IN NEED OF HELP!
Discussion
Hi: Have just joined!: Have recently bought a Radical SR4; all seems fine, except for one big problem; it is losing petrol somewhere, stinking out the garage and her indoors is getting nasty.
Have tried topping it up to the top of the filler neck to check loss; needed about 150ML (about a quarter of a pint) after about 12 hours. There is no sign whatsoever of the leak that I can see anywhere; under the car or inside the car - as best as one can see. Petrol smell is strongest down the side of the drivers seat, nearest the filler cap and pipe. So, today I have spent hours taking out the seat unit and the petrol tank shroud etc - nothing - not one sign of dampness or a leak etc, all as dry as a bone! The only thing I did note is that when I blew down the breather pipe (just to check it wasn't blocked), the level in the filler pipe came up and there was some seepage underneath the flange of the filler cap surround; between the flange and the side pod glass fibre bodywork.
Do I have a problem with the filler pipe and/or the filler cap and/or the breather............or am I simply overfilling the tank? Prior to today's complete apparent waste of time, I hadn't touched it for a week and today it needed nearly two litres of petrol to bring it back up to the top of the filler pipe neck - seems a heck of a lot to me, no wonder there is a strong smell, but there was still absolutely no sign of where it is going/had gone! Incidentally, I am totally new to Radicals, so I am assuming that this stink and losing petrol even when they are simply standing still isn't something they all do!
Any suggestions/advice/similar experiences most welcome!
This problem (and her indoors) are doing my head in!
Have tried topping it up to the top of the filler neck to check loss; needed about 150ML (about a quarter of a pint) after about 12 hours. There is no sign whatsoever of the leak that I can see anywhere; under the car or inside the car - as best as one can see. Petrol smell is strongest down the side of the drivers seat, nearest the filler cap and pipe. So, today I have spent hours taking out the seat unit and the petrol tank shroud etc - nothing - not one sign of dampness or a leak etc, all as dry as a bone! The only thing I did note is that when I blew down the breather pipe (just to check it wasn't blocked), the level in the filler pipe came up and there was some seepage underneath the flange of the filler cap surround; between the flange and the side pod glass fibre bodywork.
Do I have a problem with the filler pipe and/or the filler cap and/or the breather............or am I simply overfilling the tank? Prior to today's complete apparent waste of time, I hadn't touched it for a week and today it needed nearly two litres of petrol to bring it back up to the top of the filler pipe neck - seems a heck of a lot to me, no wonder there is a strong smell, but there was still absolutely no sign of where it is going/had gone! Incidentally, I am totally new to Radicals, so I am assuming that this stink and losing petrol even when they are simply standing still isn't something they all do!
Any suggestions/advice/similar experiences most welcome!
This problem (and her indoors) are doing my head in!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=31&t=72448
The car should absolutely NOT smell of petrol you have a leak and must fix it before we read in the news about the Radical driver burnt alive...
the previous thread above should help find it. probably one of the pipes in or out of the tank.
"i found the reason why my sr3 smelt strongly of fuel when i removed the seat unit and inspected the tank/pump area and there was a loose fitting on top of the tank from the return fuel pipework from new i would argue."
The car should absolutely NOT smell of petrol you have a leak and must fix it before we read in the news about the Radical driver burnt alive...
the previous thread above should help find it. probably one of the pipes in or out of the tank.
"i found the reason why my sr3 smelt strongly of fuel when i removed the seat unit and inspected the tank/pump area and there was a loose fitting on top of the tank from the return fuel pipework from new i would argue."
Edited by k13job on Saturday 13th October 23:25
Edited by k13job on Saturday 13th October 23:28
Thanks k13job.
I have got the seat out and I have checked all the pipes and connections visible from within the 'tub'; filler pipe from filler into tank, supply and return to petrol pump, breather pipe through to exit within engine bay through a hole in the undertray. None are loose, all pipes and clips seem perfectly OK - like I said yesterday, all as 'dry as a bone'; no streaks to dust that collects on the ally tank despite the metal shroud behind the seats, no leaks or damp below the tank as best one can see.
I am more and more convinced that the problem must be inside the side pod - I suspect the actual filler itself, the problem mainfesting itself especially noticeably because the tank and therefore the filler pipe has been 100% brimmed. Do you (or anyone else) know the components parts of the filler - never having been inside the side pod, all I can see is the rivet fixed ally surround and ally cap from outside - is there an inner ally shroud that kind of 'clamps' the bodywork? Kind of two part / male & female if you know what I mean?
Very alert to the dangers of petrol and very much appreciate your concern - rest assured, neither my son nor I will not be using the car until this problem is sorted. If it leaks/evaporates/stinks like this standing still, goodness know what could happen when the system is under pressure and the car is being subjected to stress!
The pong was so bad this morning (and given her indoors) that I've this afternoon moved it out of the garage into a container - that was little more than a couple of hours ago and already the smell of petrol in the garage has completely disappeared - obviously I was correct when I said there was no sign of anything actually under the car, because that would have taken a while to clear.
Any further thoughts appreciated - anyone else had any petrol problems, particularly in the side pod?
Many thanks
I have got the seat out and I have checked all the pipes and connections visible from within the 'tub'; filler pipe from filler into tank, supply and return to petrol pump, breather pipe through to exit within engine bay through a hole in the undertray. None are loose, all pipes and clips seem perfectly OK - like I said yesterday, all as 'dry as a bone'; no streaks to dust that collects on the ally tank despite the metal shroud behind the seats, no leaks or damp below the tank as best one can see.
I am more and more convinced that the problem must be inside the side pod - I suspect the actual filler itself, the problem mainfesting itself especially noticeably because the tank and therefore the filler pipe has been 100% brimmed. Do you (or anyone else) know the components parts of the filler - never having been inside the side pod, all I can see is the rivet fixed ally surround and ally cap from outside - is there an inner ally shroud that kind of 'clamps' the bodywork? Kind of two part / male & female if you know what I mean?
Very alert to the dangers of petrol and very much appreciate your concern - rest assured, neither my son nor I will not be using the car until this problem is sorted. If it leaks/evaporates/stinks like this standing still, goodness know what could happen when the system is under pressure and the car is being subjected to stress!
The pong was so bad this morning (and given her indoors) that I've this afternoon moved it out of the garage into a container - that was little more than a couple of hours ago and already the smell of petrol in the garage has completely disappeared - obviously I was correct when I said there was no sign of anything actually under the car, because that would have taken a while to clear.
Any further thoughts appreciated - anyone else had any petrol problems, particularly in the side pod?
Many thanks
hi there. please contact derek/rob at technical@radicalsportscars.com for advice on this. this is a email address for any technical issues you may be experiencing.
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