HELP - Fuel Tank Leak

[IanHighfield]

Have been advised of a smell of petrol from front of my car (never good with smell myself) [].

Looks a little damp around the tank drain nut at the rear of the tank.

I see from the manual and pelican website that I can buy a new tank screen and washer for ~$35 - am sure I can easily get it at one of the online UK stores such as design911 etc.

Has anyone had to drain their tank to do this (comments on difficulty etc.) ?

Does anyone near Stratford-upon-Avon have access to a lift / large drain tin that could help ? I will drive it until tank is nearly empty first !

If not, then I will arrange to get it done at the local garage (not a specialist job this one), but would have liked to 'up my spanner rating' if possible.

 

[3.2_fordy]

Ian you may find its not the drain plug but the tank thats leaking do a search for "fuel", Had my fuel tank repaired in 2003 and theirs been a few othere cars having the same problem

 

[Guest]

Hi Ian,
The tank on my SC started to rust through a few months after buying it. I managed to drain it slowly by removing the pipe that goes to the fuel pump and filling a petrol can at a time. This was all done in my small garage with the front of the car on axle stands. Once drained I removed the tank, which is not a difficult job. I then soft soldered it using a large electric soldering iron. This repair lasted for two years and I did the same again when it subsequently leaked. At this point I also bit the bullet and started to look at a new tank because it was obviously rusting from within and would start to cause fuel problems. I did consider a liquid sealant but the internals of the tank appear too complex for this to work effectively.

Hope this helps
Ian

 

[tripe]

It is possible to syphon the fuel out. The easiest way to get your syphon pipe (i.e. thin to medium thickness flexible pipe) into the tank is by removing the fuel level gauge (lift the carpet under the hood and look for the cable leading to the top of the tank, remove the five or six small nuts surrounding the connector and the cable can then be unplugged and the sender will then slide out). The fuel can be syphoned out (just) without jacking up the car by placing your receptacle on the ground.
Hermetite 'Red' sealant is petrol resistant and could be used to effect a temporary repair if the leak is coming from a pipe union.

 

[Guest]

Ian, I have a 12v transfer pump you can borrow if you want. Take the juice out through the tank sender aperture as Tripe says.

 

[IanHighfield]

Thanks for the offer John (and the other help guys), but I am off to put it on the ramps early next week at a small independent 'air cooled' specialist about 5 miles from me.

Can then access what to do next.

Upside, is I got to run the car for 200+ miles these last two days to drain as much fuel as I can. Now appears to have stopped weeping / leaking due to reduced pressure in tank !

Will let you know how I get on.