Got a match?

[mholhut]

Not sure if this is quite an emergency, but since it involves fuel, I thought this would be the best place to post...

I just started noticing the odor of fuel aroung the outside of the car. Very strong odor and it doesn't appear to be leaking onto the ground. I really can't tell with all the rain and snow we've had. No odors from under the hood and only a slight odor now and then in the cabin. No area is particularly stronger than the other... just wondering if any areas are particularly prone to leakage more than others.

TIA...

 

[Whiner]

Does the vehicle run rough? Maybe blow white smoke? Could be a stuck open injector. Or slightly stuck open. I would get the fuel rail or the entire system cleaned. If you had those problems.

 

[GR8SHO]

Not sure if this is quite an emergency, but since it involves fuel, I thought this would be the best place to post...

I just started noticing the odor of fuel aroung the outside of the car. Very strong odor and it doesn't appear to be leaking onto the ground. I really can't tell with all the rain and snow we've had. No odors from under the hood and only a slight odor now and then in the cabin. No area is particularly stronger than the other... just wondering if any areas are particularly prone to leakage more than others.

TIA...

Hi Mike. In a way I do feel that these types of problems are emergencies of sorts.

The first thing I would say is that an odor doesn't necessarily mean that you are "leaking" fuel, as in the tank or fuel lines are leaking. The fuel system has both a sending and return line. There is also a 3rd line that is used to vent fuel vapors from the tank up the front of the car to either the intake or to a vapor cannister. Just recently I discovered this line was plugged on my 92. A white parafin substance had clogged one of the plastic connectors. In turn, this was causing the fuel vapors stored in the tank, which are under pressure, to find some way to vent out.

Do you hear a strong hissing sound when you are near empty and open the filler cap? One relatively simple test is to have the filler cap open (maybe use a baggie with a rubberband around the neck), raise the front of the car slightly, and then find the fuel vapor line that runs along the front frame rail at the base of the radiator. Near the draincock, you will find a T junction. Disconnect the input to the T, and blow into the hose (goes to the gas tank). If you don't feel any obstruction (a helper should see the baggie inflate slightly), then that part is okay and you may have blockage in one of the other lines. In my case, the input to the T connection has a metered opening and it was clogged.

 

[TankII]

Gas Tank Vent valve. Drop the tank. It's on top.

If you have a habit of topping the tank off, this valve goes faster.

TankII

 

[GreenStreak]

http://www.shotimes.com/php-bin/mod...le=article&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&sid=52

 

[GR8SHO]

Read the original post. No odors under the hood.

If there was an odor under the hood, it would probably be the CANP solenoid stuck closed, and probably because the PCM driver has failed.