Not so Smelly Austin

[Graham Barker]

A few days ago I asked for suggestions on reducing the petrol smell that my newly acquired Ruby was making in my garage.  It was really strong making work on the car unpleasant and even starting to invade the house.  Note that the garage temperature was in the low twenties - our present summer conditions.
I fully drained all the petrol and within a day the petrol smell had disappeared. This indicated that I did not have the problem of petrol fumes having permeated the rubber filling hose which had been encountered by one member.
I plugged the fuel tank overflow pipe following another member's suggestion.  I also replaced the drain plug washer as there was a hint of damp petrol around the drain plug.
Now with petrol in the tank again for two days - virtually no petrol smell and just the usual slight background odour of old oil that usually accompanies any old car.
Greatly relieved.
Graham.

[Peter Naulls]

Thank you for posting the solution Graham, I shall now head to the garage armed with fibre washer to see if I can cure a similar problem with mine!

[John Mason]

Graham thank you for your last post. Although you may have had a weeping drain plug it convinces me that it is the overflow pipe. When you think about things it is the equivalent to a fair sized hole in the tank. I will have to re think putting a one way valve in this pipe.

John Mason

[Ivor Hawkins]

Excellent news, posting a satisfactory solution means those searching for solution in the future will be able to find it.

[squeak]

Having refilled the tank did you restart the car? A full carby is a common source of fumes.

[Colin Morgan]

Does this mean that, if I have no petrol smell from my car, the petrol tank overflow must be blocked?  It is possible that it is blocked, as I have never checked, but I am not about to go poking anything up to find out. 

As the temperature in the garage varies, the tank will 'breathe' a little, and some of the fume-laden air above the petrol will end up in the garage to be dispersed by natural ventilation - but I cannot see it adding up to much of a volume. 

Is there generally a petrol smell close to the unsealed petrol cap - another potential route for escape?  Haven't noticed this, but again, haven't checked.

[John Mason]

Can anybody tell me where on a Ruby petrol tank is the overflow pipe and how easy is it to get to.

John Mason.

[Ilmoro]

It comes out of the top of the tank with a forward facing  90 degree bend parallel with the top of the tank, then bends again and runs in parallel with the forward facing vertical front of the tank. If you look underneath the car towards the tank, you should be able to see it. Alternatively, attempt to overfill the tank and you will see petrol pouring out of it.

Ian

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  vent pipe.jpg (Size: 57.1 KB / Downloads: 301)
  vent pipe.jpg (Size: 57.1 KB / Downloads: 301) Attached is a photo of it through the offside whhelarch (wheel removed)

[Graham Barker]

Yes, gave the car a short run. Slight petrol odour as a result but not significant compared with previous odour. 
With the overflow plugged, am trusting that the petrol tank cap is not perfectly airtight and allowing air ingress when petrol is consumed. Another member advised that this would work.

[Douglas Alderson]

An easy way to temporarily block the over flow is to use a golf tee, fits in easily and easy to pull out.