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Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.
Strong gas smell
- Thread starter CHASZ51
- Start date
Not sure if it applies to the C6, but I believe the C5 has a sort of canister filter used for the fuel vapor recycling system. It is located above the passenger side fuel tank if I remember correctly.
From what I remember, when the filter gets clogged it could cause a gasoline smell. I was looking at all that stuff when I had to redo the fuel lines way back when I had to get rid of the kluge that Harwood did with the fueling system.
From what I remember, when the filter gets clogged it could cause a gasoline smell. I was looking at all that stuff when I had to redo the fuel lines way back when I had to get rid of the kluge that Harwood did with the fueling system.
CHASZ51
Z51
It is going to the shop for a oil change so we will see.
CHASZ51
Z51
Think it is the cap. I just placed a order for a GM cap this AM. No leaks anywhere. Smell has got worse. Cap has not been fitting right and comes loose sometimes. I guess they go bad. Fills the whole garage and inside of the car with fumes.
navy2kcoupe
!ereH nI depparT m'I pleH
Most times a bad or loose gas cap will cut a P0430 code.....
Andy
Andy
CHASZ51
Z51
I get the light off and on. Not sure what else it could be if not the cap.
CHASZ51
Z51
It is a DD and runs perfect. Once the gas tank gets lower the smell is lee.
Well, if you aren't losing pressure in the fuel line, then that kind of rules out a leak in the fuel system somewhere. A leak would act just like a bad check valve, so you would lose pressure and starting the car would be harder until the fuel pump built fuel pressure back up.
Gasoline evaporates pretty quickly, so you might not necessarily see a wet area from a subtle leak. When I brought the C5Z back home from Aaron Scott's shop, one of the fuel injectors was leaking because of a damaged o-ring seal. That was bad enough that I could see fuel pooling around the injector, but if it set for a while, the fuel would quickly evaporate just leaving the odor behind. But there were other problems that made it difficult to pinpoint where the odor was actually coming from. Gasoline was migrating through the rubber hoses that had been put in the fuel system by Harwood. And the fuel vapor system had been completely disconnected entirely but the plumbing was all still intact.
Yeah, there was a pretty bad gasoline smell in the garage for quite a while, but I was able to get it all straightened out eventually.
BTW, if you have any suspicions about an actual fuel leak, you can put a dye additive in the fuel tank that will show up under UV light and will readily point out any leak you may have there. Even one that has long evaporated, leaving the dye as a residue. The dye stands out like a sore thumb. Actually gasoline itself will show up mildly under UV light too. That is how I saw the gasoline seeping through all the stainless clad rubber hosing in my kluged fuel system. Once I replaced it all with teflon lined hoses, it fixed that problem.
Personally, I would try to find and fix the problem as quickly as possible. Made me REAL nervous to think I was driving a potential torch when I could smell gasoline coming from somewhere.
Gasoline evaporates pretty quickly, so you might not necessarily see a wet area from a subtle leak. When I brought the C5Z back home from Aaron Scott's shop, one of the fuel injectors was leaking because of a damaged o-ring seal. That was bad enough that I could see fuel pooling around the injector, but if it set for a while, the fuel would quickly evaporate just leaving the odor behind. But there were other problems that made it difficult to pinpoint where the odor was actually coming from. Gasoline was migrating through the rubber hoses that had been put in the fuel system by Harwood. And the fuel vapor system had been completely disconnected entirely but the plumbing was all still intact.
Yeah, there was a pretty bad gasoline smell in the garage for quite a while, but I was able to get it all straightened out eventually.
BTW, if you have any suspicions about an actual fuel leak, you can put a dye additive in the fuel tank that will show up under UV light and will readily point out any leak you may have there. Even one that has long evaporated, leaving the dye as a residue. The dye stands out like a sore thumb. Actually gasoline itself will show up mildly under UV light too. That is how I saw the gasoline seeping through all the stainless clad rubber hosing in my kluged fuel system. Once I replaced it all with teflon lined hoses, it fixed that problem.
Personally, I would try to find and fix the problem as quickly as possible. Made me REAL nervous to think I was driving a potential torch when I could smell gasoline coming from somewhere.
CHASZ51
Z51
No gas smell at all now. Once the tank gets below half the smells seems to go away. Once i refill i will see if the smell comes back.
Hmm, well my pressure "test" wouldn't apply to an actual leak in the gas tanks somewhere. It only applies to the plumbing above the check valve, since that is what is used to retain fuel pressure when the engine isn't running.
Since all of the plumbing for the gas tanks is at the top of the tanks, I guess there are a number of possible points of failure there that could be the source of a leak.
Since all of the plumbing for the gas tanks is at the top of the tanks, I guess there are a number of possible points of failure there that could be the source of a leak.
Attachments
Yeah, if you do smell gasoline at fill up, perhaps somewhere in the plumbing at the top of the gas tanks might have a leak somewhere. If that is the case, it would be hell trying to find out where exactly the leak might be at without dropping the gas tanks, however. Which looks like it would be a real pain in the butt job to do.
I replaced the fuel pump in the C5Z but luckily it mounted from the back instead of from the top. But it was still a very tight fit maneuvering the old and new pump even then without dropping the tank any.
Had to replace the fuel pump in Connie's pickup truck a little while back, which also mounts from the top, but in that case I just lifted the bed of the truck off of the frame, and got to it that way.
I replaced the fuel pump in the C5Z but luckily it mounted from the back instead of from the top. But it was still a very tight fit maneuvering the old and new pump even then without dropping the tank any.
Had to replace the fuel pump in Connie's pickup truck a little while back, which also mounts from the top, but in that case I just lifted the bed of the truck off of the frame, and got to it that way.
CHASZ51
Z51
Not sure if there is a round door that will open with you stick the gas nozzle down into the tank? I don't see it when i look down into the hole. I get the new cap Monday.
CHASZ51
Z51
Did some reading and it seems the fender would have to come off and the tank has to be pulled out and a part needs to be replaced. Seems to be a pricey job. Others say also that when the tank is half full the smell goes away and i notice that also. Also some say to remove the Gas cap when you turn off the car and let off on pressure. I sure as heck don't want to go to a dealer and scared they could see i have no Cats and turn me in. So guess i will live with it.
The only time I can think of that there would actually be pressure in the gas tanks is when the car has been sitting for a while, especially in the heat, and the gasoline has begun to evaporate. Normally when driving the car, the fuel pump would try to create a vacuum in the gas tanks as the fuel was being used to run the engine. In the old days, vented gas caps were designed to allow air INTO the gas tank as that vacuum was being created inside.
I don't believe modern cars use vented gas caps any longer. But there has to be some mechanism to compensate for the vacuum being created in the gas tanks while driving. As I mentioned before, there is a canister that is used to recapture fuel vapors from the fuel system that has been known to emit a gasoline odor.
Anyway, hopefully the new gas cap will fix the problem.
I don't believe modern cars use vented gas caps any longer. But there has to be some mechanism to compensate for the vacuum being created in the gas tanks while driving. As I mentioned before, there is a canister that is used to recapture fuel vapors from the fuel system that has been known to emit a gasoline odor.
Anyway, hopefully the new gas cap will fix the problem.
CHASZ51
Z51
I will check with a dealer.