Technical 2004 1.1 petrol smell at idle

[Gman88667733]

I thought I'd start a new thread as my last one became a mish-mash of a lot of different bits!

So, this issue is that after driving for 10 mins or so (not sure if it is the same when stone cold) when stopped at idle, you can smell fuel in the cabin of the car.

I have replaced the crankcase breather hose and put jubilee clips tightly on all 3 ends of the hose.

When the car is running, if I sniff around that area I can still smell fuel.

Any ideas what else I can check?
Fuel economy hasn't been too badly affected I don't think. The last tank got me 42mpg which I think is very good given the type of journeys it does.


Background about the car - it is new to us, got it a month ago. It has done 38,500 miles. Service history is non existent, it has been serviced by me very recently and will be getting fresh oil again as soon as the weather allows! I know this may not be relevant, but best to give the whole picture!

 

[midnight578]

Check the breather hose underneath the filter housing at the back isn,t split, Also refitted ..

 

[Gman88667733]

The one right in front to the throttle body?

None of that hose is split, it was a new hose one week ago. They are fitted as far on as they can and are clamped down with jubilee clips

 

[Gman88667733]

So another strange thing..
Very recently there has been quite a hot smell after driving the car, the exhaust back box (I assume) seems to be rattling a lot when revving and at idle it sometimes shudders a bit and vibrates more.
Fuel economy this tank seems diabolical, my partner says she is at just over half a tank with only 112 miles on it!!
Usually at 150 at half a tank.



Edit - if I physically shake the exhaust tip around I can hear stuff rattling around inside

Any ideas?

 

[dante giacosa]

Hey gman-

We have exactly the same car.

I would say the backbox issues might just be that a new backbox is required; it sounds like you might have had your 'money's worth'
I can't see a connection between that and your wider issue.

Furl economy I couldn't comment on yet-
The change you describe is really only a 25% difference- it could be the weather; I'm about to do 300 miles in mine tonight; I'll confirm or deny that in the morning!

It 'might' be worth giving everything a good wash over with degreasant under the bonnet. I understand that you are smelling fuel every time, as you describe, but fuel is one of those things the nose 'keys to' and it could be a residual mulch in with some greasy spot somewhere.
It might be worth ruling that out..

Keep Panda'ing !!

 

[Gman88667733]

Hey gman-

We have exactly the same car.

I would say the backbox issues might just be that a new backbox is required; it sounds like you might have had your 'money's worth'
I can't see a connection between that and your wider issue.

Furl economy I couldn't comment on yet-
The change you describe is really only a 25% difference- it could be the weather; I'm about to do 300 miles in mine tonight; I'll confirm or deny that in the morning!

It 'might' be worth giving everything a good wash over with degreasant under the bonnet. I understand that you are smelling fuel every time, as you describe, but fuel is one of those things the nose 'keys to' and it could be a residual mulch in with some greasy spot somewhere.
It might be worth ruling that out..

Keep Panda'ing !!

Thanks for that. Your fuel economy would be a good guideline!

 

[grantleyrich]

Rattling back box sounds like it is well and truly shot to me. If it has disintegrated some of the internal parts could be partially blocking the exhaust which would certainly affect performance - and economy.

 

[Gman88667733]

Rattling back box sounds like it is well and truly shot to me. If it has disintegrated some of the internal parts could be partially blocking the exhaust which would certainly affect performance - and economy.

In which case, can the back box alone be replaced? It doesn't sound particularly bad when revving most of the time, just at idle sometimes it will momentarily get louder and almost shudder and then stop, it is very strange. Can mostly hear rattling inside when shaking the tail pipe around

I'll have a fiddle at the weekend and work out what exactly is rattling.

 

[koalar]

some of the back boxes are double skinned. You will have to get underneath and check. I have cut one layer off on one car and it lasted another year or so Couldn't put up with the constant rattling.


worth starting the car and putting your hand over the end of the exhaust to make sure there isn't s hole in it already.


a hole near the O2 sensor will lead to over fuelling but doesn't normally throw a error code

 

[Gman88667733]

some of the back boxes are double skinned. You will have to get underneath and check. I have cut one layer off on one car and it lasted another year or so Couldn't put up with the constant rattling.


worth starting the car and putting your hand over the end of the exhaust to make sure there isn't s hole in it already.


a hole near the O2 sensor will lead to over fuelling but doesn't normally throw a error code

Okay, good to know. May have a quick look tonight, weather permitting!

Thanks

 

[Gman88667733]

Hey gman-

We have exactly the same car.

I would say the backbox issues might just be that a new backbox is required; it sounds like you might have had your 'money's worth'
I can't see a connection between that and your wider issue.

Furl economy I couldn't comment on yet-
The change you describe is really only a 25% difference- it could be the weather; I'm about to do 300 miles in mine tonight; I'll confirm or deny that in the morning!

It 'might' be worth giving everything a good wash over with degreasant under the bonnet. I understand that you are smelling fuel every time, as you describe, but fuel is one of those things the nose 'keys to' and it could be a residual mulch in with some greasy spot somewhere.
It might be worth ruling that out..

Keep Panda'ing !!

What was your fuel consumption like then?

In other news, the exhaust rattle can't be that bad, I wiggled the end of the exhaust this afternoon quite vigorously and it didn't rattle an awful lot, almost like a lining in the back box was moving a bit.

 

[dante giacosa]

Hey Gman-

sorry not to get back to you sooner. The last 24 hours have been exciting, partially due to the most frightening drive of my life, shortly after I was on the thread the other night.

I should NEVER have taken the Panda up the A9 in the conditions of Tuesday night. Anyway; that's another story!

two images here; the first is (as shown) at motor speeds coming up from Lincoln last week, and the second (backlit & stationary) is the consumption as I reached Inverness on Tuesday night, at somewhat more sedentary speeds.
I'm sorry I didn't get the 2nd image at bangon the half-tank; I was unable to take a hand off the wheel at that point.

 

[Gman88667733]

Thanks for that! Your first image is about the same as we get on shorter journeys mostly...
The second one is a lot more impressive. By that mileage, our fuel guage would be 2-3 chunks below where yours is. But that is with sub 10 mile journeys.