DavidPA

Nearly forgot to thank you! So, I took the car to another mechanic and he basically said the plastic filters are cheap and hopeless and the nipple is not to be trusted. So he fitted a metal cased filter and replaced one of the fuel line clips. After quite a bit of testing, all is well! No more surges and no more fuel all over the road. I think my usual agricultural mechanic is used to old fellas in very old tractors who don't want to spend any money, so he tries to do cheap bodge jobs for the sake of the (not usually very wealthy) client. Thank you for the suggestions, it was a big help giving me confidence to suggest a few things to my usual mechanic. He actually sent me to other mechanics for some of the work, so I now have three to choose from, each with different specialities. One happy Xsara zipping around those lovely country lanes and rough dirt tracks of central Portugal.

OK, thank you. It might be time to replace the pipe and clamp anyway. I'll talk to my mechanic and let you know the outcome for future ref.

Ah, there is a voice out there, thank you! Looks like a very useful forum you have. The car and engine were warm, but not running. Good point, this might not have been a true replication of conditions. When I've put the hose back onto the filter I haven't heard a positive "click" from the plastic clamp. Is that a sure sign of wear? Can you replace just the clamp, of is it advisable to replace the pipe as well (maybe it's sold as one unit anyway)?

Hello people, sorry about the book I wrote below. Not very good at quick descriptions! Besides, best you have as much info from the start. I recently had several problems with the Xsara such as electrical power surges, which caused all sorts of issues such as fan stopping, headlights blowing, airbag lights to illuminate as well as engine surges and moments of lethargy (engine not me!). Along with the fuel line detaching at the filter next to the fuel tank. So, the alternator has been serviced (I'm in Portugal so in true old school style, things are fixed if possible rather than thrown away) and the electrical and engine surge issues seem to have settled down. I thought perhaps the fuel pump was also receiving massive power surges causing the fuel line to be blasted off. Not so. The happy alternator has not solved the fuel line issue. The filter was replaced a few weeks ago, just in case that was dirty, but this hasn't helped. I should point out that after the fuel line detaches, I can just click it back on on drive away. But once on the hoist, can we pull the line off the filter? Impossible! My local mechanic is baffled and his solution was to put plastic cable ties around the filter to hold the pipe on. Ummm, me thinks, if there is massive pressure, won't it now blow somewhere else? Is there some kind of fuel tank breather than might be blocked? There's no "exhale" when I open the cap though. It usually happens after the car is warm, stopped for a while, then taking off again. Car is now resting and I'm borrowing a friend's car. As you will have seen, devastating fires in central Portugal mean I'm not so keen on driving it around at the moment. Please help if you can.