Smell of Gas
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Joined: May 2004
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Smell of Gas
I have a 1990 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.0 A/T with 93,000 on it over the last couple of days I have noticed a gas odor, like if I am at stop light with window down or when I park truck and get out I get the smell of gas. I have looked under hood and under truck following gas lines and have found no leak. What could be making this odor? Thanks Steve
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 678
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From: Athens, Ga
SMJ7039:
Make sure your gas cap is on "TIGHT"...
the same thing happened to me a week ago (have a locking gas cap).....
go over to the gas cap and see if you smell any odor there...if you do the cap is loose or you need a new one.
Make sure your gas cap is on "TIGHT"...
the same thing happened to me a week ago (have a locking gas cap).....
go over to the gas cap and see if you smell any odor there...if you do the cap is loose or you need a new one.
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 257
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From: Moncton, NB Canada
Check the Filler Neck, Some times on the top (Between the Neck and the frame, mud and sand cakes on and keeps moisture in that area and will rust though the top of the filler neck.
Next, check to see if you have a horizontal seem around the middle of your gas tank. if you do, feel around your gas tank on the top of the seem, if you have a small leek at the seem it will collect there.
Both these problems happend to me on previous cars.
Dpostman
Next, check to see if you have a horizontal seem around the middle of your gas tank. if you do, feel around your gas tank on the top of the seem, if you have a small leek at the seem it will collect there.
Both these problems happend to me on previous cars.
Dpostman
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,506
Likes: 6
From: Puyallup, WA
Could be the fuel vapor evaporation system. My wifes car is doing this now too. If the car runs for a long time, it's fine. No gas smell. But, if it's only run for a couple miles and shut off, you can smell gas....
The main part of the evap system is the charcoal canister that absorbs the fuel vapors. What it's supposed to do is collect the fuel vapors that collect in the fuel tank when it's not running. When the car is started, and it reaches a certain temp, engine vacuum is used to 'suck' the vapors out of the canister and into the intake where it's just burned in the combustion chamber.
It's kinda a complex setup, so I've not really done much to identify the problem yet..... I did disconnect the electric connection to the relay that would "close" the valve while the engine is warming up, so that it now starts to 'suck' from the canister right from the very start. This has helped, as the gas smell is less and it takes less driving time to get rid of it all together....... It did just pass it's emissions test, so I didn't do anything that effected that!!
Other possible problems that were listed in the troubleshooting section of the Chiltons manual was that overfilling of the gas tank could cause the charcoal to become saturated and the excess vapors is what you are smelling.... Also, a leak in the vacuum hose or a faulty relay. They gave a procedure on how to test the relay part and I have done that and it passed that test....
I've just told my wife not to fill up the tank past where it shuts off on it's own and to take the long way to the Park and Ride so it runs a bit longer!!
Good luck!
Mitch
The main part of the evap system is the charcoal canister that absorbs the fuel vapors. What it's supposed to do is collect the fuel vapors that collect in the fuel tank when it's not running. When the car is started, and it reaches a certain temp, engine vacuum is used to 'suck' the vapors out of the canister and into the intake where it's just burned in the combustion chamber.
It's kinda a complex setup, so I've not really done much to identify the problem yet..... I did disconnect the electric connection to the relay that would "close" the valve while the engine is warming up, so that it now starts to 'suck' from the canister right from the very start. This has helped, as the gas smell is less and it takes less driving time to get rid of it all together....... It did just pass it's emissions test, so I didn't do anything that effected that!!
Other possible problems that were listed in the troubleshooting section of the Chiltons manual was that overfilling of the gas tank could cause the charcoal to become saturated and the excess vapors is what you are smelling.... Also, a leak in the vacuum hose or a faulty relay. They gave a procedure on how to test the relay part and I have done that and it passed that test....
I've just told my wife not to fill up the tank past where it shuts off on it's own and to take the long way to the Park and Ride so it runs a bit longer!!
Good luck!
Mitch
