VERY VERY low MPG and smell of fuel?
 

Well, it's payday so I filled the 1999 Turbo up today. Reset the trip meter and after a quarter of a tank of fuel,. I've traveled a whole 16.5 miles. Now I know these cars are thirsty even when you drive Miss Daisy like me but this is a bit worrying. After getting out the car this evening, I noticed a strong smell of fuel on the passenger side of the car. Do the lines run down here or are they drivers side? 16.25 litres of fuel in 16.5 miles doesn't need a calculator to work out something isn't right. Any ideas chaps on what could be causing this before I head underneath tomorrow?

Id say your fuel pipes screwed, it comes out of the bulkhead on the passenger side so you need to check the rubber pipe there (top of the bulkhead so easy to get to), my MY99 v5 STI Type R has just had the same problem, fuel pi55ing everywhere.

Tony:)

Although that's bad, it's kinda good new. Repairable myself or does the whole pipe have to be replaced?

You can replace the pipe with no issues, you just need the right pipe.

Tony:)

Cheers TonyBurns, I'll jack her up tomorrow for a swatch. :)

You shouldnt need to jack her up, straight out of the top of the bulkhead (near the suspension strut), easy to do, you just need the pipe that has a braid going through the centre of the rubber when you look at it.

Tony:)

Hi mate, I had a similar problem when i bought my MY00 classic. Check the filler neck pipe that goes from the neck to the tank. The pipe runs down the inside of the drivers side wheel arch then up and around to the tank. The problem is the pipe rusts at the bottom and is a common leak point, especially when you've just filled up!

If you're losing that much juice you should have a patch under the car somewhere.