7 replies to this topic

[Calderwood]

The rubber seal that goes around the base of the fuel filler pipe onto the outside bodywork is a bit old on my car, and i think leaking small amounts of fuel when the tank is full.

Does anyone know how to replace it, both off and on? Seems pretty firmly stuck, and i dont wan't to pull it off only to not be able to get the new one on.

Thanks.

Oh, and this is the pre-1996 wider part, as is my car (1989).

[mini-luke]

The function of that seal is to stop water getting in the car, it doesn't come into contact with any fuel. The only place fuel could be leaking in that area is around the petrol cap.

[AndrewUK1990]

As luke already stated, the seal you are describing is only to stop water gettng into the boot of the car, it does not seal the tank its self. The seal should pull out easily if you need to remove it, it is shaped so that half the rubber sits outside the car which is visible and half inside, with a recess in the centre which is a slightly smaller diameter than the hole in the bodywork so that it fits snugly in place. A bit of window cleaner sprayed under the seal usually helps remove it as sometimes it can be a bit of a PITA but it is not glued into place or anything. by the way its easy to put it back in place so dont worry about that.

If you can smell/see fuel leaking then it is either the rubber seal on the petrol cap its self has perished, or the petrol neck has rusted though with small pin holes, (this has happened to me on 2 minis ive owned from 1989). I sorted it by removing the tank, rubbing down the rusted pinholed area around the filler neck and using chemical metal to seal it, then put the tank back in place.

Hope that helps!

[Calderwood]

Thanks for your help, i guess the fuel is leaking out of the cap and running down onto the seal (which is why it has spoiled i guess). So ill replace the seal and the fuel cap. If not then i guess it is the pinhole rust as andrew suggested.

[R1minimagic]

You need a vented fuel cap, you are not using a non-vented are you?

[Calderwood]

You need a vented fuel cap, you are not using a non-vented are you?

Funny you say that, i was about to ask a question about that. I wasn't sure if i needed to replace it with a vented or non vented. And that could be it actually, currently it has a cap which i'm not convinced is standard. It fits perfectly, but it's a plastic and metal thing with a plastic cap that rotates over the keyhole-not something i've seen on other mini's and certainly not other 30s. I have a feeling it could be something stolen from a different leyland car to replace the old one (it has the leyland 'L' on it), but yeh ill replace it with the standard chrome vented part.

[Calderwood]

This seems to be the right year/mk, but it's non vented, there is an earlier vented part, but apparently thats for mk1/2s? *EDIT* Sorry, forgot to add what i was refering too haha http://www.minispare...id=33983&title=

Edited by Calderwood, 03 February 2012 - 04:35 PM.

[mini1976]

One thing to add to the above posts is that the only way to remove the rubber seal that stops the water leaking into your boot is to first remover the fuel tank, it should then just pop out.

To remover the fuel tank to take the seal out;

• First make sure your tank isn't full of fuel,
• Then take the spare wheel out and disconnect and remover the battery,
• Then undo the bolt in the bottom left hand corner of the boot just in front of the fuel tank (when looking stood at the back of the car looking into the boot) that holds the fuel tank strap,
• Then unplug the wires that go to the side of the fuel tank for the fuel gauge,
• Then remover the filler cap
• You should now be able to move the fuel tank to get the filler neck inside the boot. Be careful not to move it too far though as the fuel pipe is still connected and you don't want to break the rubber hose. Once the filler cap is inside the boot, put the cap back on so you don't loose any fuel.
• You can now remover the rubber seal.

It should only take about 5 mins to do all the above.

If you actually want to take the fuel tank out there is a clamp on the fuel pipe that you will need to loosen and then take the hose off. Then put your finger over the hole in the tank while you manoeuvre it out of the boot.

Hope that helps