Check your fuel sender gasket

[CraigyB]

A friend of mine had a massive fuel leak and recommended to check the fuel sender gasket.
Whilst mine was not leaking it is perished. His car is 2003, and mine 2005.

[freebee]

also check the rubber pipe between tank and filler pipe as mine was found to be totally perished when I took the tank out recently.

[Gingerbread Man]

On this discussion. I have a petrol smell that originates from the rear after going for a drive/ filling up.

I removed the fuel sender and made up a new gasket, so I Believe that to be sound. The other day I saw a small drop back right on the floor. I'm thinking that this is from overfilling as it wouldn't be the first time I have done that. The breather pipe exits back right so it is the right area. But I've not always just filled up when I smell this petrol smell. Maybe a pipes perished, although I did have a good look just the other day.

[Evo10]

TADTS

LOL a thing of the past in general for me now

[AndySuperSport]

I believe there was a thread on BC about this once, and the rule of thumb is to immediately stop filling once the pump 'clicks' off. If you attempt to get as much in as possible, it leaks through the gasket which isn't the best seal. One of the chaps had fuel all over the top of the tank because of this.

You could always just fill it half way for less weight

[Aeroscreens]

Use Blue Hylomar (or similar) on the gasket AND on the thread of the screws/bolts that bolt the sender/gasket into the tank as the rivnuts are open-ended (unlike the rivnuts that hold the fuel pump in the side of the tank which are closed).

When touring I often fill about halfway up the filler neck and had never had so much of a whiff of fuel let alone a small leak.....

[MikeO996]

If the fuel filter was replaced at last service, is it reasonable to assume that these issues were checked at the same time?

[CraigyB]

I would say these are unlikely to be checked if changing fuel filter. Fuel filter is under the car. for this you need to take carpet up, then the aluminium plate. 6 screws all in all and 5 minutes, so dead easy to do yourself

[MikeO996]

Thanks, I'll have a look.