Fuel Smell In The Car

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

There's quite a strong smell of petrol inside the car if I've been driving for a while. It seems much worse with a window open.

 

My first thought was a leak somewhere in the engine bay but I've had a good sniff/ look around and can't find anything. The smell is much stronger in the car than out. I also checked the plugs that cover up the pump and tank sender and they're in place. My only other thought was the filler. Could fumes be coming up from there and blowing in to the body shell cavity?? Where else can I check? All the rubber plastic seals, loom seals etc were replaced in the bulkhead but even so I'd expect an oily smell from an engine bay, not fresh petrol!!

[PhilNW 44]

Try the rubber pipes attached to the fuel pump

 

Or the fuel tank breathers

Edited May 28, 2016 by PhilNW

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Ive tried all the pipes engine side and everything seems good, although I can't be looking at anything while driving so the issue could only appear then. I think it may be breathers or badly fitting petrol cap. the smell is kind of wafted round when the windows open rather than coming in from outside.

[PhilNW 44]

Cabin is partially pressured without windows open so any smells not obvious

 

My money on old fuel pump pipes

petrol seeps through rubber pipe wall

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

Is the anti vac valve on the fuel tank breather pipe missing or blocked?

[pedjoni 3 1 Cars]

I have the same problem ... Where is located anti vac valve ? Pictures ?

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

mines a closed system with the carbon canister etc, the breather pipe goes up and over the filler cap then all the way to the carbon canister under the front o/s wheel arch. It's a real pet peeve of mine, oily or petrol smells in cars. It gives the impression of a serious issue. It must be coming from somwhere so I guess there is an issue. My best bet is probably to remove the whole lot and put it back checking everything carefully as there's nothing visible that looks wrong!

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

It hangs down off a small pipe from the fuel filler neck. It's a white/cream plastic cylinder behind the rear valance They often get all crudded up.

[pedjoni 3 1 Cars]

If it is clocged , can it cause , hot start problem ? I also have problem when car is warm, and I turn it down for an half an hour, it takes few second to start up again?

[ATK 142 1 Cars]

Mine was the fuel pump seal/gasket under rear seats

[pedjoni 3 1 Cars]

I guess mine is not. Because I can t feel smell in car when window is closed or driving slowly. I feel strong smell of gasoline when window is open , and driving litle bit faster , or uphill something like that...

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

mine is worse with window open and quick driving. As has been pointed out, inside the cabin is slightly pressurised so smells are pushed away with the windows up, as soon as you open a window you're dragging in air through all sorts of gaps. Seems counter intuitive in a way as opening a window creates the impression of air surging into the cabin but you only have to look at a car with a smoker in it to prove that air gets sucked out of an open window.

[Bobbafett 49 2 Cars]

Leak on the fuel filter banjo? I changed the fuel filter once and had a strong smell of fuel when driving, and like you say was worse with the window down. Turned out there was a very very fine leak on the banjo connection that was chucking misted fuel out.

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Still struggling with this, replaced the banjo pipes to filter and checked under the back seats under the covers for the pump and sender and no strong smell there. However there's a strong smell coming from the filler cap area. It seems strongest under the drivers side rear quarter window, I removed the inside panel under the window which gives access to to where the filler pipe goes through the outer and inner wing and it's very strong in there. I've had a feel around and the rubber boot thing is in place and seems complete. I would have thought that it's not air tight though so is it sucking air in from around the filler cap which is where the smell is strongest outside the car?. Should the filler cap prevent any escaping fumes? Where else could it be coming from?

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

Could be a faulty tank venting valve

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Hi Farmer,

 

Just had a sneak out of the office for 30 mins. Looking at the lines that come from the vent I think you're right. I've got the whole carbon canister recycling system but on one of the joints that comes from the tank the pipe pulled out really easily. From the smell I can tell this is from the tank as it reeks of petrol. Blowing down the other side it doesn't give at all, I can't blow at all. If the vent is working I should be able to blow fairly easily down there shouldn't I?

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

Not entirely sure how they work as never had a problem with the unit

 

But what your saying makes sense it is a vent and should allow ventilation

 

I can help if you want a new one as bought a few over last few years

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

I had the electro-valve that connects to the ECU from you a couple of months ago, there are 2 more items in the line, one looks like a small white non return valve in the engine bay and a big filter looking thing that's stuffed up into the filler cap housing! I'm going to pull each one off first and see if I can blow through them!

 

I'm assuming earlier cars just had the vent pipe going straight up and over the filler pipe and to a non return valve!?

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

The white non return valve will be that venting valve

 

Other could be the charcoal cannister

 

Also a part called fuel vapour filter drain valve

 

Looks like a oil filler cap on servicebox

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

 

Number 2 you've had from me

 

1 is that vapour filter drain

 

14 Tank venting valve (white)

 

3 Charcoal canister

Edited July 26, 2016 by farmer

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Just looking at the service box image, it's quite confusing. There are several options coming from the carbon canister. There are only 2 connections to the canister, in and out but on this image it looks like 3. I don't think I have item 14 though, there is a valve in that position but doesn't look like that. Also this shows the whole thing being plumbed into the elbow after the AFM where mine is definitely attached to the throttle body! I've drawn the route mine seems to take, the rest makes no sense to me!

 

 

The bit up in the filler hose housing is the de-gassing tank, item 4

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2016 by mhyphenl

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

With not seeling this setup in person I can't really comment

 

At least the diagrams give you a start on where to look

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

The diagram is so misleading but it would be good to talk to someone who has this setup and has seen it all in the open as it were. Do you have part number 14 on the diagram (1502 27) or is it part number 1 (1626 23) you have?

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

14 for sure

 

1 90 % sure

Got 3 on order

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Hi, PM me price on the number 14, what about 1627 44 (De-gassing tank?)