Fuel leak from tank

Homemade

New Member
Fuel leak from tank *intermitent/sporadic*

Hi guys from GTIROC !
Hope you guys can help me on this. I've had a fuel leak since I pulled my car out of hibernation (too mint to roll in salty roads in Canada) so its a summer car. Unfortunately, since this spring, I've been using my winter beater cuz my GTIR is leaking fuel.
It's coming from the top of the tank. On cold starts it goes from lil'droplets to a continuous leak. Went to two garages and the same story happened both times. I leak on my way there and it then stops after 30min of traveling.(estimation) One of my friends was following me and claimed that everytime I pulled off from a stop, a full cup was dropping (accumulation somewhere). Of course no one wants to bill me for dropping down the tank when they see no leaks. The leak travels down the three pipes under the car where the hoses connect to the metal lines under the car.

-I have absolutely no miss fire, or power drop.
-Because of that I decided to bypass altogether the return line. (still leaking)
-It will drip at any fuel level in tank (empty,1/4,1/2 or full tank)
-At my last trip to the garage, when no drips was found, went back home (still no drips). I let the car sleep for the night, and the next morning started the car and no drips ! Went on a 4-5 day trip with my winter beater and when I came back I started the car again and there you go....fuel leak again !
-Considering it could be the vent line not doing its job, I tried to releive pressure by opening gas cap before restarting, heard the "pissssshhhh" started the car and drips again !

Guys I'm getting locco :der:, I know the best remedy would be to drop the fuel tank but has anyone had this problem in the past ? Could it be those little black containers (valve of some sort) on the vent line ? If so, do you have the real name so I can look up the part number.
Please HELP ! Insured and platted, its getting expensive to see it sit in the driveway. At least my winter beater gobs half of the GTIR consumption.
 
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geoff pine

Well-Known Member
There's a jubilee clip on the pipe nearest the backseat its not visible as its just under the boot floor that's where mine leaked from Not that easy to get at but its never leaked since i replaced it.
 

Homemade

New Member
Thanks for fast reply.
I will continue to investigate.
Found a part # 17370 but seems incomplete on a .pdf of the GTIR shop manual.
Its on the line bringing back converted vapors to the tank. Theres a valve inside there and might be stuck. Its as small as a pill container and black. With hose on top and bottom and goes to the only non-pressurised hose (3rd one) to tank cover (no arrows on this one, I deduct its the breather line)
 

gtir_pimp

New Member
put the back seats down and take the boot carpet up. theres 4 or 5 bolts holding down a metal plate on top of the tank (as you look in the boot, top left corner).its not hard. take this off and run the car. you might be able to see where its coming from. check the round cap which 3 pipes run into as it could be slightly loose, like mine was. it was very hard to make out where it was coming from so i got a mate to sit in the boot whylst i drove it as it showed up more when hammering it!
 

Fast Guy

Moderators
Staff member
On mine it was one of the fuel lines down the front of the tank, got at from underneath the car. Exactly the same as yours, will leak to start with then stops.

I think the fuel line must dry out when the car's not in use and it leaks until the hose has got abit moist and the crack's healed up.
 
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