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So my car is new to me its a 1985 auto... it smells like gas in the garage..but I see nothing on the floor sometimes a little motor oil, see nothing wet on the engine except... I don't know the proper names for these parts, area's but on the I guess intake manifold area of the engine where the oil fill cap is and where the passenger side radiator hose connects to the motor there is a cavity area that gets what looks like motor oil to accumulate there.. I tried taking a photo, but its very hard to get a clear view... ... I had a small puddle of what looks like dirty oil, I checked the dip stick for my oil and the engine oil is super clean.... when I tried to smell the rag when I cleaned it up it didn't have a real gas like smell to it.. so I think its just oil, from where its coming from I don't know... hopefully its just old oil residue.. I plan on having the car looked at for other things and now that, and hope to get the engine all cleaned up after all mechanical work performed..but do you guys know of the issue and what can be the cause? I have not put oil in the fill, so I know its not from adding oil...
First, check your fuel lines in the engine compartment.
Second, I had this happen to me, there was a leak from the fuel pump which stayed under the cover and didnt drip on the floor but did evaporate and smell when behind the car.
cover over the fuel filter and fuel pump in rear Fuel pump and fuel filter under cover
Third, check the evaporator canister under the passenger side of the front wheel well. The plastic three way tube breaks and gas fumes can be smelt at the front.
plastic three way broke fumes leak out inside passenger wheel well fixed!
Can you smell it more strongly in a particular area?
The idea that it smells even when you don't drive the car suggests to me that it's the fuel line connection at the pump or filter. 2 10mm nuts hold the cover on. You can reach them without lifting the car (at least I can).
Pop the cover off and see if there's any 'wet' on the lines. First 2 pics in Voskian's post.
I had it happen too. The first time, simply tightening the connection worked...
For a while.
Replacing the crush washers is suggested and is a much better choice for a long term fix.
also if you filled the tank then the transfer hose could also be leaking, this hose goes through the chassis,
and attaches to the body then to the filler neck.
The return line to the sender. could be leaking.
the transfer line will have fuel spilling down the outside of the tank, look at the tank from under the car, look for wet signs.
the return line will have it fill up the well around the sender connection,
open the cover on the hatch floor to do a sniff test.
The 3 way junction is usually announced when the car is shut off and then the fuel fumes will percolate,
sniff in back of the RF tire , the fumes will come down the wheel well liner.
Mine failed at the pump and as mentioned the cover hides it. I took the cover off could see anything. Started the car then saw it dripping out. I did the crush washers which lasted a while. I'm just waiting for parts to refresh the whole area as it started leaking again before I parked it up for the winter.
Pull your hatch carpet and on the right side you will have a fiber square covering a black round cover. Pop those off and see if you have fuel pooling on top of the tank.
how do I get to view the y connector? is it under the hood? under the car? It does seem to have the strongest smell around the front passenger fender wheel area...
03-16-2019, 11:31 AM
smells of fuel around car
