Fuel Breather Pipe issue

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jake@facewest.co.uk
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Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by jake@facewest.co.uk » 21st October 2018 - 6:38pm

Hi,

More fun and games. Had a great drive round the Yorkshire Dales yesterday,

All good but I'm getting a fuel smell in the cabin. Gets quite strong at time.

Had a look for leaks, can't find any.

Had a look at the breather pipe / fuel tank arrangement and I think this may be my issue.

Looking at pic below:

Image


Pipe A is currently not connected to anything. This runs along the top of scuttle then down to the wash bottle area and exits under the wing.

Now this should connect to something. I think it should go to the "Blanked bit" I've called on the photo, this is a (Currently blanked off) pipe which must run to the fuel filler neck.

So ideally I need a connector between the 2. Any one any ideas what part this is, or an ideal to fix it.

I guess it just needs a adapter to join the 2 size pipes. One looks about 4mm diameter, the other more like 10mm. Sorry forgot to measure. Can so tomorrow.

Any ideas as I guess this may be the casue of the fuel smell?

Close up of the blanked off bit:
Image

Thanks Jake

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purplepeter
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by purplepeter » 21st October 2018 - 9:59pm

The blanked off bit is the remains of the J shaped pipe that attaches to the filler neck https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Type-3-Fu ... 2ee404b033

Once inside the boot it connects to a reducing Tee, the big side of which goes to the tank, t'other smaller pipe vents via your smaller pipe

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purplepeter
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by purplepeter » 21st October 2018 - 10:02pm


jake@facewest.co.uk
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by jake@facewest.co.uk » 22nd October 2018 - 7:20pm

Hi Peter,

Thanks for that. Had a dig around and found a small leak under the tank, tightened the hose clip and fuel smell gone away.

I've ordered the parts to get the filler breather working again as that will help too.

Thanks

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broady_6
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by broady_6 » 23rd October 2018 - 9:23pm

Excellent! Keep us posted. Id suggest changing your fuel hose yearly. Ethanol in modern fuel perishes the rubber. If its started to leak and need nipping then its likely the rubber has split or softened. So id change all of your rubber hose for j30 r9 but make sure you get it from a reliable source as theres some dodgy remakes out there.
The sultan of swing

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937carrera
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by 937carrera » 23rd October 2018 - 11:38pm

No need to change the fuel hose yearly if it's the right stuff to begin with, buy on reputation, not specification. ('cos depending where you buy it, it might not be what someone says it is)

eg https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/brickwerks ... ssurances/

Their stuff is good for E100, much higher than R9 spec - Brickwerks have an excellent reputation in the T25 etc world and from your neck of the woods.

I bought Febi for my 412, nearly 5 years ago, disregarded anything written about spec, because I knew Febi Bilstein are OEM supplier to VW
David
1974 412LS Variant
1973 412LE 4 door Fastback / Saloon

Chino
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by Chino » 24th October 2018 - 9:26am

Glad to see you're continuing to improve the old girl Jake! I'm guessing that was the steel braided stuff underneath that had the drip? It was put on when all the tank got changed over to reinstate a late tank by Chris Gilley(originally the car came to me with an early style tank and the fuel filler flap bogged up), I was never happy with that or how the breather arrangement was left, I just never got round to improving with the other bits going on.

On the other fuel line, I spent quite a bit of money on good quality 100% Biofuel proof hose from Advanced Fluid Solutions(I think it was Codan branded), which I ran from back of the tunnel into the engine bay, so by all means check it over, but hopefully you shouldn't have any problems with the rest of it :)

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937carrera
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by 937carrera » 24th October 2018 - 11:30am

Good to see you looking after the new owner Chino :)

Don't want all that top quality fuel hose being binned
David
1974 412LS Variant
1973 412LE 4 door Fastback / Saloon

Chino
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by Chino » 24th October 2018 - 11:51am

937carrera wrote:
24th October 2018 - 11:30am
Good to see you looking after the new owner Chino :)

Don't want all that top quality fuel hose being binned
Hah I seem to spend my life fitting that stuff to every old vehicle that comes my way, I think that's the same brand hose Brickwerks supplied me with on my T25.

jake@facewest.co.uk
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by jake@facewest.co.uk » 27th October 2018 - 12:03pm

Thanks all.

I got a Breather T piece and a bit of pipe and attached that to the Fuel filler breather pipe and then the pipe that leads under the dash then down to the passenger wing and out underneath. All seems good now, and no fumes.

It is odd that this car has 2 breather exit pipes, one going to the LHS wing and the other to the RHS. Probably as it's had different fuel tanks over the years?

Anyway it all works so another job jobbed.

Photo in case any one else has to fix the same issue in future.
Image

Chino: Thanks, Fuel hoses all look good at the back.

Chino
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by Chino » 27th October 2018 - 12:25pm

I have a funny feeling the car has a mix of early and late breather setup from when it had an early fuel tank Jake, which could explain the irregularities.

jake@facewest.co.uk
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by jake@facewest.co.uk » 27th October 2018 - 3:43pm

Yes, makes sense. Well 2 fuel breathers is better than one. Bit like exhaust tailpipes, maybe It will go a bit faster.

Roads were salted here today, so I think she's had her last run this year. Now tucked up in the garage. Will come back out in March I think. I'll start her and move her around in the garage every couple of weeks.

Just discovered the battery cut off switch you fitted Will, that should help over winter.

Chino
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by Chino » 27th October 2018 - 4:09pm

jake@facewest.co.uk wrote:
27th October 2018 - 3:43pm
Yes, makes sense. Well 2 fuel breathers is better than one. Bit like exhaust tailpipes, maybe It will go a bit faster.

Roads were salted here today, so I think she's had her last run this year. Now tucked up in the garage. Will come back out in March I think. I'll start her and move her around in the garage every couple of weeks.

Just discovered the battery cut off switch you fitted Will, that should help over winter.
Haha useful isn’t it? Exactly why I put it on :)

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937carrera
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by 937carrera » 27th October 2018 - 5:08pm

My 412 has a never tightened earth strap on the battery. Almost as quick as a battery cut off.
David
1974 412LS Variant
1973 412LE 4 door Fastback / Saloon

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broady_6
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Re: Fuel Breather Pipe issue

Post by broady_6 » 27th October 2018 - 10:07pm

937carrera wrote:
27th October 2018 - 5:08pm
My 412 has a never tightened earth strap on the battery. Almost as quick as a battery cut off.
I have a 944 and Type 3 with a similar condition :lol:
The sultan of swing

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