Gas Smell in the Cabin

[mcglsr2]

Alright guys, got a question. I'm starting to get a strong gas smell from under the hood by the throttle body and in the cabin. I've done some research, and it seems that the canister purge valve is the usual suspect along with rotted out hoses. Well, I have the rotted out hoses that lead to the canister. So I'm planning on picking up a new canister from LMR and I'll have to get new hose.

On to the question: anyone know what kind of/size hose it is? Is it just regular hose (as opposed to fuel line)? Also, it looks like the hose goes into the passenger fender - will that have to come off? And the other side goes to under the upper intake - is that correct? The intake valley where the injectors are is dry as a bone, and I don't see any other leaks. Are we all in agreement that the issue is probably the purge valve and hoses?

 

[330CubeGt]

I doubt that's the issue, if you not in a emissions based state and you don't need to pass an inspection yank it out and unplug it. If your getting a smell in the cabin odds are its a legit fuel leak.

 

[RichV]

How strong is it? A faint smell every once in a while? Or like someone spilled fuel inside the car?

I have the purge line connected to a engine vac. My emissions stuff is long gone, and this helps to vent the tank. I never got any fuel vapor smells from this, even when I just vented it to atmosphere.

Where I sometimes get an issue is at the tank. If I don't have my cap in a vent mode, it will pressurize and in right hand turns the fuel will go up the filler neck and the tank pressure will force it out. It pools under the cap and I've seen evidence inside the trunk too. But this is on track, not just normal driving.

Is your problem under normal conditions? Or just on track?

 

[mcglsr2]

I doubt that's the issue, if you not in a emissions based state and you don't need to pass an inspection yank it out and unplug it. If your getting a smell in the cabin odds are its a legit fuel leak.

I'm not and I don't. I guess I could just yank it out? The smell seems to come in with the A/C vent. See blow for more on that. It still could be a fuel leak though...

How strong is it? A faint smell every once in a while? Or like someone spilled fuel inside the car?

I have the purge line connected to a engine vac. My emissions stuff is long gone, and this helps to vent the tank. I never got any fuel vapor smells from this, even when I just vented it to atmosphere.

Where I sometimes get an issue is at the tank. If I don't have my cap in a vent mode, it will pressurize and in right hand turns the fuel will go up the filler neck and the tank pressure will force it out. It pools under the cap and I've seen evidence inside the trunk too. But this is on track, not just normal driving.

Is your problem under normal conditions? Or just on track?

It's a faint, occasional smell. Not all the time. I was driving home the other day from work, mostly highway, and I started to notice it when I got closer to home. And it was faint-ish. It did NOT smell like someone poured gas in the cabin.

How do you have it hooked up? The purge valve has two ports on it - where do they go?

And this is just normal driving. I did have the tank/gas smell issue on the track - but I took your advice and I now turn the gas cap back a half turn. I haven't been back to the track yet to see if it changed. It doesn't happen at the auto-x, just on a track.

 

[KillNThrill24]

Just for shits and giggles I would recommend jacking the car up on all 4's and let it run for awhile then see if you smell it. If you do start searching under the car back by the gas tank and follow the lines up to the motor. It's easy to do and I think you might find a pin size hole in one of your lines that's causing a slight leak. That would be my guess honestly. The rotted out lines definitely need to be replaced if your keeping the emissions stuff of course, but I'm with Frank I'm not 100% sure that's where your smell is coming from. I could be wrong tho lol

 

[JerZeyStangz]

Also check your gas tank filler neck grommet that connects the tank to the filler neck. Those tend to break/leak over the years and reap the same results.

 

[rz5.0]

Fuel lines are also known to go out. . I replaced all the evap lines with fuel lines fron the autoparts store..

 

[mcglsr2]

Okay, the gas smell has pretty much gone away. Occasionally I get a whiff. I think the car is either running rich at that particular time and maybe I'm smelling it in the exhaust, or maybe the EGR thing is doing it's thing I'm smelling it through the rotted hoses. I don't think it's an actual fuel leak though. Everything that I can see under the hood is dry - and they things that aren't dry don't smell like gas. So I'm chalking this up to 18-Year-Old Car for the time being...