1991 Polo CL - petrol smell with window down

[mikeymikec]

I've taken my car in to have a quick look at for this problem but they checked all the obvious things and the problem is still there. If I am driving at say 60MPH with the window down I can smell petrol enough to the point that we try to keep the windows closed while driving. I can't smell it at all inside the car. I'm not knowledgeable when it comes to cars, I've asked on another thread for recommendations for a decent repair garage to go to as well :) On a recommendation from a more knowledgeable friend, after running the car for a good long while, I've opened the bonnet and had a good look around to see if I can see anything leaking from anywhere but I can't. I think the garage I took it to checked the air filtering system but what they did didn't make any difference. I'm trying to get this problem fixed before summer :)

[g40jon]

replace your fuel cap, they leak when they are old, esp. if you have a full tank. also check the fuel filler neck as these rust and can develop holes (if this has happene you will need a new tank) also check the breather hose in the engine bay (plugs into the botton of the airbox), as the hose can split, letting the fumes out. i doubt this will be the prob though as the fumes normally get sucked in through the heater. my money is on the fuel filler cap!

[Crasher]

As g40jon said, check the filler next, where it is soldered into the tank at its base.

[mikeymikec]

I should have mentioned that the fuel tank has already been replaced, exactly a year ago. Correct me if I'm wrong, but surely if the smell is coming from a point that is past the driver's window, I wouldn't be able to smell it when doing 60MPH? On the point of the breather pipe for the fuel tank, I've tried to get it fixed before - when filling the tank, if I were to just wait until the tank is full, normally petrol delivery ought to just stop. It does, but petrol gurgles out the hole it is being put into. Not a great deal, but enough for some to dribble on the chassis. My workaround is to only put put 25 litres in when filling up, so the dribbling doesn't happen. - edit - thanks for your replies so far!

[Crasher]

It sounds as though you have a tank venting problem which will become worse the higher the engine speed is due to greater fuel return. This could be a trapped breather or a poor quality tank. Some tanks I have been supplied with for these cars were so poor I sent them straight back.