Primera - petrol fumes | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Fri 19 Apr 2002 12:14

Primera - petrol fumes - Paul

our 96 1.6 primera develops petrol fumes in and around the car but only when the fuel tank is less than half full and the engine is hot. With a full tank there is no smell. I have checked for leaks and found nothing, with or without the engine running. I have noticed that there are two pipes under the bonnet apparently coming from the fuel tank, one enters the fuel filter and then carries on to the injector system - the other goes into a large canister and then connects directly into the inlet manifold under the injectors. I assume this latter pipe is to collect fumes from the tank. Does anyone know what is causing these fumes?

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Fri 19 Apr 2002 12:34

Re: Primera - petrol fumes - Pete W

C'mon Andrea - it's your department !!

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Fri 19 Apr 2002 13:19

Re: Primera - petrol fumes - Paul

i noticed on HJ's "car by car breakdown" a note about 95-96 primeras being recalled to have petrol tanks replaced to cure a petrol fume problem. The VIN on our car is outside of the range listed on the recall notice, so I guess its a different problem. Any ideas?

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Fri 19 Apr 2002 13:35

Re: Primera - petrol fumes - Andy P

I'd check with Nissan anyway. They may have missed some. In any case, you've nothing to lose.

Andy

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Fri 19 Apr 2002 14:18

Re: Primera - petrol fumes - And

All the Primera fuel tanks are leak tested prior to installation on the car, but the amount of leakage allowed should be very low. If you can smell fuel then there's got to be a pretty large leak (in terms of standard leak rates allowed) on the tank in the top half of the fuel tank and not in the pipes. Once you fill you car up over the leak point, the fuel blocks the hole up and everything's fine. If it's always been like this from new, then you've probably got a 'Friday afternoon car'. If not, it could be the fuel pump ring has relaxed a little or the o ring seal has perished. I'd probably take it to a garage and get it sorted out there.
Otherwise, buy a Micra or Almera, made after July 1999, which I can assure you has been leak tested properly (I made the machine)!

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Fri 19 Apr 2002 14:25

Re: Primera - petrol fumes - Pete W

Thanks And(rea), knew you had the answer !!

The new tanks are tested using helium gas and a mass spectrometer to tell you if it's leaking or not. The technology is now increasingly widespread to cope with modern emmissions regulations. Tank manufacturers have considered various methods to prevent permeation in plastic fuel tanks and most succesful seems to be multi-layer tanks. Another process was chemical treatment which I don't think has had such good results - remember early MGFs.

Out of interest the level of leakage allowed approaches the same degree of leakage such that if your tyre leaked to the same degree then it would take at least 10 years to go flat and it's getting tighter.

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Fri 19 Apr 2002 15:36

Re: Primera - petrol fumes - mike harvey

Paul, I had a similar problem with a Vauxhall. I found 2 problems. First, the flexible fuel pipes under the bonnet went porous, and fuel was permeating and evaporating through them. This helped a lot, but after weeks and weeks I found the petrol cap sealing rubber and filler neck joint was not airtight, and fumes were escaping .Through some odd sort of aerodynamic negative pressure wave, the fumes sucked into the car in the back door breather vents. This finally cured it.
Hope this helps.
Mike

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Fri 19 Apr 2002 17:20

Re: Primera - petrol fumes - AndyS

My P plate (year?) Mk2 Primera developed a petrol smell when about 6 months old. Contacted Nissan dealer who confirmed a problem and changed the tank. No problem from then on.

hth
Andy

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