to be a hole in the tank as you would prob have noticed before now. Car not starting would also suggest fuel line problem.

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 27, 2010

thx for the reply mate.

I see. So would tightening the loose union thing be enough to make it "OK" again? or do you think I'm going to have to replace the union?

by the way, what is a union? sorry I'm a complete newbie with car parts besides the obvious things like window wipers, wiper fluid thing lol thats about all I know :S

Rich

· #6 · Feb 27, 2010

If it's been smelling of petrol for a few weeks now, just leave it for the mechanic to look at. Any fuel leak is a Really Bad Thing.

--Rich

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · #7 · Feb 27, 2010

ok thanks mate, i'll wait for him to look at it. really hope its nothing too serious =\

Terry Haines

· #8 · Feb 28, 2010

..the fuel tank and filler neck are plastic..BUT the vent pipe next to the filler neck is steel and has hoses to the top of the tank etc. I have had cars where the steel tube/ vent hoses connected to it , have rotted out/leak fumes/petrol..I'd check those areas first..

gavintwopies

· #9 · Feb 28, 2010

I have had this a while ago on an old mondeo the fuel filter under the car attached to the tank had rotted through and started to do somthing similar as its tucked away under the car its never really looked at so its overall condition can't be checked easy, just a thought could be wrong though :tonofbricks:

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 28, 2010

thanks for all the advice guys.

My mechanic came down and had a look at it. Bassically, someone (before I owned the car) had a new pump(i think) installed and they didn't fit the connectors correctly to the tank, so bassically it had been loosening up all this time and allowing more an more fuel to bassically leak out hence the fuel smell I had been smelling prior, and it had somehow completely popped off which caused fuel not to be able to reach the engine so it couldn't stay running. thankfully this was an easy fix by the look of it as he connected it back for me and told me use this special tape (forgotten the name, will have to ask him again) I assume its black tape... or something similiar just to go around where the hole in the car's frame (from when the people installed the pump) just to seal it all off and just clean out the fuel that had spilt into the car. Coz it reaks of fuel inside the car still at the moment lol. But I am happy its all OK and nothing major...

gavintwopies

· #11 · Feb 28, 2010

Anderson2005 said:
But I am happy its all OK and nothing major...

Well what did you expect its not a vauxhall after all..... <T> <T>

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 28, 2010

Well, my sister has a vauxhall astra and she always used to have problems with it >< plus I don't like how they positioned their reverse gear

next to the 1st gear..seems bit weird lol. but I was looking at getting either a ford mondeo, focus, vauxhall astra or vectra when I was car hunting... I just fell in love with this car's interior (probably the least logical reason for liking a car but hey lol)

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · #13 · Feb 28, 2010

how cna I remove the urgent from the topic title? or at least change it to solved e..t.c ?

Rich

· #14 · Feb 28, 2010

Either bring me some beer, or a bunch of flowers. Your call...

--R

Anderson2005

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 28, 2010

lol, i've sent it in the post

1 - 15 of 15 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.