The 'E' Type Forum

I have been having fuel spill out from below the car at the right rear when I fill the petrol tank. Can anyone advise the likely cause?

I am guessing when you say "rear right" you mean the drivers side... as you would be at the back of the car when seeing the problem.

nearside and offside are the clearer terms

I can only imagine you have a leak from one of the pipes that are attached to the fuel pump. With the filler and tank being on the nearside - there is nothing else that could leak on the off side of the car. There is also a fuel pipe union that goes through the boot bulkhead. Any of these unions might need a tweak with a spanner or replacement washers. but would leak all the time the pump is running not only when you fill the car

Overfilling the tank would result in petrol running through the overflow pipe and straight onto your feet.

If the tank had a hole in it, it would probably leak straight down through the boot floor under the tank (where the fuel pick up pipe is).

ChrisC wrote:nearside and offside are the clearer terms

Nearside and offside are misleading on an international forum, not that many people outside the UK use the terms anyway. The car has only one right and left side at all times, just like a human. Right and left are unambiguous unless you think it needs to be explained that our right arm swaps sides depending which way someone looks at us?

As to the fuel leak, my bet for a leak that only happens when full would be a leak at either of the flange gaskets on the upper tank surface, or a stripped sealing flange screw, or the fuel filler hose. One large retailer in the South East sells cooling hose for the filler neck, which swells and goes soggy when immersed in fuel. I would expect this to weep when the tank is filled to the neck, but more likely it is the gaskets. The leak will appear to come from the right side if the car is tilted that way, regardless of where it originates, because the fuel would run along the outer boot floor from whichever large or small drain hole it emerges.

I agree the most likely cause is either the fuel gauge sender unit or fuel pick up gaskets. Both are below the fuel level when the tank is above 3/4 full. Both gaskets are cheap so i would start there. personally the fuel pick up unless the sender has been out or replaced

Rob

Jaguar used 2 copper washers per screw or bolt to seal the pickup plate and sender. FWIW, I have just discovered that the vent pipes on my car had kinked. I have just slid a pipe down inside the existing to open it up.

Thanks for all the helpful tips. I did mean the offside as in the UK or right when looking from behind the car. Being checked out next week.