All,
Interesting one on the 175k miler Octy today. went for local drive at 16:15 and had the windows open nice warm day. kept smelling diesel. assumed it was an external issue on the roads, first hot day in a while on the local roads.
Got back home through some local slowish traffic thought I would park up and check the engine bay.
Low and behold the airbox was caked in diesel fuel and most of that side of the car.
Started it up and fuel was squirting from the small length of rubber hose that is fed from the fuel filter across the top of the engine in metal and converts into a small rubber hose into what might be the Tandem Pump on the right side of the engine.
I knew it would be a simple fix just replace the bit of hose and 2 of those weird hose clamps VW group use on everything.
I chickened out and called the AA and they came out observed the same issue and struggled to remove the pipe as one side of the clamp/clip could not be squeezed open, so needed to be taken off with some force.
New slightly lesser diameter generic pipe put in place cut to size and new clamp went on one end as a jubilee clip gave up as soon as it was tightened up.
Car was started without issue except a slight gurgling I heard when it primed when I put the ignition on.
Taking a look at the faulty part the hose gave way right next to the hose clip on one end, I even think it was the end with the broken clip, perhaps that was the cause
I asked the AA Patrol to clean up the diesel that had fallen down onto the gearbox, he said there was not much and just used some tissue to dry some of it saying the rest would evaporate etc.
I was told it was the inlet side of the fuel system and the other side is operated at much higher pressures.
I could not find another post on the subject on the forum
Worth keeping an eye out on older cars maybe its an age thing these parts perishing?