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Gas smell in trunk fixed!

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Old 07-07-2008, 01:01 AM
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jhubs
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Default Gas smell in trunk fixed!

I purchased my 95, 993 in February and there was no smell of gas in the trunk. Over the last 6 weeks I have noticed a very strong gas smell when I opened the trunk lid and especially when I unsnapped the driver's side trunk liner carpet.

I purchased a new rubber gas cap washer seal and then I tightened all the hose clamps I could reach on the Fuel Expansion Tank and the Fuel Filler hose with a 7mm socket but the smell remained. I noticed another hose going under the Expansion Tank and found out by looking at my PET diagrams that there is another hose clamp on the end of the hose that comes from the fuel tank and runs underneath the expansion tank towards and connects with the fuel filler hose.

Use caution as you will remove the short hose on the left side of the expansion tank to swing that side foreward and that nozzel opening goes directly into the Fuel Tank. Do this outdoors and make sure the car engine has cooled for several hours or over night so there will not be fuel in the expansion tank. You may even want to consider taking the neg. connection off of the battery...I did not. Remember not to tighten the clamps too tight as the tanks are plastic with metal rings inside the plastic nozzels that the hoses fit over.

Be careful as there is a plastic sleeve spacer under each of the three bolts that hold down the expansion tank and they are free to fall off and behind the fuel tank.

I tightened the hose clamp on the end of the hose under the expansion tank and the smell is gone!
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Last edited by jhubs; 07-09-2008 at 02:20 AM.
Old 07-07-2008, 02:17 AM
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travanx
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i am gonna try this, this week. thanks!
Old 07-07-2008, 08:45 AM
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marret
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Very informative, thanks for posting.
Old 07-07-2008, 08:52 AM
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jenskleis
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Hi Jerry,

Thansk for the idea!!!

My car has begun smelling of petrol lately, so I will try your fix.

Take care,

Jens
Old 07-07-2008, 08:57 AM
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95FL993CAB
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Very nice detective work and great DYI information. You need to uplink it to the Pcar DYI site.
Old 07-07-2008, 12:00 PM
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jhubs
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Remember that you are working with Fuel, so be cautious about sparks and flame around an open fuel tank and the fuel fumes. Hope it works for you too!
Old 07-07-2008, 12:49 PM
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AOW162435
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Jerry,
Good work. Did you test your findings by filling the tank a few times and checking, or was there another way to identify that the smell had conclusively stopped? My trunk also has a fuel smell, but it's never really changed over the nearly three years that I've owned the car.


Andreas
Old 07-07-2008, 01:55 PM
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Edward
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Excellent job, Jerry! Mine isn't smelling but I appreciate your post! Great job with pics and detail ...filed away into my memory banks now, thanks!!

Edward
Old 07-07-2008, 11:39 PM
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jhubs
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Originally Posted by AOW162435
Jerry,
Good work. Did you test your findings by filling the tank a few times and checking, or was there another way to identify that the smell had conclusively stopped? My trunk also has a fuel smell, but it's never really changed over the nearly three years that I've owned the car.

Andreas
I have been checking over the last few days both after driving and in the mornings. The smell has almost vanished. I am guessing that there is a little residual smell left over from a very strong fuel smell for the last 6 weeks. I don't drive the car everyday and I have not filled the tanks since the fix. If the smell starts up again, I will repost. I would assume that the next step I should take, if the smell comes back, would be a new filler neck and all the attached hoses and clamps. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!
Old 07-07-2008, 11:42 PM
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Mike J
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Originally Posted by 95FL993CAB
Very nice detective work and great DYI information. You need to uplink it to the Pcar DYI site.
You mean www.pcarworkshop.com, right ?

I will put it in if Jerry permits.

cheers,

Mike
Old 07-08-2008, 12:07 AM
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jhubs
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Mike,
If you think it would be appropriate for your site, you have my permission.
Thanks!
Old 07-11-2008, 07:32 PM
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jhubs
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Just an update after 10 days. I had a very light gas odor in the trunk after the "fix", so I did 3 things.

1. Took the trunk carpet out and dusted it with Arm and Hammer Soda and let it sit out for 1 day, vacuumed it 3 times and then sprayed it with Febreze, front and back, and let the carpet sit out another day.
2. Tightened ALL of the hose clamps again with a 7mm socket.
3. Sprayed the interior of the trunk with Febreze.

I put the carpet back in yesterday and, so far, no gas smell...and it's HOT here, 97 yesterday and 94 today and I filled the tank full and drove the car both days so the expansion tank would be used.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Last edited by jhubs; 07-16-2008 at 11:47 PM.
Old 07-16-2008, 10:55 PM
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Great post, jhubs. I had the same problem, and just tightened all the clamps that have anything to do with fuel in my trunk (boot?), and am airing out the carpet as I write this. Feeling very optimistic about the results. Thanks for the advice!

Rudeman
Old 07-17-2008, 08:28 PM
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jh: Nice post. Also, good thinking on the A&H and Fabreeze.
Old 07-21-2008, 12:54 AM
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We just returned from Jackson Hole on a 4 day PCA Tour with 36 other Porsches. 1,328 miles. What a blast!
The gas smell is gone and has not returned.


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