Strong Petrol smell inside car

Sep 20, 2006
756
0
Birmingham
Guys when i come to a stand still, eg, at the lights i get a really strong pertol smell inside the car. It also happens when im driving really slowly like in traffic. I have had bad petrol consumption for a while now just wondering if they are connected? Any ideas what i can check/look for?
Someone mentioned o2/lamda sensor. Will this show up on a VAgcom?
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
if petrol smell its probably from petrol leaking and there is 2 favourite spots for it at the pipe connections

check the engine bay one just follow the 2 back from the manifold to just inside the drivers strut tower theres a join there that usually loosens off or gets the pipe twisted from being done up too tight

second one is the fuel pump connection which almost certainly will have the original crimp connections on it - look under the rear seat theres a round panel with 3? screws that once lifted you will have access to the top of the tank sender/pump assy. usually leaks there and puddles up a bit, if its wet its leaking as that should be bone dry there.

had both on mine in past
 
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jcs356

Cordy owner
Jul 12, 2004
1,161
0
Englandland
Most likely to be a split in the fuel hose under the bonnet. Had both of mine replaced within about a year of each other. Worth sorting sooner rather than later as you don't want it to go up in smoke!
 

Chrisdaman

1 gearbox dead, any more?
Mar 21, 2007
2,106
0
Kingston
www.flickr.com
i had a massive fuel leak at inters last year (some of you will remember, from the "rich" smell lol) got 30 miles to £10, not good lol. New hoses were £12 i think
 

Jamie Boy

Guest
I had a lovely old-style Polo which used to cut out occassionally. Eventually it turned out to be a leak in the fuel pipe, but I only found this out when I tried to start the engine after it stalled in a rush hour traffic jam and the car burst into flames! I can still picture it after 15 years. It was quite a fire! Nutters were driving past it to get on their way as well. I had to just stand by and watch it go up in smoke. Didn't take long! I would check for a fuel leak if I were you.
 
Sep 20, 2006
756
0
Birmingham
Guys iv found the leak. Its just behind (well to the right) of the throttle body. There is a metal cylider shaped pipe that runs under the T.b, at the end of which the leak is occuring. Iv been told there is rubber ring/seal inside that just need to be replaced. Is this a dealer only part? And does anyone know tha part number?

Also will this cause my car to have flat spots? This weekend iv noticed that there are massive flat spots in the acceleration but not sure if this is due to the heat (living in london now so intense heat) or the leak as they were not there before.
 

cupra103

Active Member
May 4, 2008
61
0
Richmond, NSW Australia
Good find,

I had the supply line in the engine bay leak last week at the join from rigid to flex hose. I left the cupra running in the drive & when I came back there was fuel running from under the car to the edge of my drive. I was leaking from the chassis rail under the drivers seat. It had run down the pipe in the engine bay & made it's way under the car.

Phil
 

Bentley1989

Mk2 Ibiza 1.4s
Dec 18, 2007
343
0
Hartlepool
thought id bring this thread up again cos ive got this problem now

it happens when i have the windown down or the sunroof back, the same for when the heaters on too..

when i 1st got the car we took the fuel pump out becuase we thought the pump was bust (ended up being no fuel pump relay) so i dont know if its not on tight enough, was kinda hard to put back in.

but now reading that there might be pipes in the engine bay that need replacing im thinking it could be this....when you had your heaters on did the smell come through more, it doesnt matter if its hot or cold air, still comes through?
 

cupra103

Active Member
May 4, 2008
61
0
Richmond, NSW Australia
I think I was just lucky, I'd had no other indications of a fuel leak, no smell at any time. I just walked out to the car & found a 5 foot stream of fuel running out from under the car.

Check your engine bay just in case, the join from flex to rigid pipes is on engine side of the right hand suspension tower under a little heat shield.

good luck

Phil
 
Sep 20, 2006
756
0
Birmingham
thought id bring this thread up again cos ive got this problem now

it happens when i have the windown down or the sunroof back, the same for when the heaters on too..

when i 1st got the car we took the fuel pump out becuase we thought the pump was bust (ended up being no fuel pump relay) so i dont know if its not on tight enough, was kinda hard to put back in.

but now reading that there might be pipes in the engine bay that need replacing im thinking it could be this....when you had your heaters on did the smell come through more, it doesnt matter if its hot or cold air, still comes through?

Yeh i had the fuel smell coem even more when the heaters were on (i think lol)

Check the fuel rail and see if you can see anywhere it has been leaking. Might just be the rubber washers on the end having perished.
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
if it's worse when windows open and/or heaters on then it's under the bonnet for sure

hot/cold air won't matter as the hot air is just cold blown through a small radiator inside the car anyway
 

JLH

Guest
i'm havin the same problem too. it only smells a tiny bit at the moment but probably best to have a look at it sooner rather than later. And my fuel consumption seems really crap atm
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
you'll smell it slightly if its hanging around - if its pouring out on the road you'll get a whiff and lose fuel everywhere
 
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