Having put fuel in the Viento and started it for the first time this week, I now notice that the garage has a faint sweet smell when I first open the door. Its not as bad as the smell from a fresh petrol spill and I'm putting it down to some of the more volatile components of the petrol.

I have checked everywhere for leaks, including the petrol tank seams and I can find no trace by running my finger around or looking for spots on the floor. My tank vent is a simple u-bend with a cheap petrol filter in it so maybe its vapour from this. All of my fuel lines are either metal or new R9 grade hose.

So, is this smell normal for cars like this or do I need to look harder for a leak (and if so, how)?

If a customer came to me describing a "sweet smell" it would make me think anti-freeze rather than petrol.

Agree sweet smell is normally coolant.

I went round to see Steve's car today and the smell is definitely petrol. There's no coolant in it. The smell disappears when the garage doors been opened. Could petrol be evaporating from the roll over pipe?

Hi
I would lay money its the breather vent
Fit one of these one way valves, under a fiver
not including the filter
Job done.


Tank breather & non return valve

good luck.

I may have confused things by describing it as a sweet smell. I guess that I was trying to say that its not the usual strong, almost over powering, petrol smell that you associate with a proper leak in a confined space.

I'll block off the breather vent for a couple of days and see if it goes away (whilst remembering not to run the car).

With regard to fitting a cheap one way valve, I was under the impression from other posts on here that I could not do that because I'm running an injection system so air has to get both in and out.

Yep
We are running carbs so not a problem.

I put a clamp on the vent pipe and left it for a couple of days and the smell went away. Good news as it means that I don't have to look for a leak that would be hard to find.

I guess that I have three options now

i) I could put a restricted hole onto the end of the pipe slow the release of vapour but would still work for pressure relief
ii) I could continue to do what I did. i.e. put a clamp on it when I'm not using the car. I would probably also need a sign to leave on the drivers seat so that I don't forget that its there!
iii) just live with the smell in the garage

Is there a more elegant (and low cost) solution to this?

Try putting a long / longer pipe on the breather and putting two or three coils in it that's what i have and it's never smelt of petrol
it maybe worth a try
Jacko

If you're on injection then you really need a 2-way breather valve. It allow for expansion of gasses as well as letting air in as fuel is used but won't let fuel out. Merlin sell
THIS ONE but it isn't cheap... but neither are skin grafts to cover the burns.