SHOstuff
SHO Member
I'm smelling gas fumes around my car and I would like to know the first place to look to look into this issue. Thanks!
Gas fumes!
- Thread starter SHOstuff
- Start date
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sperold
Last to Know
Have a look at the front of your gas tank and see if it looks damp.
They usually don't leak enough to drip gas, so you have to look for a "stain".
They usually don't leak enough to drip gas, so you have to look for a "stain".
the first place to look is for any fuel leaks - this can be anywhere on the fuel rails, injectors, connectors and lines back to the tank.
if you have no fuel leaks, the most common cause of a gas smell is the lack of proper purging of the charcoal canister (located in front of the driver's side front wheel). the purge hose runs from the charcoal canister to a solenoid valve (controlled by the pcm) and then to the intake manifold. for various reasons, the solenoid valve may not open properly or enough, and the canister gets saturated, and you get gas smell. the other common problem, now that the cars are getting older, is that the vacuum lines from the charcoal canister leak, and this allows the fuel vapor to escape, and you get gas smell.
the common solution is to simply bypass the solenoid valve (get a male-male 1/4" connector and splice into the vacuum hoses where the solenoid valve is now.), and make sure the vacuum lines do not leak.
if you have no fuel leaks, the most common cause of a gas smell is the lack of proper purging of the charcoal canister (located in front of the driver's side front wheel). the purge hose runs from the charcoal canister to a solenoid valve (controlled by the pcm) and then to the intake manifold. for various reasons, the solenoid valve may not open properly or enough, and the canister gets saturated, and you get gas smell. the other common problem, now that the cars are getting older, is that the vacuum lines from the charcoal canister leak, and this allows the fuel vapor to escape, and you get gas smell.
the common solution is to simply bypass the solenoid valve (get a male-male 1/4" connector and splice into the vacuum hoses where the solenoid valve is now.), and make sure the vacuum lines do not leak.
Johnlemon
New Member
also check the obvious gas cap, that's where fumes were coming out of my car, use your nose!
I also agree with the vapor canister and its associated lines. Especially on the passenger side frame rail where the plastic vacuum tubing connects to the metal line coming from the gas tank. If there's separation or leakage there, you'll end up with gas fumes entering the car because the intake for the climate system is right above it.
SHOstuff
SHO Member
Well you know I found a gas stain on my garage floor on the rear passenger side by the tank. I didn't investigate but I did look under my car because this time the gas was really strong.
typhoon5000
Ferd Enganear
Well it looks like you found your culprit, but for future reference, relating to Rubydist's post about the charcoal canister and related lines, I noticed on my '95 ATX that the canister doesn't have an out going line, it just has a mushroom shaped vent out to atmosphere. I don't know if this is an ATX or '95 thing, but they completely eliminated the solenoid valve and return to the intake manifold. I mention this to keep someone in the future reading this thread to go on a wild goose chase for lines and a solenoid that may not exist on their car.
I was having gas fumes too and just found the rubber hose going into the canister dry rotted and leaking fumes a bit.
SHOstuff
SHO Member
But that only happened once. Well...if it happened once then it could be seeping out and dry before I could see it or something huh?
typhoon5000
Ferd Enganear
It's possible because gas evaporated fairly quickly, but I think you would still see a stain if it was happening overland over again. Have you noticed if the fumes get stronger when the tank is full? That could mean a leak near the top of the tank.
rbruso
unlikely
It could be leaking/seeping where the rubber lines come in from the filler neck. If you can slide under there you can check that the clamps are tight and that the rubber isn't dry rotted.
That makes no sense. Somewhere there has to be a line going back into the intake for the fumes. Ford might have changed it from previous years but they couldn't pass federal emissions if they just vented the system entirely to atmosphere.
turbo79
SHO Member
I got this tip from Mike S. of SHO Source: If you follow the vacuum line from the purge valve down to where it turns to run under the radiator, you'll find a small plastic junction "T" that:
attaches to a rubber vapor line that runs under the radiator towards the passenger side and then back to the fuel tank,
attaches to the vapor line that runs up to the purge valve,
attaches to the vapor line that goes to the carbon canister.
Carefully remove the three lines (remember that this junction is old plastic) and see if the junction is plugged. If it is, carefully run a wire of the proper diameter through it and clean the passage.
Mine was plugged, I cleaned it, put the lines back on, and the fumes went away on my '92. YMMV...
Tom F.
attaches to a rubber vapor line that runs under the radiator towards the passenger side and then back to the fuel tank,
attaches to the vapor line that runs up to the purge valve,
attaches to the vapor line that goes to the carbon canister.
Carefully remove the three lines (remember that this junction is old plastic) and see if the junction is plugged. If it is, carefully run a wire of the proper diameter through it and clean the passage.
Mine was plugged, I cleaned it, put the lines back on, and the fumes went away on my '92. YMMV...
Tom F.
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SHOstuff
SHO Member
I'll check that and see. But I'll put the back end on ramps and check that too.
SHOstuff
SHO Member
Sorry for waiting for 2 holidays before I posted back...
. But You're right, Typhoon, when I fill it up thats when I notice the fuel leak. It leaks on the passenger side right in front of the rear wheel but underneath the tank. What lines could be over there on top of tank? How easy is it to drop this tank on these model sho's?
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SHOstuff
SHO Member
Can someone explain please, I really wanna get this done soon? Thanks!
SHOstuff
SHO Member
But the fuel wasn't coming from the filter, thats why I stated under the tank. But the filter could be old, I really don't know how old it is. I had the car since early last year and I never changed it then even.
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