ericvv wrote:

The actual replacing was no big deal for the dealer, they just had to loosen two supports/brackets holding up the fuel tank and lower this one so that they created proper access space to undo and redo the lower end of this pipe. The old one after taking off, indeed showed numerous cracks and even a real 3 to 4 cm long split at the bottom end too.

Replaced mine last week... Not an easy job for the common DYI....no pics! sorry!

But done as ericvv described! But my 110 is 3 1/2 years old and was a lot worse! Regards
Joao

'10 Land Rover Defender 110 CC
'08 BMW F800GS
'64 SIIA Forward Control
'69 SIIA 109 ZA CKD
_____________________________________________
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.

ericvv wrote:

As posted before after reading the OP by Joao, I checked my own fuel breather pipe on my almost 5 year old SVX, and yes, a lot of cracking at the top end on mine too, but no leaks yet. Yesterday my dealer during a scheduled service replaced the cracked pipe on my request as preventive maintenance. As per my earlier post in this thread, remember that my dealer confirmed that still two weeks ago they had to replace this same pipe on another Defender, but that one had developed a bad fuel leak at the bottom end where it is connected to the fuel tank. The actual replacing was no big deal for the dealer, they just had to loosen two supports/brackets holding up the fuel tank and lower this one so that they created proper access space to undo and redo the lower end of this pipe. The old one after taking off, indeed showed numerous cracks and even a real 3 to 4 cm long split at the bottom end too. The split was not to the point of leaking yet, but that was clearly a problem in the making... I cannot easily take a picture of the cracks on the old pipe, as after it has been removed there is no pressure on the ends anymore, so the cracks and the split have closed up again, but they are a fact.
The new pipe freshly installed is cracks free on the top, cannot see the bottom end, but presume the same. Hopefully it is good for another 4/5 years before next replacement.
My recommendation would be that you check the top end of the pipe, and if serious cracks are there, fair chance that same will exist at bottom end too.....
For those who are interested in taking the same preventive action here are a few pictures of the correct part number, of the old pipe which was taken off and which I asked to leave with me so that I could show it here, and of the new top collar installed showing no cracks.
Eric

LR part number

Click image to enlarge

Old pipe removed

Click image to enlarge

New pipe installed, top collar

Click image to enlarge

ericvv wrote:

Here is the verdict. The new installed fuel breather pipe indeed was blocked. One of the head mechanics at my dealer whom I know quite well admitted today that these fuel breather pipes come from Land Rover with excess length.
Instead of cutting it down some to the required length, the mechanic had installed the pipe as is, and tucked it in place bending the pipe very sharply to the point that no air could pass anymore.
That has all been corrected now apparently. Hope this info is of interest to others who may be replacing the fuel tank breather pipe. Will now check if all is ok and properly venting the tank over the next week.
Eric

The latest. To my astonishment nothing is resolved. When I unscrew the fuel tank filler cap, I continue to have the sound of air swooshing in or out, so the air breather pipe is still blocked apparently. Have wiggled the new fuel breather pipe back and forth a bit, but that is not doing anything either. Don't want to touch it further myself as the entire truck is still under extended warranty, but also as the replacement of the fuel breather pipe by my dealer has been done only 3 months ago, there remains a warranty on this job alone. So off to the dealer again after their Xmas break. In the meantime, only thing I can do is to quickly unscrew the fuel filler cap before and after every drive to town, short as it may be, in order to avoid as much as possible a vacuum in the tank.

In the meantime two questions for the mechanic/technical wizzards here...
1. This rubber fuel filler breather pipe, and its much smaller air vent pipe in the form of a coat hanger hook (see pic), does it have any valves inside which might not be working, or are they just two open air channels without anything inside? Cannot really figure out what has happened here, and how this is possible at all with a truck which runs only on tarmac, and which is accumulating zero dirt underneath...
2. This just to confirm, but if all would be working as it should, the air pressure inside the tank should always be identical with the outside air pressure. Meaning, there never should be any air swooshing in or out when opening the filler cap. Correct?
Thanks, Eric

Click image to enlarge You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o
https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I
https://vimeo.com/201482507
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw