Gasoline smell in car...

DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">anyone a car buff?</div>So my car now often has a gasoline smell when I'm driving it. I don't know what causes it, and it comes and goes. It only seems to be on the INSIDE of the car - when I get out of the car I can't smell it anymore. The engine has also gotten much louder lately. I've looked under the car and haven't really seen any leakage. I also looked under the hood but didn't know what to look for anyway. there were no visible fountains of gas spewing out at least.

what could be causing the gas smell? is my car going to transform into a living fireball while I drive it?

this poor car is on its last legs no matter how you slice it. I should start another thread where we compete to see who has the car in the worst shape.
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Comments

  • enf0rcerenf0rcer intrigued... Join Date: 2003-03-16 Member: 14584Members
    Brain tumour that makes you smell gas when you're driving?

    Take it to a garage?

    The best two things I could think of anyway.
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  • Sub_zer0Sub_zer0 Join Date: 2004-05-09 Member: 28569Members
    Could be your air blowy things sucking in air from near the engine and thus the engine is smelling like gas.
    I would recommend taking it to gargage if your worried.
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  • RatonetwothreetwooneRatonetwothreetwoone Join Date: 2004-03-23 Member: 27504Members
    louder eh? maybe your ish's pumping too much gas into the engine thus creating loud explosions and gas overflow, the smell of which is entering your car... especially if you have the heater on?
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  • RustySpoonRustySpoon Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18069Members
    Check it out with a lighter. Smoke up. Smoke while you do it.

    Yeaahh, smoke it.
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  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    lol @ spoon, and good thoughts all. Yeah, maybe my engine is flooding. The smell is definitely stronger when the car is stopped (but running), and I don't dare test whether the smell is still there if I have the heater off, since it's 8 degrees out there (like -10 celsius)... Whenever something goes wrong with this car, I'm hesitant about taking it in, because it's over 10 years old with 150k miles on it, so it's probably due to be scrapped soon anyway -_- I don't want to spend $1k on repairs and have it die out a month later...
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  • MetalcatMetalcat Join Date: 2004-08-11 Member: 30528Members
    Its probaly the people driving in front of you
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  • BlackMageBlackMage [citation needed] Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17474Members, Constellation
    could be a fuel leak somewhere. (check under the car to see if anything's dripping)
    if you're mistaking "petrol smell" for "exhaust smell" then a screwy muffler might be causing the noise and scent.
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    Blackmage is probably soundest advice. If you have a fuel leak though uhm, more than likely it's spread all under the car and down the road as you drive. You'd probably have noticed that.

    GARAGE NOW BOY, they want your monies!
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    Fuel leaks can actually be quite small, and almost unnoticeable under certain conditions, given how quickly warm/hot gasoline vaporizes. Especially from a minor leak that only leaks when the engine gets hot (metal expansion shifting a seal or whatnot).

    If your car is fuel injected, I'd recommend replacing the upper and lower injector seals (cheap and somewhat easy to do), as well as inspecting the inlet and return on the fuel rail, and any fuel pressure regulator on the line(s). Replacing the fuel filter (in any case) couldn't hurt either... if it's as old as you say, it could be clogged, resulting in a massive overpressurization on the inlet side. Carbuerated, if you can, inspect the jets and make sure they aren't clogged. Run some carb cleaner through the system. Look at the fuel line inlet on the carb, and make sure it doesn't look at all damp while it's idling.

    If it's just a minor exhaust leak, and you plan to replace the car, it's not something to worry about... just drive with the windows down. Especially if it's carbuerated. FI can get wonky readings from the O2 sensor and start running richer and richer, getting crappy fuel efficiency though.
    If it's a fuel leak... get that fixed NOW, if you intend to drive the car for another day. Otherwise you *may* end up seeing smoke, then fire coming out from under the hood.

    Get it to a shop that does free inspection, or at least will discount the cost of the inspection toward any repair work you have done there.
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  • eedioteediot Join Date: 2003-02-24 Member: 13903Members
    Run down 12 joggers, rebound off a mafia sentinel, and then do a jump off a ramp before landing on your roof. If your car explodes within 6-8 seconds, you have a fuel leak.
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  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1604135:date=Feb 5 2007, 05:59 PM:name=emperor_awesome)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(emperor_awesome @ Feb 5 2007, 05:59 PM) [snapback]1604135[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Run down 12 joggers, rebound off a mafia sentinel, and then do a jump off a ramp before landing on your roof. If your car explodes within 6-8 seconds, you have a fuel leak.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Sound advice.
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  • RevlicRevlic Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58367Members
    Sounds to me like your running rich, are you stalling idling, what engine type, what year, we need more information.
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  • SloppyKissesSloppyKisses omgawd a furreh&#33; Virginia Join Date: 2003-07-05 Member: 17942Members, Constellation
    edited February 2007
    <!--quoteo(post=1604145:date=Feb 5 2007, 10:35 PM:name=Revlic)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Revlic @ Feb 5 2007, 10:35 PM) [snapback]1604145[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Sounds to me like your running rich, are you stalling idling, what engine type, what year, we need more information.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    That was my first thought i had a old 69 v8-405 camaro with a screwed up 4 barrel carb. It loved to run rich and stall out idling all the time, then when i would try to restart the engine i would just flood it. >_> I miss my baby ;_;

    oh yes, this caused a gas smell like i was sticking my nose into the gas tank and taking in a huge wiff of it. lol
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  • RevlicRevlic Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58367Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1604151:date=Feb 6 2007, 05:44 AM:name=Phur_Instinkt)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Phur_Instinkt @ Feb 6 2007, 05:44 AM) [snapback]1604151[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    That was my first thought i had a old 69 v8-405 camaro with a screwed up 4 barrel carb. It loved to run rich and stall out idling all the time, then when i would try to restart the engine i would just flood it. >_> I miss my baby ;_;

    oh yes, this caused a gas smell like i was sticking my nose into the gas tank and taking in a huge wiff of it. lol
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    I think you have a nasty fuel system leak. Idle the car and see if your Fuel Filter is busted loose or something or if you see fluids leaking anywhere. also check inside the engine.
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  • RatonetwothreetwooneRatonetwothreetwoone Join Date: 2004-03-23 Member: 27504Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1604152:date=Feb 6 2007, 01:55 AM:name=Revlic)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Revlic @ Feb 6 2007, 01:55 AM) [snapback]1604152[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I think you have a nasty fuel system leak. Idle the car and see if your Fuel Filter is busted loose or something or if you see fluids leaking anywhere. also check inside the engine.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    sounds to me like he doesnt have the car anymore >_>
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  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    It's odd your gasoline odor is only noticeable inside the car, which tells me it's probably being drawn into the interior via the heater/ventilation system, or perhaps is a leaky fuel line directly beneath you. Regardless, a close inspection of the entire fuel line from the tank to the carbuerator / fuel injector is in order. Btw, does it have an electric fuel pump?

    As to the louder exhaust, crawl underneath and do a thorough exam of the entire exhaust system. If a mufflers innards are blown out you're screwed ... but if you find a hole in the muffler or pipe, muffler tape works wonders - esp if you're looking for a cheap fix.
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  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    edited February 2007
    wow, a lot more possibilties in here, thanks as always for the help.

    it's a '95 Maxima. I'm unsure of the specs, but I assume it's fuel injected. It hasn't been stalling, but it HAS been running a little sluggishly - trouble accelerating up hills and whatnot.

    I should totally take it in I guess is the bottom line.
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