gas smell

[jertapper]

The cold weather is here...and a problem that I hoped had gone away (because it seemed to) has come back.

Basically, when it gets cold, I smell fuel. Inside the car if the ac or heat or econ ventilation is on you can smell it pretty well sometimes. Outside the car you can smell it also. It SEEMS to be worse with the heater (I think, this could be me not adequately discerning with my sense of smell). If I turn the blower off...the smell is lessened (all that is left is the lingering smell that made it in there).

So, It has to be coming from the engine bay in order to get into the venting. It's intermittant...which means when I'm home and it's convenient for me to try to determine whereabouts it is coming from, it won't do it.

My guess is maybe a fuel injector. I have no clue why it hasn't done it since sometime last winter. I am not sure what the hot/cold thing could mean or how it factors in.

Any ideas for trying to narrow this down? I have no experience with fuel related issues.
Modified by jertapper at 11:44 AM 11/23/2007

[yodawill2000]

If it mainly happens when its cold its fairly common,The J's run very rich when cold and the exhaust smells like fuel.Mine does the same thing.My guess its getting into the cabin from a leak in the Cats or somewhere else in the front part of the exhaust.

[jertapper]

If it mainly happens when its cold its fairly common,The J's run very rich when cold and the exhaust smells like fuel.Mine does the same thing.My guess its getting into the cabin from a leak in the Cats or somewhere else in the front part of the exhaust.

So you think I should take it to some exhaust place or what technique do you use to check for this yourself?

If I can find a leak is the solution to weld it or something?

[yodawill2000]

Depends on if its a Cat or muffler or just a pin hole in the pipes.I really don't worry about it because as soon as the needle moves up the smell is gone.

[jertapper]

Depends on if its a Cat or muffler or just a pin hole in the pipes.I really don't worry about it because as soon as the needle moves up the smell is gone.

This keeps smelling if the blower is on at all. So when I come to a stop I have to turn it off. While driving I guess the whirling air stops it from coming in so much.

[yodawill2000]

That could be something that needs attention.Fire it up and pop the hood and look for a leak.An Upper injector O-ring could be the prob.Just a guess though.

[Outkast]

The J30 has a Z32 engine and as with the Z32 during cold weather you'll get a fuel smell. You'll need to tightened all the hose clamps to the fuel hoses and that'll fix it.

[yodawill2000]

I'll give that s shot and report back ..By the way Outkast ..I LOVE your sig.LMAO Classic.

[Outkast]

I'll give that s shot and report back ..By the way Outkast ..I LOVE your sig.LMAO Classic.

Thanks!!

[Q45ver]

Your opening post is an accurate discription of how my Q is acting. I will go under the hood today and look for sign of leaks. Were you able to find the source? Started to do this last winter, not at all over the summer and back worse than ever now.

[Q45tech]

Common to replace the rubber fuel hoses under plenum, as they age or get exposed to non standard gasoline they swell and leak when cold and may fill under plenum with gasoline or just drip drip.

A common maintenace item to replace ALL RUBBER HOSES in engine bay every 100k or less.

[DJ BUNKS]

There is a good chance it could be something as simple as your gas cap rubber seal is worn out and needs to be replaced. Also you should check your gas tank and gas line all the way to the engine for leaks. Any leaking of gas in these areas will penetrate the interior of your J30.

[StevieRaySTL]

-- When mine smelled like gas it was the fuel pressure regulator hose.