The BX came with an inherent problem in that when filling with diesel, pints of the precious stuff spewed onto the floor. This happens when actually filling up, if you have say ¼ of a tank, and put another £15.00 worth in, there’s no leakage.
My first port of call when trying to solve this problem was the supplementary tank in the filler neck. As I may have mentioned it was kind of hanging off, and had been “secured” by a previous owner with some rope. We removed this unit, and found that someone had been there before (missing clips etc) and replaced all hose clips with new ones before fitting the tank correctly. I thought that had solved it. But filling up on Tuesday, diesel all over the deck again (bloke in local Texaco has bucket of sand ready when he sees me draw up now!)
This leaves me a bit perplexed. The fact that diesel is only lost when the tank is quite full seems to suggest diesel being lost out of the top somehow. From memory, there’s a tank breather at the top of the tank on the LH side (which I also recall is bloody impossible to get to!). Maybe that’s loose or split?
The only other wildcard, maybe someone has had the tank sender out, and cross-threaded or not done up the big plastic fastening? I’m clutching at straws really. I’ll certainly investigate that aspect over the weekend.
If anyone has any other valid comments, I’d be really grateful.
BX Fuel tank problem
Moderator: RichardW
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Kowalski
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Does the spillage only happens while you're filling the tank or does it continue to splill as you drive the car along?
If it was a breather or sender it would probably spill as you drive. If it was a filler neck problem it would most probably only leak whilst being filled.
You're probably not really going to know for sure until you get the tank and hoses off and have a good look at the lot of them.
If it was a breather or sender it would probably spill as you drive. If it was a filler neck problem it would most probably only leak whilst being filled.
You're probably not really going to know for sure until you get the tank and hoses off and have a good look at the lot of them.
I had a similar problem on our ZX when I bought it, although the leakage wasn't as dramatic as yours. I eventualy found it was a breather in an innacessible position - although i could just see it. i didn't fancy dropping the tank so I cut a hole in the floor under the back seat and repaired it through that.
The problem is that the tank is just under the boot floor and the question is how not to damage it. I cut the hole using a hand nibbler (http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.as ... 2077&g=111 ) which does not project far below the work and is blunt. I started it with a hole and had some depth there but could have drilled through a lump of wood to act as a depth stop.
Having done the job I made a steel plate to cover the hole and painted and sealed it with seam sealer. I used a depth stop when drilling (block of wood might even be better and more re-assuring that it wouldn't slip!) and fastened the plate down with short pop rivets (which have a blunt end).
On looking at Haynes I see that there is a pipe running from the nearside top of the tank to the filler. This looks as though it is probably the culprit unless something is visible through the 2 floor hatches.
From memory a pair of seals for the tank for the ZX were less that £10 from Citroen. I went to fit the gauge unit one and realised that there was nothing wrong with the old one and thought Oh . . . .!
Jeremy
The problem is that the tank is just under the boot floor and the question is how not to damage it. I cut the hole using a hand nibbler (http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.as ... 2077&g=111 ) which does not project far below the work and is blunt. I started it with a hole and had some depth there but could have drilled through a lump of wood to act as a depth stop.
Having done the job I made a steel plate to cover the hole and painted and sealed it with seam sealer. I used a depth stop when drilling (block of wood might even be better and more re-assuring that it wouldn't slip!) and fastened the plate down with short pop rivets (which have a blunt end).
On looking at Haynes I see that there is a pipe running from the nearside top of the tank to the filler. This looks as though it is probably the culprit unless something is visible through the 2 floor hatches.
From memory a pair of seals for the tank for the ZX were less that £10 from Citroen. I went to fit the gauge unit one and realised that there was nothing wrong with the old one and thought Oh . . . .!
Jeremy
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Jon
Anders
Jon's BX has the additional tank in the rear wheel arch. This is joined to the main tank with a large diameter hose which goes into the rear edge of the main tank at the bottom. The top of the additional tank is just below the filler.
Apart from giving about 12 litres more capacity it gives a fuel gauge which reads much higher as the rear of the car rises when about half full. This tank was fitted to GTi's, 16 valves and the turbo-diesel and posibly others and is angled so that all the fuel doesn't run into it and away from the pickup when starting with the suspension down! (wouldn't want to try it parked on a steep slope!)
Jon's BX has the additional tank in the rear wheel arch. This is joined to the main tank with a large diameter hose which goes into the rear edge of the main tank at the bottom. The top of the additional tank is just below the filler.
Apart from giving about 12 litres more capacity it gives a fuel gauge which reads much higher as the rear of the car rises when about half full. This tank was fitted to GTi's, 16 valves and the turbo-diesel and posibly others and is angled so that all the fuel doesn't run into it and away from the pickup when starting with the suspension down! (wouldn't want to try it parked on a steep slope!)
Just a thought, Jon - if it's legal and the garage will agree, perhaps you could pre-prepare the car, take it along at a not very busy time, remove the sender, and fill up cautiously via the sender opening under the r/h back seat. You will of course need to allow time to drain the sender and have something to put it on/in that won't mind absorbing/catching a bit of diesel.
Obviously, diesel being what it is, this requires some care.
That way you'll be able to rule the filler assembly in or out of the equation. I have ended up with diesel leaking from the top of the tank once on a BX (i.e. from the sender location opening ), but can't remember the exact circumstances. Given what you say it does sound like the top of the tank at fault, or a problem when filler back-up occurs.
Obviously, diesel being what it is, this requires some care.
That way you'll be able to rule the filler assembly in or out of the equation. I have ended up with diesel leaking from the top of the tank once on a BX (i.e. from the sender location opening ), but can't remember the exact circumstances. Given what you say it does sound like the top of the tank at fault, or a problem when filler back-up occurs.