Morris Minor Owners Club

Interesting. The ESM silicone hose is considerably more expensive than the rubber hose. I suppose It's worth a try. It does irritate me that the boot stinks of petrol. Such a quick job to change the filler hose and I could always keep the silicone hose I currently have fitted as a spare.


Stephen

Interesting. That's the rubber hose that I bought last year from ESM (Traveller version) and I have more of a smell of petrol since fitting it compared to the 25 year old one that had hardened.
.

I had this issue which I have now cured. I tried replacing the hose to the fuel tank but this did not stop it.

What I believe my issues was fuel vaporising in the filler tube, then condensing in the cap and running back down the outside of filler tube back into that boot. Not a lot but you don't need much to smell fuel in the boot

To stop this I replaced the gasket under fill cap adapter ( this is a key type cap) ensured the hole in the cap for venting was orientated correctly, and ensured the outer rubber gromit where the tube goes through the body is tight.

I had spent ages thinking it was the flexible tube that was sweating, but it was not this. The tube that used to smell is still fitted (esm type) Before making the changes above you could brush your hand against it and it would smell of fuel

As I had nothing to loose I swapped my silicone filler hose for a rubber one today (supplier of both ESM).

The silicone hose I removed stank to high heaven of petrol and was obviously "sweating" petrol fumes. Immediately on fitting the rubber hose the reek of petrol went away. Only time will tell if the rubber hose starts to sweat too.

One thing that may be relevant is that although the silicone hose was new to me and only fitted for a year or so it is marked MMC Bath which went out of business quite some years ago. There is a thin inner layer which is black and looks like some kind of rubber. It is not fit for purpose.

At the very least I now know exactly where the stink of petrol is coming from. Fingers crossed

Stephen

Silicone and petrol don't mix. Petrol will dissolve silicone! Never use silicone based sealant on a petrol tank and the same applies to a silicone hose.
Regards
Declan

Declan_Burns wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2026 5:52 pm Silicone and petrol don't mix. Petrol will dissolve silicone! Never use silicone based sealant on a petrol tank and the same applies to a silicone hose.
Regards
Declan

Shame the supplier is not aware?

Declan_Burns wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2026 5:52 pm Silicone and petrol don't mix. Petrol will dissolve silicone! Never use silicone based sealant on a petrol tank and the same applies to a silicone hose.
Regards
Declan

Thank you Declan. Why would a major Minor supplier do something so daft??? The silicone hose is considerably more expensive than the rubber one and it is hopeless. Surely, they must have had complaints? It very annoying to buy something more expensive thinking it is better only to find out it is actually useless.

Stephen

Yes,
It is quite surprising. Quite unlike ESM. Viton would have been a better choice.
Regards
Declan

Declan_Burns wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2026 1:08 pm Yes,
It is quite surprising. Quite unlike ESM. Viton would have been a better choice.
Regards
Declan

It seems the mistake was made by Morris Minor Centre (MMC) Bath a long time ago and ESM bought the stock.

Now 24 hours have passed I am going to nip out to the garage to check how the rubber hose is working out. The real test will be at fill up.

Edit: at 24 hours (very early days) no fuel stink.

Stephen

svenedin wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2026 2:47 pm
One thing that may be relevant is that although the silicone hose was new to me and only fitted for a year or so it is marked MMC Bath which went out of business quite some years ago.

MG_3665.jpeg

My understanding is that The Morris Minor Centre Bath Ltd is a parts manufacturing business run by Nic Harding and in business with ESM.

It is not the same company as Charles Ware's Morris Minor Centre which once existed in Bath and does no longer exist. Confusing isn't it.

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2026 4:40 pm

svenedin wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2026 2:47 pm
One thing that may be relevant is that although the silicone hose was new to me and only fitted for a year or so it is marked MMC Bath which went out of business quite some years ago.

MG_3665.jpeg

My understanding is that The Morris Minor Centre Bath Ltd is a parts manufacturing business run by Nic Harding and in business with ESM.

It is not the same company as Charles Ware's Morris Minor Centre which once existed in Bath and does no longer exist. Confusing isn't it.

Ah I see. Thank you. Yes that is confusing!

Stephen

Here is an end-on view of the silicone hose that stank of petrol. You can see a very thin (too thin) liner of some kind of black rubber material.

Stephen

My own boot has been smelling of petrol too.
I'd replaced the old tube in August 2023 with a FUL127S from ESM. £21.90.
It still seems to be the only fuel pipe in their catalogue.
Are we saying that this product is faulty; if not dangerous (in terms of fire and fumes)?
I've tried ringing ESM, but their lines are are busy.
I''m now wondering if I kept the old tube; I'd only replaced it for ethanol concerns.

I've just seen that ESM do in fact offer an alternative, the FUL127. Half the price of the silicone variant.
But is it ethanol proof?

https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/fu ... -200mm-ffh?

Maybe something from a motorsport specialist would be more reliable.

mike1864 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 2:11 pm I've just seen that ESM do in fact offer an alternative, the FUL127. Half the price of the silicone variant.
But is it ethanol proof?

It’s an only a week since I swapped to the ESM rubber fuel pipe. No fuel smell but I haven’t filled up yet so I reserve judgement until it has been in contact with liquid petrol several times at least.


Stephen