Smell on DS?
08-15-2009, 01:22 AM
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Smell on DS?
Okay guys, I've owned my '86 951 for about two weeks and have been getting to know it and I've been loving it. But recently (in the past couple days) I noticed what I think might be a gas smell after getting out of the car after a drive. I say I "think" because I have a hard time finding the smell again, but I do think I only smell it on the driver's side, towards the rear of the car. I checked under the hood around the fuel rail/fuel lines and I don't see a leak and I don't smell anything under the hood. Any ideas what this might be? Car drives great, though there is a suspected exhaust/wastegate-related leak. Thanks!
Last edited by fourside; 11-15-2009 at 07:37 PM.
08-15-2009, 01:34 AM
#2
www.clarks-garage.com has a procedure for jumpering the DME relay so the fuel pump comes on when the car is otherwise off. This is a really good way to look for fuel leaks of the sort that will potentially make a fireball out of your car.
08-15-2009, 07:59 AM
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Okay guys, I've owned my '86 951 for about two weeks and have been getting to know it and I've been loving it. But recently (in the past couple days) I noticed what I think is a gas smell after getting out of the car after a drive. I say I "think" because I have a hard time finding the smell again, but I do think I only smell it on the driver's side, towards the rear of the car. I checked under the hood around the fuel rail/fuel lines and I don't see a leak and I don't smell anything under the hood. Any ideas what this might be? Car drives great, though there is a suspected exhaust/wastegate-related leak. Thanks!
08-15-2009, 12:07 PM
#4
Hey Man
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You might want to post this on the 944 forum also; more traffic over there. Many of the evap hoses connect to the tank on the drivers side. I had that smell also but usually when the tank was full.
08-15-2009, 06:22 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
definitely check the fuel lines which pass over the hot exhaust. also, they connect to the hard lines inside the right front fender behind the plastic liner.
08-15-2009, 08:46 PM
#6
Hey Man
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Joe,
I found this old thread on the gas smell issue with the car. I think it might be a cracked evap hose connection at the tank. I never found any holes drilled in the steel deck when I did the soundproofing project so a drilled hole is out. As I've said before it only was a problem when the tank was completely full and after taking it out on hard curves. Don't bother with removing the cover over the sender neck, that was the first thing I checked way back when I posted the problem. It's not a fuel leak in the engine compartment; stick your nose in the LR wheel well and you'll find the strongest 'scent'. There are 2 small evap lines on that side that run to the charcoal canister in the LF wheel well. I think when gas sloshes in a full tank it fills that hose and it drips. Look for a wet spot on the heat shield over the muffler when you smell gas; if so I bet it's a hose. I just lived with it for 6 years when the tank was full.
Gas Smell
I found this old thread on the gas smell issue with the car. I think it might be a cracked evap hose connection at the tank. I never found any holes drilled in the steel deck when I did the soundproofing project so a drilled hole is out. As I've said before it only was a problem when the tank was completely full and after taking it out on hard curves. Don't bother with removing the cover over the sender neck, that was the first thing I checked way back when I posted the problem. It's not a fuel leak in the engine compartment; stick your nose in the LR wheel well and you'll find the strongest 'scent'. There are 2 small evap lines on that side that run to the charcoal canister in the LF wheel well. I think when gas sloshes in a full tank it fills that hose and it drips. Look for a wet spot on the heat shield over the muffler when you smell gas; if so I bet it's a hose. I just lived with it for 6 years when the tank was full.
Gas Smell
08-15-2009, 09:07 PM
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Hey Steve,
I've actually been driving around at about 1/2 tank and that's when I first noticed it. I'm definitely not smelling fuel in the engine compartment, nor am I seeing a leak. Your description of where the smell should be does sound about right, though - I felt as if I was smelling it most towards the back of the car on the driver's side, which would make sense if you say the strongest scent would be in the LR wheel well. I've thought about bringing it in to a shop by my work on Monday since I've got no room at the new home to look at/work on the car and I certainly wouldn't want to catch fire!
I've actually been driving around at about 1/2 tank and that's when I first noticed it. I'm definitely not smelling fuel in the engine compartment, nor am I seeing a leak. Your description of where the smell should be does sound about right, though - I felt as if I was smelling it most towards the back of the car on the driver's side, which would make sense if you say the strongest scent would be in the LR wheel well. I've thought about bringing it in to a shop by my work on Monday since I've got no room at the new home to look at/work on the car and I certainly wouldn't want to catch fire!
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08-15-2009, 10:51 PM
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Hey Steve,
I've actually been driving around at about 1/2 tank and that's when I first noticed it. I'm definitely not smelling fuel in the engine compartment, nor am I seeing a leak. Your description of where the smell should be does sound about right, though - I felt as if I was smelling it most towards the back of the car on the driver's side, which would make sense if you say the strongest scent would be in the LR wheel well. I've thought about bringing it in to a shop by my work on Monday since I've got no room at the new home to look at/work on the car and I certainly wouldn't want to catch fire!
I've actually been driving around at about 1/2 tank and that's when I first noticed it. I'm definitely not smelling fuel in the engine compartment, nor am I seeing a leak. Your description of where the smell should be does sound about right, though - I felt as if I was smelling it most towards the back of the car on the driver's side, which would make sense if you say the strongest scent would be in the LR wheel well. I've thought about bringing it in to a shop by my work on Monday since I've got no room at the new home to look at/work on the car and I certainly wouldn't want to catch fire!
08-18-2009, 05:12 PM
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Found out today that apparently the gas tank itself is the problem, so it needs to come out (big job). I'll do that and then move on to motor mounts and fixing the exhaust leak.
For the record the mechanic who's a real nice guy quoted me about $700 to pull the gas tank and try and repair it. Sound fair?
For the record the mechanic who's a real nice guy quoted me about $700 to pull the gas tank and try and repair it. Sound fair?
08-18-2009, 05:15 PM
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Turned out not to be the gas tank at all. It's probably just as Steve described. The shop I gave it to couldn't give me a good answer.
Last edited by fourside; 11-15-2009 at 07:36 PM.
08-18-2009, 07:12 PM
#13
The charcoal canister is on the driver side and the valve that controls it is in the engine compartment in front of the fuse box. That white and black valve. I would check those before pulling the gas tank. Not trying to suggest anything but that would be a first I have heard. no gas leak on the ground and the tank needs to be pulled? Just saying it is always the simple things that get misdiagnosed and then people think our cars are expensive to maintain. My 2 cents 
Why do they say it definitely needs to be pulled?
Why do they say it definitely needs to be pulled?
08-18-2009, 10:06 PM
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Funny.....dropping and replacing the fuel tank was the first job I did when I bought my car. The PO had a dufus stereo shop install this massive stereo in the car and the idiot screwed down the amps in the floor of the luggage area right thru the gas tank. Also he didn't bother to tell me that the gas tank leaked like a sieve. Nice...
Replacing the gas tank is not a terrible job. Make sure you have a high quality cheesehead driver for the CV joints. Do all the hoses on and about the tank or you'll surely be back in there later. Make sure the filler neck is round at the inlet. People hanging the filler nozzle in the neck for all these years tends make it out of round and will slosh fuel out when taking a left turn.
It's about 3-4 hours of a thrash.
BTW I have a spare tank in my parts inventory from a wreck I parted out.
Replacing the gas tank is not a terrible job. Make sure you have a high quality cheesehead driver for the CV joints. Do all the hoses on and about the tank or you'll surely be back in there later. Make sure the filler neck is round at the inlet. People hanging the filler nozzle in the neck for all these years tends make it out of round and will slosh fuel out when taking a left turn.
It's about 3-4 hours of a thrash.
BTW I have a spare tank in my parts inventory from a wreck I parted out.
Last edited by gpr8er; 08-18-2009 at 10:08 PM. Reason: Oh, and no fuel leak is inconsequential.