Hi everyone. I have done over 2k miles in my prototype bay since I got it running properly back in June without any issues until now. I drove it up to Croyde the other day and when I got home I noticed a smell of fuel when we got out of it. Upon opening the fuel flap I notice a puddle of fuel in the bottom of the fuel flap aperture. The Early’s have a different fuel tank breather set up than the late bays. Am I right in thinking the breather pipe exits in here below the filler cap? What would cause it to push fuel out? Is it just a case of blowing it out with an airline to fix the problem?
Is the cap seal ok? I wouldn’t use compressed air down the breather as it might dislodge a breather hose behind the fire wall.
It might be a silly thing like the seal on the filler cap is not perfect and its acting as a one way valve, so as fuel in a full tank slops from side to side it sucks in air that then blows out of the breather with fuel mixed with it. Maybe why the breather system got changed to the more complex twin breather going to the centre line of the engine bay in the Late Bay.
If it's any help, my 68 never ever did this and I brimmed it all the time plus it had a fast engine, was lowered so it cornered well and I drove it like a nutter. All that taken into account I'd be surprised if it wasn't your cap seal.
are your breathers connected to the condensing loops up the rear vents? I`m wondering if not then it might be petrol coming up the breathers? i only ask as my loops were rusted to hell/disconnected when i got the van. my van with a leaky fuel cap seal doesnt do this. but then i dont brim it at all (as the petrol came out fractured filler tube .... until recently when i fixed it)
