Morris Minor Owners Club

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2024 5:16 pm**

Chief wrote: ↑Wed Mar 20, 2024 5:11 pm
svenedin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 20, 2024 5:01 pm The boot needs a good airing before I can judge whether the fuel smell is cured.
Coffee or Bircarbonate of Soda/Baking Soda in a tray is meant to help remove odour quicker.

Funnily enough yesterday I re-discovered a bottle of Autoglym Odour Eliminator that I'd bought when I bought a much smoked in parts car many years ago. All I remember about it is it did nothing whatsoever in combating the cigarette smell while my attempts with Febreeze ended in failure since the places I used it became covered in mould.

Thank you. I'll give the bicarb a go. I would like to be able to go on picnic without my lunch tasting of petrol! I have a carpet over the boot shelf and I noticed that the backing had started to disintegrate to black powder presumably from exposure to petrol fumes (must be some kind of rubber). That happened to a pair of my outdoor gloves as well (they had a sort of rubberised grip).

Stephen

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2024 8:57 am**

Posted earlier in the thread:

ESM replaced my fuel tank complete with new sender unit in November 2022 and also the filler tube hose (they used rubber hose).

And now:

The old gasket (which is not old, only fitted months ago) had torn in two places. Perhaps I overtightened it but I remember being careful. Maybe it was not properly centralised or perhaps it is just too thin and fragile

That first posting gave me the distinct impression that ESM supplied it complete, not in kit form. Or did you remove and replace the sender unit? Fitting gaskets is such a basic task - if it is broken, don’t use it.

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:09 am**

oliver90owner wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 8:57 am Posted earlier in the thread:

ESM replaced my fuel tank complete with new sender unit in November 2022 and also the filler tube hose (they used rubber hose).

And now:

The old gasket (which is not old, only fitted months ago) had torn in two places. Perhaps I overtightened it but I remember being careful. Maybe it was not properly centralised or perhaps it is just too thin and fragile

That first posting gave me the distinct impression that ESM supplied it complete, not in kit form. Or did you remove and replace the sender unit? Fitting gaskets is such a basic task - if it is broken, don’t use it.

ESM fitted a new tank complete in 2022 but there was a persistent fuel smell. I fitted a new sender gasket some months back but it did not make any difference. Yesterday I fitted another new gasket and found the one I had fitted previously was damaged.

Checking today with my nose, the sender area seems to be stink free but the filler hose does smell of petrol on the outside. The clips are tight and secure and the hose is very new. It may be that when I am careless on filling up and end up with wet feet (the petrol station hose does not automatically stop) some of the petrol runs down inside the boot.

Stephen

Posted: **Tue Mar 26, 2024 8:10 am**

I've given up on this for now because I have an awful cold and I can't smell anything at all!

I seem to have sorted out the sender area but now it is the fuel hose that seems to smell. It is the bit of the hose in the middle that bridges the gap. It is an expensive silicone hose from ESM but seems no better than the rubber one it replaced. Holden sell fuel filler hose that is flurosilicone lined but I will have to measure to see if they sell the right diameter.

I am not too worried about it because this is an issue that has been going on for decades. It would have been great to fix it once and for all.

Stephen

Posted: **Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:36 pm**

Have you checked the gasket on the petrol gauge sender unit. Mine deteriorated (they are cork I think) and I got a strong petrol smell. They are easy to replace even if it does take a while to remove the woodden boot floor covering (passenger side only). Also if you take the sender out remember which way round it goes otherwise your fuel gauge won't read properly.

Posted: **Sat May 18, 2024 9:27 am**

I finally got round to making a new gasket for the petrol filler cap. I am not convinced that the standard cork gasket really does anything at all. It is so thin but wear of the cap and filler tube may be contributing to its ineffectiveness. I made a new gasket from 1mm thick Viton rubber sheet and stuck it to the cap with Gorilla brand contact adhesive. So far so good.

Stephen

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Posted: **Sat May 18, 2024 9:45 am**

The fuel filler cap is vented (and supposed to be) so there will always be a sniff of petrol in that area.
All the cork gasket does is stop the cap rattling against the filler pipe.

Posted: **Thu Jul 16, 2026 7:49 pm**

Resurrection of an old thread.

I purchased a new fuel filler hose for my Traveller from ESM last September to replace the 25 year old one that had gone hard but I'm not sure it was a great idea.

Like Svenedin said previously, the hose seems to permeate a petrol smell. If the you run your hand over the pipe it comes away smelling of petrol. The metal filler neck goes inside the rubber hose so it can't be fuel running down outside the rubber hose.

Is there a better grade of hose available? The ESM description is pretty minimal with no mention of the pipe material, there is a silicone option listed but only for saloon. It looks like Gates do a heavy duty filler hose but wonder if it the same material?

I normally only use E5 petrol and use Frost Ethomix fuel stabiliser. Tank is never filled high enough so that fuel is sitting in the filler pipe any length of time.

Given my experience of a braided fuel hose that failed after a few years this part doesn't inspire much confidence!

Did anyone else have a similar experience and how did you solve it?

Thanks

Posted: **Thu Jul 16, 2026 7:54 pm**

neilmorey wrote: ↑Thu Jul 16, 2026 7:49 pm Resurrection of an old thread.

I purchased a new fuel filler hose for my Traveller from ESM last September to replace the 25 year old one that had gone hard but I'm not sure it was a great idea.

Like Svenedin said previously, the hose seems to permeate a petrol smell. If the you run your hand over the pipe it comes away smelling of petrol. The metal filler neck goes inside the rubber hose so it can't be fuel running down outside the rubber hose.

Is there a better grade of hose available? The ESM description is pretty minimal with no mention of the pipe material, there is a silicone option listed but only for saloon. It looks like Gates do a heavy duty filler hose but wonder if it the same material?

I normally only use E5 petrol and use Frost Ethomix fuel stabiliser. Tank is never filled high enough so that fuel is sitting in the filler pipe any length of time.

Given my experience of a braided fuel hose that failed after a few years this part doesn't inspire much confidence!

Did anyone else have a similar experience and how did you solve it?

Thanks

I have tried the ESM silicone hose on my convertible and the boot still stinks of petrol. I would be interested to hear if there are hoses that don't allow petrol fumes through. It isn't a massive problem but I could never put food in the boot (a picnic perhaps) as it would quickly be tainted by petrol fumes.

My boot has always stunk of petrol. It did with the old tank, the same with a new tank. Hoses changed, sender changed, sender gaskets changed, metal fuel pipe changed. Nothing has ever made a difference.

Stephen

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2026 10:33 am**

Although Minor boots often have a whiff of petrol, Stephen, it is strange that you have not been able to address this with everything you have changed.
I suspect the filler hose may be at the root of the problem. I replaced mine 18 or more years ago without issue, but maybe the more recent ones are not of the same quality?

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2026 11:07 am**

"Given my experience of a braided fuel hose that failed after a few years this part doesn't inspire much confidence!"

I no longer have confidence in those braided fuel hoses, I've had at least two develop pin hole(s), bought from reputable sources too.
I now use fuel specific rubber hose, suitable for Ethanol, cut to length. Not had a leak (yet). Fingers crossed.

Re the aroma of Petrol in the boot. Yes, I can usually detect a smell of Petrol when the boot opens. Silicone filler hose fitted. Whether the sender unit cover joint is leaking slightly allowing some fumes to escape the tank, no idea.

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2026 11:55 am**

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2026 10:33 am Although Minor boots often have a whiff of petrol, Stephen, it is strange that you have not been able to address this with everything you have changed.
I suspect the filler hose may be at the root of the problem. I replaced mine 18 or more years ago without issue, but maybe the more recent ones are not of the same quality?

I too suspect it's the filler hose because the smell of petrol does not depend on how full the tank is and I have never detected any leaks from the sender or sender join to tank.

Regarding braided fuel hoses, I think they are dangerous. There is no way to inspect for cracks. There is a braided fuel hose made by SU which is high quality but it is extremely expensive for what it is £58 !!!!! https://www.morrisminorspares.com/fuel- ... ps-p830611

Stephen

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2026 12:45 pm**

I must say that I have seldom experienced any petrol smell in my Minors. On the odd occasion I have done the sender gasket has been the cause and fitting a new one has fixed it. The Minor 1000 we use the most has never given any such problem and still has the original filler hose. I have never had any need to experiment with replacements fortunately......

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2026 3:01 pm**

One of my first posts, shortly after I brought my car.....
viewtopic.php?t=67392

basil has had no fuel smell in the boot since.

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2026 3:45 pm**

Perhaps I'll have another "look" with my nose. I just got fed up with not actually sorting out the problem.

Stephen

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2026 6:52 pm**

geoberni wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2026 3:01 pm One of my first posts, shortly after I brought my car.....
viewtopic.php?t=67392

basil has had no fuel smell in the boot since.

Yes, that orange hose looks pretty much like the old one in my SII before I replaced it - ghastly!

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