Low MPG and smell of petrol

[orangemuffin]

Now I am driving the 8v I just cant get the thing over 30.1 mpg and I always have a whiff of petrol around. Especially in the mornings when its cold.

The engine is spotless, no oil drops or visible drops of petrol.

Ive reset the ECU again last night but again still no joy. It had a service about 4k ago and had the boost vale (yes I know) taken off which I was hoping would solve it but it doesn’t seem to have helped.

Any idea’s guys ?

Fuel filter ?

One thing I will say is that it doesn’t heat up to half way unless I am in traffic but as soon as I get going it drops again.

 

[suj]

i got the same mate, mine is definitely a leaking fuel filter (its only little drops) but still adds up, need to get it up and looked at (it's on the back by the rear axle mate if you wanna check)

but when its warm its fine? don't you love mk2's lol

PS cannot believe you sold ya vavler i so wanted it! hope it went to a good home!

 

[andycupra]

id say the smell of petrol is likely to be the fuel filter leaking.
Under the car, not expensive or difficult to do, (one you work out how to remove the pipes)

 

[CraigW]

Now I am driving the 8v I just cant get the thing over 30.1 mpg and I always have a whiff of petrol around. Especially in the mornings when its cold.

The engine is spotless, no oil drops or visible drops of petrol.

Ive reset the ECU again last night but again still no joy. It had a service about 4k ago and had the boost vale (yes I know) taken off which I was hoping would solve it but it doesn’t seem to have helped.

Any idea’s guys ?

Fuel filter ?

One thing I will say is that it doesn’t heat up to half way unless I am in traffic but as soon as I get going it drops again.

Mine is like that since I changed my thermostat the other week when I had to do a coolant refill and change my coolant tank.

 

[orangemuffin]

Problem sorted....i think

been to sunny wales today to look at a vento and before i went reset the ECU for a 4rd time....

On the motorway hit a whopping 53.1 mpg and on the a's it held at 43......not bad and did the whole 260 mile trip on £25.


**the vento was dog sh!t and VERY badly advertised**

 

[CraigW]

Problem sorted....i think

been to sunny wales today to look at a vento and before i went reset the ECU for a 4rd time....

On the motorway hit a whopping 53.1 mpg and on the a's it held at 43......not bad and did the whole 260 mile trip on £25.


**the vento was dog sh!t and VERY badly advertised**

That good to hear mate that you have got it fixed. Is the temp gauge still not moving very much?

 

[16vLeroy]

My fuel smell was coming from the short lengths of rubber house going from the main plastic fuel lines to the fuel rail. Replaced these, and some breather hoses, and smell was gone!! Simples...

 

[orangemuffin]

My fuel smell was coming from the short lengths of rubber house going from the main plastic fuel lines to the fuel rail. Replaced these, and some breather hoses, and smell was gone!! Simples...

in time ill get to replace all these.....Need to show my 8v some love.

 

[orangemuffin]

That good to hear mate that you have got it fixed. Is the temp gauge still not moving very much?

nah craig...still not getting to half way.

Going to buy a fuel filter and replace some other bits as for now the 8v is my hack.

 

[andycupra]

orangemuffin, what did you do to 'solve it' - just the ecu reset?

 

[orangemuffin]

orangemuffin, what did you do to 'solve it' - just the ecu reset?

re set the ecu 4 times by disconecting the battery for 30 mins. It seemed to get a bit better every time but it seems to be okay now and the fuel smell has lifted which makes me thing it was over fueling...hence the low MPG.

Ive just been out in it today and took it for a run, did some burts of speed then some steady driving on 40 mph in 5th and the MPG is moving up and down but its up around the 41's and 42's at the moment.

 

[Cupra Kid]

Well done mate sounds like your getting the kinda economy i'm loving right now

One thing i would say is check all the breather pipes and the fuel lines that come up the inside of the drivers side wing, both of these having holes in them gave me shite economy when i had the 16v

 

[orangemuffin]

will do..

I AM LOVING having the 8v back in my life as a daily !!

 

[Bentley1989]

ive had this smell a while now and ive had bad mpg for ages!

does anyone know how much it costs for these fuel pipes? and if its a dealer special?

 

[Cupra Kid]

does anyone know how much it costs for these fuel pipes? and if its a dealer special?

Bot too bad,y ou just buy it in lengths and replace as necesscary. If it smells like burnt fumes though i'd check you breathers first, especially the oil one as this is what it was on our 1.4

 

[Bentley1989]

its not a burnt smell, just smells like im in a petrol station constantly haha

well im kinda used to it now so i dont realise it, but sometimes is comes on real strong, and my mate always says he loves being in my car cos he loves the smell lol

 

[Cupra Kid]

its not a burnt smell, just smells like im in a petrol station constantly haha

well im kinda used to it now so i dont realise it, but sometimes is comes on real strong, and my mate always says he loves being in my car cos he loves the smell lol

You've got a fuel leak bet ya its the pipes that come up the drivers wing.

Always bloody is

 

[r1k1]

ive got a similar problem with the 1.4 i usually have to fill up to half a tank every 2 days!! but i cant find any leaks at the moment its averaging around 22.5 to mpg any ideas on what it could be???

 

[Bentley1989]

thats the ones that go into the cylinder thing at the front just under the headlight isnt it? then they travel up and if i can remember around where the suspension is?

 

[bumblebeebuzz]

my car also loves slurping the juice !! 20mpg average. but i have no smells of petrol.. i'm guna tryin resettin the ECU .