Classic Buttercup has a leak

Am I worrying about nowt, or should I start to panic.
Got back from a run yesterday and when the doris got out she said "your leaking something" meaning the Rangie, and sure enough liquid was dripping onto the ground just behind the rear right mud-flap.
Anyway, took the shopping into the house and got back to have a look, not a lot happening, just as we stopped it was about a drip every second but now nothing, though the mud-flap was wet it was I think mostly water, though there was a bit of a diesel smell to it and was a bit slippery between my fingers.

That was last thing yesterday afternoon, first thing this morning had a look and the mud-flap was dry, there was a damp patch on the inside of the rear wing around the filler hose, the small hose (vent ?) on a tee into the top of the filler hose seems dry to the touch. Took her for a 5 minute run and no change. Photos show the story so far.





This one I managed to upload upside down..............DOH

Sorry for the long post, but the more you know the better the advice I believe.

I had put fuel in an hour before, but due to the price I only filled the tank to half way.

Should I panic or just keep everything under observation?

I'd Jack the other side up then observe it.
So the fuel level is higher on the leaky side.

Seems an unusual place to leak from without having a brimmed tank, is it possibly from the other end of the breather and running down the inner wing?

If the flow stopped with the injun orft, then is it the return from the LP ?

Are the pipes "rubber" or nylon ? if rubber, I'm presuming they're getting on a bit and might be ready for replacement...?

My D1 had a fuel leak from the "rubber" tank filler pipe - couldn't see it till I took it off - it had split / perished at the top and was letting money onto the floor... I can't remember if it was fuel level dependent or not

You're not worrying about nothing either - especially given the price of the damn stuff !

frog hopper said:

Am I worrying about nowt, or should I start to panic.
Got back from a run yesterday and when the doris got out she said "your leaking something" meaning the Rangie, and sure enough liquid was dripping onto the ground just behind the rear right mud-flap.
Anyway, took the shopping into the house and got back to have a look, not a lot happening, just as we stopped it was about a drip every second but now nothing, though the mud-flap was wet it was I think mostly water, though there was a bit of a diesel smell to it and was a bit slippery between my fingers.

That was last thing yesterday afternoon, first thing this morning had a look and the mud-flap was dry, there was a damp patch on the inside of the rear wing around the filler hose, the small hose (vent ?) on a tee into the top of the filler hose seems dry to the touch. Took her for a 5 minute run and no change. Photos show the story so far.

View attachment 253701
View attachment 253702

View attachment 253703
This one I managed to upload upside down..............DOH

Sorry for the long post, but the more you know the better the advice I believe.

I had put fuel in an hour before, but due to the price I only filled the tank to half way.

Should I panic or just keep everything under observation?

Click to expand...

I would hazard a guess and say the gasket between the filler neck and tank
Degrease it and go for a run and see where it eminates from

Good point about the return.
I think the tanks are the same on my 110 as the early rangey, return is on the top of the tank.

Ha! This reminds me of my yoof abit.
Around 1984 I bought a 1.6 mk11 Capri from a local auction. When I went to drive it home the gauge said empty, fuel station right next to the auction yard so filled it up and went straight home, around 3 miles. Parked up, steep hill outside my house, nose pointing up hill. Got up to go to work the following morning and the smell of petrol was strong in the air and the full tank was empty again!
Pin hole about an inch up on the rear of the tank.

Mark Piercy said:

I would hazard a guess and say the gasket between the filler neck and tank
Degrease it and go for a run and see where it eminates from

Click to expand...

Could be wrong but I don't think there is a gasket, the flange you can see is the filler neck just behind the external filler cap.

There is a rubber pipe that connects the metal filler neck to the tank itself. Regardless of the filler location height they've all got that.
Possible that the hose has perished, the tank has a rust hole, loose hose clip or someone's cut a hole in the rubber pipe & been siphoning your diesel out!
Fuel can slosh out of the tank into this hose when cornering - and in the case of the early low level ones out of the neck and onto the road if you've forgotten to close the cap!
Don't know which filler type you've got but Lrcat shows them. Lrcat

Thanks to you all for the replies.
Right plan of action............I have no pressing need to drive it at the moment so I think I shall degrease/clean up the area, when dry, both road and wing, take her out for a run and see what happens. I don't have a problem replacing hoses etc as long as I can actually get at them. Having had another look at the photo's it is possible that the leak is from the joint of the breather to filler tube, in which case it may well be possible to braze it and seal any cracks in the joint.

I would rather repair than renew if sensible to do so.

Looks like "Norman the 90" will be going on a shopping run tomorrow then, as long as he starts that is, got a new feck off huge Exide battery arriving on Saturday for him.

frog hopper said:

Thanks to you all for the replies.
Right plan of action............I have no pressing need to drive it at the moment so I think I shall degrease/clean up the area, when dry, both road and wing, take her out for a run and see what happens. I don't have a problem replacing hoses etc as long as I can actually get at them. Having had another look at the photo's it is possible that the leak is from the joint of the breather to filler tube, in which case it may well be possible to braze it and seal any cracks in the joint.

I would rather repair than renew if sensible to do so.

Looks like "Norman the 90" will be going on a shopping run tomorrow then, as long as he starts that is, got a new feck off huge Exide battery arriving on Saturday for him.

Click to expand...

Don't forget to fully charge your new battery before fitting it.

Datatek said:

Don't forget to fully charge your new battery before fitting it.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that..............yes good advice that is often forgotten

OK, so an update, took Buttercup out for a little run today - the roads being dry - and sure enough when I parked back at home there was a slight leak of diesel dripping on the hardstanding. Had a shufti underneath and the leak is at the bottom of the opening in the wing that the filler goes through, had a look at the filler tube on the outside and it would appear that the rubber sealing ring on the fuel cap is old and stiff !! obviously some diesel has been thrown up against the cap and a little has passed and leaked down into the inner wing.

A result, I shall have a go at making a new seal from inner tubes or something, see what I have kicking about. So all in all a happy bunny.

Oh, nearly forgot, the frigging drivers window refuses to work now. good job I'm retired, I'd never have time to go to work. Bleedin vehicles, nearly as bad as Dorises.

frog hopper said:

OK, so an update, took Buttercup out for a little run today - the roads being dry - and sure enough when I parked back at home there was a slight leak of diesel dripping on the hardstanding. Had a shufti underneath and the leak is at the bottom of the opening in the wing that the filler goes through, had a look at the filler tube on the outside and it would appear that the rubber sealing ring on the fuel cap is old and stiff !! obviously some diesel has been thrown up against the cap and a little has passed and leaked down into the inner wing.

A result, I shall have a go at making a new seal from inner tubes or something, see what I have kicking about. So all in all a happy bunny.

Oh, nearly forgot, the frigging drivers window refuses to work now. good job I'm retired, I'd never have time to go to work. Bleedin vehicles, nearly as bad as Dorises.

Click to expand...

Only nearly as bad but more temperamental

Cut some silicon rubber sheet I had kicking around to replace the old rubber seal, seems to seal OK. Cleaned the diesel off the inner wing, waiting for a dry day now to try it out on the road.

frog hopper said:

Cut some silicon rubber sheet I had kicking around to replace the old rubber seal, seems to seal OK. Cleaned the diesel off the inner wing, waiting for a dry day now to try it out on the road.

Click to expand...

Some times just turning the seal over works.

I'd consider replacing the cap if it's one that's meant to seal. I'd also double check it's not the fuel return or the breather that's leaking if the cap seals as it should.

I've had the rear panel off mine in the last week and I've got no rubber seal, but don't get any diesel leaking where yours is even with spirited driving.

Mine is a 1988 (started as an EFI, swapped for a 200TDI).

It was dry today (but effin cold wind) so took Buttercup out for a drive for 20 miles, back on the hardstanding and grovelling underneath saw no signs of diesel so hopefully cured.
Just another of those things to keep an eye on, but happy bunny.