Hello all. My ‘70 SII, which I’ve had for a few months, has started to develop fuel fumes in the Boot. No staining noticed on initial inspection. Any idea where to start?
Many Thanks!
Rick
It is possibly fuel weeping from the gas gauge sender which is on top of the tank
Thank you ! I’ll check there.
Check the fuel pump. It could be leaking. Its in the right rear corner behind an oval panel. Be sure to disconnect the battery before investigating.
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Thank you!!
If there is now, or was leak in the past, the fuel can run down under the tank and soak into the fiber pad under the tank and then emit fumes for quite some time. So of you do not identify a leak currently, it may be the pad.
Tom
Rick,
I purchased a used fuel fume sniffer on eBay several years ago and it has been helpful to me in pinpointing the exact location of the source of fuel fumes several times in my Jaguars.
It works like a Geiger counter and makes a ticking sound that increases the closer you get to the source of the leak. A very worthwhile tool to own in my opinion. It takes the guess work out of fuel fume location identification.
Paul
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Thank you !!
I had been searching for a instrument to detect fuel fumes for many years. My searches never turned up anything, but hopefully the name “permissable gas detector” will do the job!
Dave
Thank you!!
Mechanical nose, amazing!
Dave,
It is easier than that. 
Just search eBay for “TIF 8800A” and you will find some used fuel fume detectors for sale.
BTW, I have no affiliation with any of the eBay sellers who have auctions open for these helpful instruments.
Paul
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Outstanding!
That year has emissions control equipment that includes gas fumes vapor and tank overflow recovery systems. Thus, there are something like 3-4 hoses running to a small tank located in front of the fuel filler inside the rear fender. Check all those (almost impossible to access) hoses at the overflow tank. Then look at the hose connections on left hand corner of the fuel tank.
A few years ago I had several gallons of gas in a huge puddle on my shop floor because the fuel overflow hose wasn’t even attached at the tank on a 1971 E-Type I had just bought. Could have blown myself up by just turning the shop lights on.
Thank you!!
I was chasing a persistent fuel smell in the boot for years with no visible sign of leakage. I checked all the usual suspects - hoses, clamps, sender, etc…to no avail. I happened to have the interior out of the boot to do some other work and after a drive, I noticed residual fuel on the body of the fuel pump. It appeared the gasket between the two sections of the pump was leaking but not enough to produce visible drips. In the photo, you can see the darker coloration on the fuel pump which is fuel. I replaced the pump and the fuel odor was vanguished.
Thank you!
I will go with a 90% probability it is the sender.
Take out the stuff covering the tank and you will be able to see the sender.
If it is not visibly weeping gas (and it doesnt take much), put your nose on it and sniff!
Close trunk lid and try again the next day after opening
While you are at it, check that the 6 sender bolts are tight. But not too tight!
Dennis
Also series 2
His fuel pump is in the tank.
only early 3.8 cars had the in-tank pump