Losing fuel on roundabouts

Post by **sgray** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:00 am

Hello.
If I fill the fuel tank more than half full and take a corner at speed (roundabouts are good for this), then I lose some fuel. The wife says it looked like it was coming out from or near the filler cap and I have a hunch that it only happens on right hand turns.
Doesn't seem to happen when tank is less full.

I took the wood panel out of the back last night (it's a pickup) and tightened the two clips holding the filler pipe, but they weren't very loose. There's no obvious signs of fuel around the tank, except perhaps where the sender (?) cable is connected.

Probably unrelated, but filling up with petrol takes ages - I can barely press the trigger on the pump or the fuel splashes back - is this a 'feature' of Minor ownership?

Any ideas?

Simon

Post by **PSL184** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:19 am

There should be a rubber seal around the inside of the filler cap which seals against the neck of the filler pipe - This could be missing or flattened out to the point it's not sealing anymore. I don't have any problems filling except that the fuel pumps don't seem to switch off quick enough and I get a splash back when the tank is full, Iif I'm not careful, but I run a Traveller not a pick up so I don't know if they are any different....?

Post by **Pikey** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:55 am

[quote]
Probably unrelated, but filling up with petrol takes ages - I can barely press the trigger on the pump or the fuel splashes back - is this a 'feature' of Minor ownership?

Must be a pickup thing mine does exactly the same thing, if you squeeze the trigger too much you just end up with a big back fire of petrol soaking your leg or the forecourt floor. I wonder if it has something to do with the angle of the filler neck. The filler pipe is steeper and at a different angle on saloon tanks, perhaps that makes the tank not breath quite as well on LCV's.

I have to virtually trickle the petrol in, it takes me ages to put £10 in. Is there any other LCV'ers with the same problem?

Ive tried turning the filler pipe in the body to vary the position of the breather pipe but it makes no difference.

As PSL184 says I'd check your filler cap gasket, perhaps its missing or just doesnt seal anymore.

Regards

Steve B

Post by **mike.perry** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:55 am

Ref the leaking. Do you have the original petrol cap or a locking one?

Post by **Peetee** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:07 am

On my saloon filling too quick seems to pressurise the tank a bit as it 'blows' out when full. Someone did mention something about a channel down the pipe which is supposed to allow air out while filling. I've not checked to see if it's there though.

Post by **ssnjimb** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:32 pm

I take ages on purpose due the that very problem of splashback. Bluey lets me know if he doesent like the taste of the petrol lol. He seems to like waitrose petrol more than tesco for some reason he always gets the super stuff.

Jamie

Post by **ASL642** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:50 pm

I get "blow back" if it has been a while since I last filled up. I dribble a little petrol in wait 30 seconds and then I can usually fill up normally. It must be their age - they don't seem to be able to eat fast!

Post by **dalebrignall** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:14 pm

mine does tthe same i just fill it slowley now .

Post by **pjh56** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:03 pm

This happened to me the other day, but I thought there could have been a problem with the cut off on the nozzle.
I've learned another useful piece of information

Post by **sgray** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:12 pm

PSL184 wrote:There should be a rubber seal around the inside of the filler cap which seals against the neck of the filler pipe

Aha ! here's a picture of the filler cap and no rubber seal in sight. Is this something I'm going to be able to buy? I don't really want to change the original cap.

Simon<br>

<br>

Post by **ssnjimb** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:16 pm

Looking at the cap surely a rubber seal can be superglue to the cap or will petrol eat the glue.

A seal from a new cap should go onto the original cap.

Jamie

Post by **PSL184** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:25 pm

I made one by cutting it out of an old inner tube...

Post by **rayofleamington** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:01 pm

Probably unrelated, but filling up with petrol takes ages - I can barely press the trigger on the pump or the fuel splashes back - is this a 'feature' of Minor ownership?

Saloons will do this sometimes, but Vans and Pick ups are far far worse at it.
On the saloon, it can be reduced (a bit) by removing the inner pipe in the steel tube. On LCV's you're stuck due to the length, angle and bend on the filler pipe.

Post by **sgray** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:40 pm

Well that's all right - as long as other pick-ups do it. Like so many things with Trev I'll just have to learn to be more patient.

PSL184, how did you attach the rubber to the cap?

Simon

Post by **PSL184** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:09 pm

Hylomar, but I'm sure many other "adhesives" could be used. The original seal (which you may still be able to buy) was held in by the little "pips" in the casting and compression to the side of the cap. If you cut a new one accurately enough you may not require any glue at all....?

Post by **alzax3** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:05 pm

The man who sold us our van had fitted the bigger tank (9 gallons?) and warned us that it wasn't very well baffled and had a tendency to slosh out on corners if you over-filled it. We have the same cap, and the rubber seal is there but dried pretty hard....