I smell gas?!

[tristan506]

Hey everyone,

 

My car is a 1995 Subaru Legacy (180,000 miles) and whenever I turn on my car I smell gas. If I drive the car for over 5 minutes the gas smell goes away, I never smell it inside the car so I don't think it's a leak, it's only when I turn it on.

 

If I drive the car for lets say 15 minutes, turn the car off, then turn it back on it doesn't smell like gas, it's only when you first turn the car on after a few hours of being turned off.

 

A while back I brought it to a friend because the check engine light came on and I changed a little sensor thing that a hose hooks into, it wasn't the O2 sensor but it was some other kind of emissions sensor of some sort, it cleared the check engine light but it didn't fix the gas smell problem.

 

If you have any idea or have seen this in the past let me know.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

-Tristan

[Skip]

Howdy Tristan,

 

 

If the canister purge valve was replaced

(the sensor you mention) and the lines for it not connected correctly, your problem could be there.

 

The proper connection for this valve may be on a sticker under your hood.

 

Other than that

I drive a 94 Leg and have the same situation.

 

The gas smell I am having is not from eating chille or taco's

but

 

the fuel fill pipe that connects the gas fill opening to the gas tank is rusted and leaks.

 

My thought is the mud crud and other derbris in the area of this absorb the gas and give off this odor. While sitting it premeaits the entire body cavity.

 

When the car is started the heater vent infront of the windscreen draws this odor in to the cabin.

 

After driving the heater vent gets fresh air which displaces the gas smell.

 

To see if this is your problem (which has been mentioned

by many others here with similar vintage cars) after you get gas, look under the car in the area of where your fill door is. (right side rear).

 

Do you semll or see any signs of gas?

 

Good luck, and hope this helps.

[tristan506]

I don't think that was the thing I replaced, let me try to explain where it is on the engine...

 

When you have the hood open, on the passenger side, right near the strut there's a little thing where 2 hoses go into, I think they might be pressure hoses for the engine?

 

 

Does that help at all?

[Skip]

That could be the purge valve.

 

This valve, by the way, controls gas vapors from the gas tank.

 

See why it might be the source of the smell?

[tristan506]

Skip, you're a smart person!

 

I'll check all of this tonight and update you as soon as I know.

 

 

 

-Tristan

[brus brother]

Common things happen commonly... That having been said, I had a 94 with gas smells and it was in fact as Skip notes, the corroding filler pipe right iniside the rear wheel by the filler tube. There is a "protective" shroud that covers the lower part of the tube. It traps mud and crud and is just the right environment for rust. SO, even if your problem is related to the cannister under the hood, get under the car and flush the crud out of this area.