Fuel smell coming in cabin?

What would cause a fuel smell to enter the cabin when the windows are cracked or the sunroof is open? Does this while driving down the road. You can't smell it with the windows/sunroof closed. Also seems to be more noticeable after filling up.

ASAP you need to check the nylon fuel lines over/around the engine. Remember there have been stories about the lines failing over time. Are yours still original?

The other cause might be an EVAP system line's come off or dried out, or a problem with the fuel filler/vapor recovery piping.

Is this enough to get started?

My guess is EVAP but I'd check the engine fuel lines first just to be sure. Just open hood while car is runnign and look at the lines wiht a flashlight, see if there is any spray (they are under pressure). As for evap probably easiest to have a shop with a smoke machine test it as long as the tester has some troubleshooting experience and some knowledge of the Riv..

Albertj

I had that situation, and in my case it ended up being a Fuel Injector O ring.

It can also originate at the top of the fuel tank where the fuel pump mounts to the tank. There can be quite a bit of corrosion there. Take the inspection cover in the trunk off, and have a look.

This has been ongoing for some time. I forgot about it because of winter until I rolled down my windows while driving. There is nothing spraying under the hood.

There is alot of corrosion/rust at the fuel pump location. Guessing there isn't much of a fix for that though.

Also if you have a cracked header it can let alot of fumes in the cabin.

manofmany wrote:

This has been ongoing for some time. I forgot about it because of winter until I rolled down my windows while driving. There is nothing spraying under the hood.

There is alot of corrosion/rust at the fuel pump location. Guessing there isn't much of a fix for that though.

It depends. Tank should be plastic. Tank has a lock ring molded in, it's steel, if it's rotted out that's a problem. However the pump is held in by a different ring, they are still available new from dealers and some full-line parts stores. We hashed thru this on another thread IIRC...

Albertj

albertj wrote:

manofmany wrote:

This has been ongoing for some time. I forgot about it because of winter until I rolled down my windows while driving. There is nothing spraying under the hood.

There is alot of corrosion/rust at the fuel pump location. Guessing there isn't much of a fix for that though.

It depends. Tank should be plastic. Tank has a lock ring molded in, it's steel, if it's rotted out that's a problem. However the pump is held in by a different ring, they are still available new from dealers and some full-line parts stores. We hashed thru this on another thread IIRC...

Albertj

I'll look for the info this evening. I know the removable ring that is used to hold the fuel pump down is in good shape, but the part that it looks INTO is rusted out pretty badly. Is that the part you're talking about?

manofmany wrote:

albertj wrote:

manofmany wrote:

This has been ongoing for some time. I forgot about it because of winter until I rolled down my windows while driving. There is nothing spraying under the hood.

There is alot of corrosion/rust at the fuel pump location. Guessing there isn't much of a fix for that though.

It depends. Tank should be plastic. Tank has a lock ring molded in, it's steel, if it's rotted out that's a problem. However the pump is held in by a different ring, they are still available new from dealers and some full-line parts stores. We hashed thru this on another thread IIRC...

Albertj

I'll look for the info this evening. I know the removable ring that is used to hold the fuel pump down is in good shape, but the part that it looks INTO is rusted out pretty badly. Is that the part you're talking about?

Yes that is a problem. A repair fitting can be made in a machine shop and attached to the old tank, somewhere on this site there are old posts up from a list member who did that. Not impossible but not trivial either. I kinda wonder if it's easier to just replace the tank, what do you think?

Well it's not corroded enough that it's unusable. One thing that sticks out to me is that the rubber o-ring or gasket was very flimsy and hard to get properly placed. I've got a new pump coming in a day or two. I'll see if this persists after changing it out and using new hardware and rubber.

When you finally figure this out manofmany, can you let us know, tanx.

Absolutely. The pump is going to be here Monday so depending on when I get off work I may or may not get it in that night.

Are you experiencing the same thing?

No, just interested for future reference.

MoM, what was your solution? I am getting some fumes too and I need to find out what it is ASAP. Every time I stop somewhere with the car running I get a whiff. I also notice large plumes of smoke billowing from the back of my car sometimes at stop lights. If it were Winter and cold then I would probably pass it off but it's too early for that I think.

Any ideas?

charlieRobinson wrote:

MoM, what was your solution? I am getting some fumes too and I need to find out what it is ASAP. Every time I stop somewhere with the car running I get a whiff. I also notice large plumes of smoke billowing from the back of my car sometimes at stop lights. If it were Winter and cold then I would probably pass it off but it's too early for that I think.

Any ideas?

...what color is the smoke?

Charlie, do you smell fuel, or could it be burning oil?

sorry, I shouldn't have used that bad word, smoke. It's exhaust. I know it's getting cool out but i'v been seeing it for a few weeks now. Maybe it's all in my head but it looks like more than what should be there. And I don't see everyone else's cars blowing exhaust at stop lights.

Is there any correlation between exhaust and a fuel leak?

It's definitely the fine fragrance of gasoline. I get a whiff of it whenever I am idling. I used to think it was the cars around me but I am out of the stage of denial and ready to accept that it is quite possibly me, who is the stinky one.

I am actually still experiencing this, but only with the windows cracked or sunroof open while driving. Pretty bizarre. No fuel like that I could find and it wasn't anything to do with the fuel pump as far I know. It was more prominent when the tank was full.

The smoke is probably condensation. My car has been doing this more lately as the mornings have been colder.

charlieRobinson wrote:

sorry, I shouldn't have used that bad word, smoke. It's exhaust. I know it's getting cool out but i'v been seeing it for a few weeks now. Maybe it's all in my head but it looks like more than what should be there. And I don't see everyone else's cars blowing exhaust at stop lights.

Is there any correlation between exhaust and a fuel leak?

It's definitely the fine fragrance of gasoline. I get a whiff of it whenever I am idling. I used to think it was the cars around me but I am out of the stage of denial and ready to accept that it is quite possibly me, who is the stinky one.

1) Have you checked for gasoline leaks yet?
2) Exhaust at startup on a cool and humid morning contains a whole lot of water vapor, and sitting here I can't tell if you see smoke or water vapor.

No, I have not. I just got the 3 volume 2nd edition service manual and I will check out all things fuel Friday after work. I was reading about fuel lines in the Riviera between notorious for failing.True? so that's where I will start first.

I have 0 experience working with cars and just looking at the 3 fat books scares me. I was terrified when I actually flipped through the pages and looked at the pictures.

This technology is way over my head and I just hope I don't make bigger, worse, more expensive problems as I start taking on the work... but i know i'm going to

charlieRobinson wrote:

No, I have not. I just got the 3 volume 2nd edition service manual and I will check out all things fuel Friday after work. I was reading about fuel lines in the Riviera between notorious for failing.True? so that's where I will start first.

I have 0 experience working with cars and just looking at the 3 fat books scares me. I was terrified when I actually flipped through the pages and looked at the pictures.

This technology is way over my head and I just hope I don't make bigger, worse, more expensive problems as I start taking on the work... but i know i'm going to

All you have to do is open the hood, take off the "sight shield" (the plastic shroud over the engine - one plastic nut to take off in middle of hood) and look. What you are looking for is the hard black plastic hoses, they actually are nylon and they all run over top of the engine, under the car the fuel lines are metal). If they are leaking it will be obvious, there are instructions on fixing them on this site and that also come with some (not all) of the fuel line repair kits; for a not-too-steep price a mechanic can replace them for you if you don't want to do it yourself.

If they are not leaking you need to look at the injectors they are under the metal fuel rails on top of the engine, easy to see with the sight shield off.

Albertj

Hey guys I recently started to notice that the interior smells like fuel only after I fill up. It doesn't smell when its lower on a gas, and the car doesn't need to be running to smell it. I read on-line that this can occur if the carbon cannister is blocked? Could it be that, or our fuel tank necks prone to leaks? Thought?