iana Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Filled up yesterday, been sorting out a few things this morning in the boot and theres a noticable petrol smell, Ive left the boot open to vent it. Is there a breather pipe on a vitesse tank? I cant see reference to one in the catologue. Ive had a look and the pipes look ok and dry (its on my list to change but it looks OK) - perhaps I just put too much in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Hi there is no vent in the vitesse tank . Possible areas for leaking are the fuel guage sender unit though more likely the hidden exit hose at the top of the tank. This is often forgotten and worth replacing with Gates Barricade ethanol proof tubing . I chose to reroute the exit pipe so it’s easy to check plus added an inline filter and an on off switch . The Club Shop sells the tubing Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Modern petrol tends to denature old rubber, which is semipermeable to the vapour. So even if the hoses are still intact, you can get a strong fuel smell. Hoses in "R9" spec are what you need. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Don’t buy R9 from eBay as there is a lot of fake around . Got the T-shirt . Gates Barricade brand is R9 grade and the only one to buy imo Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iana Posted April 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Thanks for the replies. The rubber pipes looks relatively new rubber, they look new but they’re aren’t R9, I hadn’t realised they became semi permeable to vapour. Ill move the replacement pipes up my list of jobs todo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iana Posted April 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 I’ve found the source of the leak, it’s the fuel tap, so I’m guessing I may have overfilled the tank as I hadn’t noticed the smell before. Does it matter which way the fuel tap is angled as it’s currently at 45 degrees which seems wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Pointing to the rear is Main, forward is Reserve Repro decals available, for example from http://www.classicrepro.co.uk/Triumph.htm ST167 (no connection) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iana Posted April 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Is there anything I could put round the valve to stop the seep? Someone suggested a soap bar. Daft question as I’ve never had a car with a reserve tank, can someone explain what happens inside the tank when the lever is rotated (puzzled as it was at 45 degree when I started looking) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 the fuel tap use that description lightly is simple its a std pipe union with an olive left loose enough to allow the suction tube to rotate it may be a rubber olive if its too loose or degraded its a tank out to remove and refit a new olive its not a tap its just a curved tube that rotates to give a lower pick up level.. very simple but the union can leak with a full tank with a torch some painkillers and a slim spanner you may tighten it in situ ive never tried . pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iana Posted April 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Thanks Pete, that now makes sense why it worked at a 45 degree angle, I’ll learn my lesson about over filling the tank, I filled it to the brim this time, I’ll stop next time when it clicks off and see if that makes a difference. I’m having to re-learn all the quirks of old cars again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 I would check the olive tightness out as fuel slopps about and pongs emitt easiliy from small leaks New tanks do not have this love it hate it idea fitted just the simple union Its a std sleeve nut and may only need a nip up ....well the solution is easy, doing it ,, let us know Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68vitesse Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Bought some Codan 3123 at a show recently which Codan confirmed after several emails is suitable for upto 15% Ethanol. Can't seem to find a straight answer of how much Ethanol in super unleaded. Regards Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Esso says The majority of unleaded 95 Octane petrol sold in the UK contains up to 5% ethanol as required under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).There is currently no requirement for renewable fuel (such as ethanol) to be present in super unleaded (97 grade petrol).Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97) is ethanol free (except in Devon, Cornwall, the Teesside area and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon or Cornwall, the Teesside area or Scotland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 So buy 97 and save your hoses .....another plus for 97+fueling Too many myths not enough facts Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iana Posted April 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 3 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: I would check the olive tightness out as fuel slopps about and pongs emitt easiliy from small leaks New tanks do not have this love it hate it idea fitted just the simple union Its a std sleeve nut and may only need a nip up ....well the solution is easy, doing it ,, let us know Pete Pete Thanks for your help. Ive tried a temporary bodge for this weekend as we want to use the car. I have spent a couple of hours trying to find a detail showing how it all goes together for a proper fix - am I right in thinking its a captive threaded hole in the top of the tank, with a length of of curved pipe held in place with a brass nut? 47 is listed as nut and 48 is listed as seal. The brass nut did move when I moved the lever to the correct position so it could be loose.I cant find any refernece to this in either the workshop manual or the haynes manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 This is the clever detail never covered What the nut is made from could be brass or steel its a std, pipe sleeve nut as used on fuel and brake lines. The tube should turn in the union not turn with the nut, So its pretty clear it just loose, just needs nipping up hand tight not gorrilla graunched . Check also the short hose these can be old and leak , and suck air when pumping and let fuel out when you stop Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 I have a similar issue with my Vitesse,i run an electric pump and it starting sounding like it wasn`t pulling any fuel,i found the pickup pipe flapping about through the brass nut,and i can withdraw it easily until it hits the bodywork. I suppose the tank will have to come out. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 If the nut is part of the lever you can unhitch the lever from its quadrant and turn it to tighten Long time since I played with this as I had a new tank less the grotty tap. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iana Posted April 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2019 Pete, thanks for the explanation of how the reserve tap works, Ive had a go at tightening the nut as suggested, it was very loose, I will check later to see if the smell has gone and again tomorrow (it was certainly less noticable after I'd tightened the nut) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 19, 2019 Report Share Posted April 19, 2019 Im sure thats fixed it Its a very simple set up but likewise prone to leaking Why they felt a reserve?? Arrangement was needed on H and V we probably wont know, where Dave V when you need him Luckily its not on any others Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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