Re. recently acquired 1990 (H) 1.1 Fiesta fitted with carburettor.
My garage is attached to the house and when the car is parked overnight there's a fairly strong smell of petrol in the garage, which would permeate to the house if the interconnecting door was left ajar.
It's been serviced by a qualified and trusted mechanic who wasn't able to find any particular problem and could only suggest changing the unit for another.
It's not a visible leak from the carb or associated pipework. It's not the petrol filler cap. It seems that if you remove the air cleaner and sniff the top of the carb it smell's quite strong, but maybe you would expect that. I'm told there are no washers etc. to change within the carb.
Run out of ideas.......anyone come across this before?
Be grateful for any suggestions (other than leaving the window open or parking in the street).
KB.
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Fuel tank filler pipe rusted? (Assuming it is a metal pipe.....)
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn/problems.msnw?Page=1 - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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Are all the breather pipes OK?
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Hello
Check the breather pipe on the fuel tank isnt blocked with gunk from age..
suspect leak at fuel pump and gauge entry point under rear passenger seat, may have come loose from rust or age.
Kind Regards
Martin Winters
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You posted just as I was replying Ford/Dag.
Something for me to check in the morning - I again query how to check the breather is clear.
Thanks for your interest gentlemen.
KB.
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Thanks for replies...the filler pipe is plastic and I can't smell anything in particular around the filler cap area. Can you expand slightly on the breather pipe, Andrew? Do you mean the breather positioned near the filler pipe/cap? Not sure how to check on the efficiensy of said breather. Would welcome your further advice on that however I still somehow feel that it's coming from the area of the carb.
I recently jetwashed the engine in order to clean it off so I could check for fuel and oil leaks on a clean engine. I then used a garden blower/vac machine to blow excess water from the engine bay and various components therein. During this exercise I blew down the top of the exposed carb. (having removed the air cleaner assembly) and did notice how petrol was blown out of the top of the carb in considerable quantity........it seemed as though fuel was laying within the body of the carb. in a pool of some sort. I didn't think fuel would be expected to be exposed to atmosphere (albeit covered by the air cleaner) and wondered if this might have something to do with the problem.
Thanks in anticipation.
KB.
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hello again
I suspect you have blown straight into the manifold gasked and holed it does the car run rough now,,
Never jet wash the engine even if its dirty as it will disturb seals and gaskets and cause leaks and erm smells.
Kind Regards
Martin Winters
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Can't offer any help from Fiesta experience, KB, but I have suffered petrol smells with 205s - from somewhere in the engine compartment, and usually worse when windows or sunroof are open. I was thinking of the crankcase breather earlier, but you have probably checked that?
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Sounds like the float chamber is overflowing. This means either the float is sticking or punctured allowing it to sink or the shut off valve is sticking or not sealing in its seat properly. If it is the Ford VV (variable venturi) carb I would scrap it and get another carb, preferably a Weber conversion.
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Thanks both.......the smell was there before I jetwashed the compartment. The reason for washing it off was to see if there was a visible leak (it was gunged up and it was difficult to see what was what). I also had to identify the source of two oil leaks (drive shaft oil seal and engine main oil seal - rear). These have been fixed. The engine doesn't run at all rough - quite the opposite in fact. There's no leak from the fuel pump connections and no smell from the area round the gauge and no smell from anywhere around the filler cap.
I reckon I'll take it back to my mechanic and urge upon him the suggestions made here - it's only a basic cheap runaround and doesn't really justify the Weber conversion unless it was available at reasonable cost.....the car's not worth a great deal!!
Thanks again.
KB.
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Jet washing won`t clear the places petrol has been leaking.In fact would make it easier to find a leak if you have one.They are I think a sealed system so any overflow from carb return`s to petrol tank.Assuming it is a sealed system.Check out fuel return pipe to tank.It will be mounted on top of carb and go direct to fuel tank But is on top of tank.So is the breather pipe to filler cap pipe.the actual breather on a car is the filler cap if that is faulty will cause the problem on some the problem has occured when the tank is nearly empty and also after refilling which in most cases a replacement filler cap sorted.Cannot say it`s your prob but something to work on.Hope it helps
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Before you spend money..
The petrol pipes under the car run along the centre and are prone to rust along the entire length .. seepage from them and you will have a smell...
madf
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Hello
This car has a Weber carb
Its a Weber 2v Tld all mk3's had weber carbs.
Merry christmas
Martin winters
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Indeed I do now recall the mechanic saying it was a Weber and he did point out the presence of the two, plainly visible, chokes when the air cleaner was off. Does this influence the possibility of the float problems as outlined above in an earlier post. i.e. sticking valve or even punctured float?
Certainly I will jack the thing up and look (and sniff) under the car along the routes of the lines as described and did, last night, quickly poke my nose underneath the car again.....but it still seems to me as though the smell is worse under the bonnet and specifically from the carb.
I don't have a Haynes as yet - I admit that it would have given me an insight in to some of these points regarding the type of carb fitted etc.
Will report back with the results of the sniff check later.
BTW - It makes no difference to the smell whether the tank's full up or otherwise. That much I have been able to establish.
Thanks for seasonal greetings....these are duly returned to all.
KB.
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I dont think you have a problem as such just the smell of petrol percolating (naturally)from a hot carb.The float level may be a little high. Try parking the car outside when you get home for a hour or so or leaving the garage door open and the bonnet up for a while to let the engine cool and the vapours produced to dissipate.
Andrew
Simplicate and add lightness!!
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Thanks Andrew. I have tried this and do now leave a window open in the garage but it still smells. The other day as I approached the car when it was parked in the street I was, even then, aware of the smell but generally you don't smell it when driving (except occasionally when re-starting with a hot engine).
Can I adjust the float level?
KB.
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Just been down under. There's no corrosion or leaks on the fuel pipe under the car. The smell is definitely associated with the area round the carb.
A couple of points :-
When I fill up I have much difficulty discharging petrol in to the tube - it keeps stopping until I get the nozzle positioned just right...pushed right in to the tube.
As I opened the filler cap I listened with my ear close by and could hear a "gasp" of air being drawn in to the tank - obviously a vacuum within. Does this suggest a blocked breather? If so maybe this is connected to the next point........?
What is the black plastic cylinder with the plastic narrow tubes attached? - it's fitted inside the wheel arch just behind the filler cap, fixed to the plastic filler tube. One of the tubes disharges to atmosphere and is obviously breather related.
As a matter of interest, why is the plasic filler tube apparently divided in to two?
Oh the joys of old cars.
The good thing as opposed to new cars is you can park it anywhere without worrying so much about car park dents etc. and the depreciation isn't an issue and you won't get mugged for it. The bad thing is you always seem to be doing something to them.
KB.
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Hi
the gasp of air that you describe is natural.
get a service kit for the carb (£10-20) and get someone to install the kit iam sure it will cure the problems.
my wife has a 1.1 and it doesent do any of the above.
happy x mas
Martin winters
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That would be down to angle of the pipe to fuel tank. obviously a vacuum.Yes a sealed fuel system the container could be carbon canister.if blocked would cause probs.I did mention before the breather is built into filler cap ie split into separate part`s.I could be wrong from what you say it`s more likely to be the pipe from carb it may look Ok that don`t mean a thing you need to take it off.and check it fully as some split`s occur from inside as well as out?
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