[spadpilot]

I'll apologize to the forum in advance if this is an old topic. I'm a new member and still learning how to navigate. I just bought a euro spec 73 GTV at an auction and am so happy they've asked me to leave the building. The only problem is the overwhelming gas fumes coming from the trunk area.

There was a rubber tube running from the overflow on the filler neck through a hole in the truck floor. After removing the truck mats and the foam thingie over the sender, I found a tubing elbow with a plugged rubber tube attached. The plug was removed and the tube from the filler neck was attached to the tank.

Further inspection reveals that the tank is from a 74 GTV (Spica?). I understand that the F.I. models did not have a vented tank. True?

At this point, I still have strong gas fumes immanating from the trunk area. Any opinions out there?

Best,
Spadpilot

73 105.21
08 Corvette

 

[ducatibruce]

We don't get SPICAs here so I don't know about their tanks.
But on Euro spec the drain from the filler neck/overflow boot should go through the floor & drain onto the ground. The fuel tank is vented to atmosphere with a tube just under the cap on the filler neck (here anyway, the US tended to have extra emission stuff).

If you have connected the filler overflow to a tank vent (which it sounds like) then you're likely to get water running into the tank whenever it rains or you wash the car.

If there's a vent up near the filler cap I'd block up the tank vent. If there's no vent on the filler neck I'd probably extend the tank vent up to the filler neck/cap or higher. Or fit a vented cap.

An unvented tank will cause fuel starvation as fuel is sucked from the tank creating a partial vacuum. It might also cause fumes in hot weather as fuel in the tank expands & perhaps choses to escape around the fuel gauge sender.

105s do tend to have a bit of a petrol aroma in the cabin, but if the tank is sealed & only vented outside the bodywork it shouldn't be especially noticeable.

 

[jcslocum]

Take a look at the Spider FAQ we have at the top of the Spider forum. These cars share many parts and systems, so they may very likely be identical. Check out post #3

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/spider-1966-up/85437-spider-technical-faq-digest.html

 

[dmericas]

After removing the truck mats and the foam thingie over the sender, I found a tubing elbow with a plugged rubber tube attached. The plug was removed and the tube from the filler neck was attached to the tank.

When I replaced the sender on my 1974 Spica 2000 GTV, the only part available had an extra L-shaped tube coming out of the top which was not on my original sender. I think it's a vent. I put a rubber cap on it. Sure sounds similar to the tubing elbow you mentioned.

Also, FWIW, there has been a faint fuel odor in the trunk of my car since I bought it 10 years ago. All of the hoses appear sound, and I've never been able to figure it out. I've suspected it has something to do with the Spica system vapor canister thingie in the trunk.

 

[eedneco]

Another nearby source of fuel fumes in a Spica trunk (or I suppose a carb'ed car too) is a damaged seal on the tank cap. If the tank cap allows fuel sloshing to leak out on right hand turns you'll end up with gas into the trunk and subsequent stink... At least this happened to me, with my old and a bit grotty rubber boot for the fuel filler area, which is loose around the neck of the fuel tank and doesn't stop any leaks out of the tank opening from getting into the trunk. I don't know if a new rubber boot would really seal tightly around the tank neck, but somehow I doubt it.
But for sure get all the spica vapour recovery and condensate equipment in place, that's a start.
I should say that I've had issues with the tank cap seal for a while. My tank has the threaded cap rather than bayonet style, and the male thread on the tank neck is a separate piece tackwelded onto the neck. I have been suspecting that it's not really square to the neck, and I've also seen that it could leak between the neck and the piece with the threads. I've added loctite 290 green into that joint in an attempt to seal it.
Just a few notes from what I've seen.
Regards
Neil