Ok here is one for you DIY'ers... Just got back off hols for 2 weeks. Go to start the car and the battery is flat - charge the battery, start the car and smell petrol... Turn off the ignition and look at the back of the car, on the floor there is a small puddle of petrol.. I take off the inspection cover over the Petrol pump and there is no sign of a leek. Checked all the pipe work upto the engine, no leek. The fuel filter is fine - no split or holes and I cannot see any petrol spraying when the car is running. I have had to take the carpet out of the boot coz it smelt so much and gaffer tape around the inspection cover.. Has anyone else encountered this problem coz I'm fresh out of ideas? BTW it's a Mk3 GTi 16v
I had a problem a bit like this a few weeks ago with my MK1 Golf, only mine was worse as i filled up my tank to maximum and when i payed for petrol & returned to my car there was petrol all over the forecourt, when i looked underneath the crossmember had petrol dripping off it? I had the tank removed and had pipes checked but couldn't find any leaks, even when looking under the inspection cover over the tank. I later found out that the tank sender was cracked and leaked from air pressure in tank inbetween rubber seal & tank so it couldn't be seen from inspection hatch. hope this helps (sorry for drawing it out) Edited by: fthaimike
Its a posibility that it could leek from the sender unit, out from under the rear bench. Only if you had just filled it up though and had a full tank. Its worth a check though.
Sorry guy's I did mean outside the car - the freaky thing is that it has stopped completly now, I really do not like things like that when they happen and then stop.. I would still like to find out what the hell it is/was though
my sis's nova leaks petrol when its tank is full. found out by havin the fuel leak onto the rear tyres (one very very sidways moment - petrol is very slippy!).
If its anything like a MK2, then if petrol spills out of the top of the tank, then it'll run down the sides of the tank onto the floor. It evapoates quickly to leave not much of a trace (except a clean patch). If you've checked all the pipes, then leave it and keep an eye on it. I wonder if the lift pump was running when it shouldn't and run the battery out???? Hmmmmm, perhaps not.
I dont like to nick this thread but i had a new tank, pipes & pump fitted to my mk1 golf 8v & when i used to start the car i'd get a nice loud buzz from the pump when i turn on the ignition (which i still get) but i noticed that when im driving now there's a steady hum from the pump which i didn't have before? i only noticed this after i removed my stereo because my engine's so loud i cant hear my sounds (and it sounds better than me tunes ) http://www.veedub.plus.com/pages/DSCF0104_JPG Edited by: fthaimike
thats cos theres 2 pumps. ones the lift pump in the top of the tank which only operates when you turn the ignition on to get the car started. then there's the line pump which runs all the time to supply fuel to the engine when its running. I can hear it in my car as well.
I've known the casing, in which the fuel pump sits, to leak. Happen to me on my valver. Problem is petrol evaporates off after a while. Mine only did it when the pump was operating though. So it doesn't exlpain why the patch was there after your hols. Best thing to do is have a proper scout round it, with and without the pump running.
Done that mate - with and without the pump running. I would have expected to see a clean patch somewhere, but there is nothing... ooooooh I hate problems like this!
