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Fuel tank leaking fuel

Jono.Mc.

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Hi all.
Hoping to get some advice. My health is not what it used to be, so I was unable to be with my son to check out this car.
My second son purchased a low km yellow ve series ii sv6 with the lfx engine in immaculate condition inside and out. No tears, chips, fade basically like it would be from factory.
When he got home, I found some issues with it.

#1. The brake pedal pulsated when pressure was applied.

#2. The engine oil smelt like raw fuel.

#3. Bad smell of fuel around the right rear wheel

#4. I found all the signs of a massive rear damage fix being, new lights, spoiler, boot, rear windscreen, left and rear quarter panels, boot lining, wheel well etc etc.

So 1, 2 and 4 were easy fixes and were,
Front brake pads were installed around the wrong way causing the nipples on the pads to rock and resulted in 2 damaged rotors.
Replaced fuel injectors after finding one was stuck open and revealing one almost completely closed up due to a gorilla lining up an injector in a hole.

Now here is where I'm at wits end. Car has no engine codes. I dived into the history of the car and found a crap load of codes from about 2 years ago, being obviously when it had a rear end hit and yep, the air bags went off which explains the new steering wheel and side panels.
As per the picture you will see what we found.
Given the color of the yellow plastic of the pump says this has been happening for a while.

a1.jpg


Around the sender of the main pump is a lovely dam of fuel and a nice calming slow waterfall of fuel going down the right side of the tank.
Keeping in mind how much was replace due to some sort or rear collision we started with doing the following in this order.

#1. Removed the fuel tank and inspected the underside of the car having with me my eldest son who is a panel beater who was dumb founded by how much was replaced and the car not written off (this was checked before purchased)
Replaced the "Y" fuel line from the sender on top of the tank and also the "O" ring on the fuel pump. Within the week leaking fuel again.

#2. Removed fuel tank again. Inspected the metal flange around the pump for level and cracks. Tighten the fingers around the metal plate holding down the pump forcing more pressure on the "O" ring. Filled up the tank and stood it on its side for 2 hours, no leaks.
Put it all back together. Within a week leaking fuel again.

#3. Purchased a complete setup of tank, pumps, lines, wiring and charcoal cannister. got under the car with a trolley jack and a carefully cut pieces of hard wood. Lined up where the fuel pump is and raised just that section of floor about 4mm. Filled the new tank with fuel and sat it on its side for nearly 3 hours with no leaks, cleaned it out and installed. Yep, leaked again.

Rang a lot of mechanics for suggestions and all were dumb founded and admitted that was all they would do. Found a really helpful guy at Veloce Automotive who name has slipped my mind but said he was a mechanic with the holden racing team when the ve commodores first arrived.
After a good long brain overflowing with knowledge chat, he came to the conclusion the fuel rail and fuel vapor line from the rear of the car to the engine bay must have crap in it from when it sat at the penal beaters with no fuel tank in it and nothing covering the fuel line.

So I think I covered everything that we did. There is no pressure at the fuel cap. Only leaks when running. Suspecting to much fuel pressure in the line from the sender to the engine bay as also when it gets bad there is a hint of fuel at the joins near the brake booster.
Possible faulty purge valve but again no codes.

So, I'm open to suggestions and no, my son won't sell the car, because he is determined to fix it.
 

Fu Manchu

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The fuel in the oil is an easy one. Replace the high pressure fuel pump on the back of the engine. Fuel will be leaking from that into the engine oil.

As for the low pressure pump at the tank, if you could cut an inspection hole under the rear seat (Many have done this) and fab a cover panel you could have the tank in, start the car and physically see where the leak is. (The early VE’s had one and it was deleted in later series 1.)

I’m going to guess it’s from the fuel line. But it’s a guess. The little o-ring in the fitting might be rooted.
 

Jono.Mc.

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The fuel in the oil is an easy one. Replace the high pressure fuel pump on the back of the engine. Fuel will be leaking from that into the engine oil.

As for the low pressure pump at the tank, if you could cut an inspection hole under the rear seat (Many have done this) and fab a cover panel you could have the tank in, start the car and physically see where the leak is. (The early VE’s had one and it was deleted in later series 1.)

I’m going to guess it’s from the fuel line. But it’s a guess. The little o-ring in the fitting might be rooted.
Hi thanks for your input. The engine side is sorted, new injectors, cleaned rails, checked all connections and hoses, checked high pressure pump for leaks and all new gaskets. Cleaned the ports and manifold. Dejunked the throttle body (it was an easy 10mm thick all around and inside the manifold) then topped it off with a fuel relearn. Runs like a dream, doesn't miss a beat.
Quick funny story. The previous owners said that they only take it to said professional Nissan dealership at said location. Well, they left their last invoice in the glove box where they got it serviced 1 week ago before the purchase being oil, oil filter ($355), injector clean ($250) and throttle body cleaned ($210). Can you guess how hard I laughed when I saw it but then became pretty annoyed that they took this guy for a ride....f#@$%n said Nissan dealership.

He just did his second oil and oil filter change after a week and the was next to no fuel odor in the oil so safe t say caught that one with an upside of it should be pretty darn clean on the inside.

I heard the earlier ve commodores had a bad fitted "O" ring and splitting tanks. The one strap across the tank which was fast addressed to 2 straps and a thicker walled tank. Just learned that yesterday talking to the Mechanic from the workshop in Melbourne that I mentioned above.
Funny enough (great minds think alike) I just reached out to V8GURU in the states about their kit to make a removable cover above the tank.
Kicking myself for not fitting a thicker "O" ring in the fuel line but when you buy new at $220 it becomes an easy oversite. But defiantly will be fitting another "O" ring as you have said when the tank inevitably comes out again.
Thanks mate.
Have a great one.
 

Fu Manchu

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Hi thanks for your input. The engine side is sorted, new injectors, cleaned rails, checked all connections and hoses, checked high pressure pump for leaks and all new gaskets. Cleaned the ports and manifold. Dejunked the throttle body (it was an easy 10mm thick all around and inside the manifold) then topped it off with a fuel relearn. Runs like a dream, doesn't miss a beat.
Quick funny story. The previous owners said that they only take it to said professional Nissan dealership at said location. Well, they left their last invoice in the glove box where they got it serviced 1 week ago before the purchase being oil, oil filter ($355), injector clean ($250) and throttle body cleaned ($210). Can you guess how hard I laughed when I saw it but then became pretty annoyed that they took this guy for a ride....f#@$%n said Nissan dealership.

He just did his second oil and oil filter change after a week and the was next to no fuel odor in the oil so safe t say caught that one with an upside of it should be pretty darn clean on the inside.

I heard the earlier ve commodores had a bad fitted "O" ring and splitting tanks. The one strap across the tank which was fast addressed to 2 straps and a thicker walled tank. Just learned that yesterday talking to the Mechanic from the workshop in Melbourne that I mentioned above.
Funny enough (great minds think alike) I just reached out to V8GURU in the states about their kit to make a removable cover above the tank.
Kicking myself for not fitting a thicker "O" ring in the fuel line but when you buy new at $220 it becomes an easy oversite. But defiantly will be fitting another "O" ring as you have said when the tank inevitably comes out again.
Thanks mate.
Have a great one.
I’ve never read a thing in all the years on here about split VE tanks and pump o-rings. I’ve been on here since 2006. Be wary of hearsay.

If it was the o-ring it would leak when you test it.

Make sure the EVAP is working properly. That might be pressurising the tank a bit. Or a faulty cap. Then you are seeing abnormal fuel leaks as a result. Would explain why it’s fine until it’s running. The canister might be rooted. The evap solenoid might have been stuffed.

Also, maybe someone added fuel to the oil before you bought it?? An odd one but possible.

I’ve bought aftermarket o-rings that didn’t fit properly before, considering the smash, they may have fitted a cheap one. So if replacing the o-ring, buy genuine. Peter Page Holden is an excellent place to buy over the phone and they can post it. Or go to one near you.
 

chrisp

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Hi thanks for your input. The engine side is sorted, new injectors, cleaned rails, checked all connections and hoses, checked high pressure pump for leaks and all new gaskets. Cleaned the ports and manifold. Dejunked the throttle body (it was an easy 10mm thick all around and inside the manifold) then topped it off with a fuel relearn. Runs like a dream, doesn't miss a beat.
Quick funny story. The previous owners said that they only take it to said professional Nissan dealership at said location. Well, they left their last invoice in the glove box where they got it serviced 1 week ago before the purchase being oil, oil filter ($355), injector clean ($250) and throttle body cleaned ($210). Can you guess how hard I laughed when I saw it but then became pretty annoyed that they took this guy for a ride....f#@$%n said Nissan dealership.

He just did his second oil and oil filter change after a week and the was next to no fuel odor in the oil so safe t say caught that one with an upside of it should be pretty darn clean on the inside.

I heard the earlier ve commodores had a bad fitted "O" ring and splitting tanks. The one strap across the tank which was fast addressed to 2 straps and a thicker walled tank. Just learned that yesterday talking to the Mechanic from the workshop in Melbourne that I mentioned above.
Funny enough (great minds think alike) I just reached out to V8GURU in the states about their kit to make a removable cover above the tank.
Kicking myself for not fitting a thicker "O" ring in the fuel line but when you buy new at $220 it becomes an easy oversite. But defiantly will be fitting another "O" ring as you have said when the tank inevitably comes out again.
Thanks mate.
Have a great one.

There is someone locally (in Australia) making a cover for the VE fuel pump. Message me if you want his contact details.
 
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Jono.Mc.

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I’ve never read a thing in all the years on here about split VE tanks and pump o-rings. I’ve been on here since 2006. Be wary of hearsay.

If it was the o-ring it would leak when you test it.

Make sure the EVAP is working properly. That might be pressurising the tank a bit. Or a faulty cap. Then you are seeing abnormal fuel leaks as a result. Would explain why it’s fine until it’s running. The canister might be rooted. The evap solenoid might have been stuffed.

Also, maybe someone added fuel to the oil before you bought it?? An odd one but possible.

I’ve bought aftermarket o-rings that didn’t fit properly before, considering the smash, they may have fitted a cheap one. So if replacing the o-ring, buy genuine. Peter Page Holden is an excellent place to buy over the phone and they can post it. Or go to one near you.
Got a friend of mine to test the injectors and Number 1 was stuck open and number 3 was down to 13% flow. Looked like it was just jammed in. Someone a while ago had ago at it.
Going to retest the fuel pressure this weekend if my test kit and tech computer gets returned. Defiantly will be checking the solenoid and so far, have only been using genuine O-rings from holden in Campbelltown. (wrote it right that time lol).

Strongly leaning to say it's the fitting at the pump and it's trying to leak at the other end of the fuel line, or the valve is not opening to release the vapor from the canister.

the car went for a very short drive today, so soon as it got back, I checked the fuel cap to see if it would basically fart at me as I undid it which it didn't. No pressure there and no smell of fuel around it when it's been closed.

I'm sorry I've missed saying all this at the beginning my memory is going on me. This is good cause its reminding me of what I've done and what you are suggesting to check.

So, in calabs with you I will test the fuel and vapor line for blockage. Test the solenoid and then if that doesn't come up with anything I'll tell its nothing but a Ford lol. Bu I can't say that to loud I owned 2 of them and people ask me why so I reply with because I couldn't afford a real car thats a Holden until I got my hands on a VL Calais turbo manual and tweaked the hell out of it but that be another story.
Thanks again.
 
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vc commodore

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There is someone locally (in Australia) making a cover for the VE fuel pump. Message me if you want his contact details.

Why not let everyone know, instead of keeping it a guarded secret that way? I'm sure everyone on here with a VE would love to know
 

Lex

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chrisp

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Why not let everyone know, instead of keeping it a guarded secret that way? I'm sure everyone on here with a VE would love to know

The fellow posted here a while back and his posts got removed as advertising. I only have his first name and mobile number and I thought I shouldn’t post a mobile number on the open forum.

However, I did purchase a cover from him and transferred funds. He contacted me and pointed out that while the VE cover will work on a VF with modifications, he said that he is looking in to making a VF version. Anyway, long story short, he refunded me until he works out if the VF one will go in to production.
 
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chrisp

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I just had a look at my correspondence with the fellow who makes and sells the fuel pump covers locally. They were $220 each (inc post) at the time (August 2024). They are CNC machined aluminium and are very similar to the G8 ones that are sometimes available from the states.

However, they are shaped to fit the VE floorpan. Apparently the VF has minor differences so the kit isn’t a perfect fit to the VF. However, I have been told that the VE version will still work in the VF once a few areas of the floorpan in the VF are reshaped a bit.

I was just purchasing one to have it on-hand. The maker/seller said that he is considering making a VF specific one so I held off on the purchase (and got a refund on the VE one).

I’m happy to send the name and phone number to any interested members so they can contact the maker/seller directly so they can confirm price and availability.
 
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