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Triumph TR6 - Gas Fumes in the Trunk

Is it normal to smell gas in the trunk area? I had my tank replaced due to rust on the inside but I am smelling gas fumes all the time with the "new" one.
There are no visible leaks nor can I feel anything wet and smell gas on my fingers when I feel around. Is this a characteristic of the car I need to live with?

Ken

BTW, I cannot orient my fuel filler cap correctly (opening from the rear) without the trunk (boot) lid hitting it when I open it. I have adjusted the trunk hinges under the trunk lid but unless I pull the lid back so far that the gap is odd between it and the rear deck behind the top the lid collides and chips paint. Any thoughts?
Ken Shaddock

Hi Ken,

I would say no.. it's not normal to smell gas. It's possible that when they took the old tank out some raw gas may have spilled inside the car and perhaps saturated some interior fabric... Just an idea. I think if you remove the rear interior panel inside the car you'll see the gas tank.. feel and smell around there for some wet or previously wet fabric.

My filler cap opens from the side. I don't recall any opening from the rear. It looks like if I turned mine to open from the rear it would be hit by the trunk lid. I may be wrong but I think there supposed to open from the side.

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Ken,

I looked at a few pictures of cars and most had the filler caps opening sideways.. A couple of illustrations in parts books shows them opening from the rear but the caps look smaller than mine. Somebody may know better..

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Mine opens from the drivers side, if it opens from the rear the lid will hit it
Charlie
Charlie B.

I too have seen pics in "coffee table" books on TR6's with the cap opening from the rear... none from the side though. However, from the side it will be for me Henry / Charlie. Now to fix the chips I put in my perfect paint... alas. I can be a clutz at times.

Fumes: I can see the tank from the trunk point of view Henry since I do not have a new panel/liner lit installed as yet and have felt around with my hands but the leak may be subtle (more of a slow seep) so I'll use tissue or something else to find it. May have to pull it and have it treated. Oh joy.

Not sure if Michigan is getting the weather Charlie and I are Henry but it has been a real bonus. Fall color leaves, warm temps, clean roads, blue skies... the top is staying down for a while yet! Car's in for an appraisal this morning after a beautiful drive on back roads. An Ontario requirement for license and registration... more about collecting sales tax than anything else.

Cheers,

Ken
Ken Shaddock

My '69 has the magnetic cap, with no mechanical catch and opens from the rear. Perhaps these are the rear opening ones you have seen in pictures. I used to get gas fumes in the trunk and it was loose clamps on the filler tube. But this was only on fillup and dissipated between fills.

Tony
A. J. Koschinsky

No not characteristic. I have been following your adventures for a bit and from what I read your
Tank may not be in right? Isn't seated.

The vent system lines and fuel filler neck are not on right? That would cause the filler to ride high.

Who did the work? They are fiddley to get hooked up right. But you sure don't want fumes Take it back right away.

Bill

Bill Brayford

Long way to return to fix. Be a fun trip though.
DON KELLY

Ken,
The cap on my 74 has to open side to side, trunk hits it if its turned any other way. I think there are three (at least?) types of caps, some earlier ones (magnetic) have a lower profile than later style.
You may have a return hose missing, or you might want to check the gasket on the tank sending unit, mine wicks enough gas thru to get a good whiff every time the trunk is opened, but never enough to create a "puddle". Pulled the tank twice to fix this, still can't get it right......I kinda like the gas smell, but it sure makes my wife mad when the clothes all smell like gas!

Bill...
Man, it's good to see your posts here again! We really missed ya!

Rod
Rod Nichols

Yes Ken.. We are having superb weather. 80 degrees today and sunny. It has been that way for over a week now and is supposed to stay for a while longer. I'm definately taking advantage with all of the outdoor toy's.

Good luck with the TR and keep us posted. Keep the questions coming too. This BB can always use some action.

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Rod,
Did you seal your sending unit opening with caulk before you tightened the bolts?
Doug Baker

Ken, I've had the same issue. I had to replace the tank about 6 weeks ago. There is a smell of gas fumes in the garage, but it is getting better. The cap has to open sideways now and it used to be able to open the other way. Also, the gas gauge isn't working properly and it did before; I put a new sending unit in.

At some point, I intend to take the tank back out where I can reach it, put the old sending unit back in, seal it, and see what happens. My thought is that the seal on the gas cap is the issue, but I just haven't had time to deal with it.

John
JL Bryan

I have the same as AJ- 69, magnetic and my recollection is it always opened from the rear. Later years were from the side and had the locking clasp.
Michael Petryschuk

Doug,
Last time through, I used Hondabond on the gasket. Shoulda done the job.
Rod
Rod Nichols

Rod, I don't know what Hondabond is, but when I removed my sending unit to clean my tank, there was a very liberal ring of caulk that effectively sealed the opening then there was also the gasket that sort of uniformly spread the caulk. I figured that when I put the unit back in the tank, I'd put a bead of caulk or gasket sealer all around before torqueing down the bolts. Just hope that my sending unit still works. How would you test it before hand?
db
Doug Baker

Doug,

If your sending unit is out of the tank you can test it quite easiky by hooking it up to a Multi-meter in the resistance (Ohm) setting. If I remember well moving the float arm should give you values between 0 and 250 Ohms.

Syl
S Demers

My sending unit works OK, but I'm thinking of having the gas tank redone over the winter. Are these sending units generaly considered reliable or should I replace it just because. As I said, it has been reliable.

Thanks

Rob
rw loftus

Rob,

I can only tell you about my experience. Mine was working fine until last summer when my fuel gauge started giving false reading. After some troubleshooting I figured out it was the sending unit, so I ordered a new one from E-bay. When I pulled the old one out the float was full of liquid but there didn't appear to be any holes as I couldn't get the liquid out??? My guess is that the ethanol in todays fuel may be able to make it's way through the molecule of the plastic float or the plastic just got old. The old SU appeared to be original to the car. The new SU worked fine for a while but shortly after the gauge started showing Empty even with a full tank. Turned out the SU float arm was stuck in the down position, knocking it with a wood stick got it to work again for a while but now it is stuck in the UP position. I have just ordered another new one, from MOSS this time and will probvably wait till the spring to install it.

Syl
S Demers

Re Hondabond: http://www.inlinefour.com/oemhoho.html

Re Fumes: I just did an adjust / reset on my filler tube clamps and retightened. I had to do a tank swap out in BC. The wire clamps were not set back into their old groves so they could have allowed some seepage. My gas cap now opens on the driver's side.

Sneaking a Peak: I have the new interior panels off of my doors for a look-see even though the car was a total resto and looks great. Very revealing. I see the original Pimento Red but no rust other than some surface stuff and a rusty latch spring. No collision damage, no welds, no repair of any sort... all looks original and solid. Very reassuring. Will spray with oil based KROWN Rust Control and grease window mechanisms before putting back the panels.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken
First off Sylvain tells you how to test a sending unit. Obviously kinda difficult if tank is still in the car.
Rob L. If it aint broke ,don't fix it. IMHO, I think the sending units are reliable. The only concern is if the float gets "saturated" with gas.

Ken, you are not the first owner to have this problem. my CRS prevents me from remembering your year of your 6. 70 and 71 had an " evaporative loss tank" located behind the driver side boot panel. This has been known to rust out and give a nice smell to the trunk. As all 71 owners will attest, our year was the most complicated year for "redirecting" fumes around the car. Generally, check all clamps for tightness. A cap that does not really seal properly I do not think will give fumes IN the boot. Make sure that all small pipes controlling fumes are in place and not missing.

Finally Mr. Bill Brayford, how the heck are you? Funny, with the thread about me it got me thinking about you and sure enough here you post to the BBS. Yes Bill you and your expertise has been missed on the BBS. Send me an e-mail to tell me what you have been up to.

Sorry about pirating your thread Ken.

Rick C
Rick Crawford

Hi Rick... nice to see you back in the BB Saddle.

My car's a 76 so no second tank. I will run a further check on lines but since resetting the position of the wire clamps on the filler tube and tightening the fuel line at the fuel pump (opposite end from the trunk I know) I smell little else but normal grease, grime and that garage man-cave smell. :)

Since re&reing the tranny cover and propeller tunnel with new gaskets and bolts the interior is fresher. That rush of air from the engine bay under the tranny cover when I put the windows down was not fun... cough cough.

Have new gaskets for the rear lights too so they'll be coming apart soon and snugged up. The design of the car and my upswept tail pipes cause some fumes to linger in the vacuum no doubt.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken
Just saw 76 on your adventure home thread. Still have not read that thread entirely. Will after I post this.

Fixing the tranny cover was probably 80% resolving the smell. All TR6s get a little smell from the upswept tail pipes.

Rick C
Rick Crawford

This thread was discussed between 24/09/2008 and 02/10/2008

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