smells like gas

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:06 am

so, my tercel now reaks of gas when you drive it, the smell seems to be coming from around the fuel pump, but its hard to tell because under the hood all smells pretty stinky.

i'm guessing either the diaphragm in the pump has a small hole, or the clips that hold the fuel lines in place on the fuel pump have lost their tension and aren't keeping the fuel lines as snug as they used to. or perhaps the rubber fuel hoses are rotting.

has anyone else here had this problem, or if you can suggest what i should start looking at to make the smell go away that would be awsome.

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:54 am

Mac
Well. it looks like you already have a start on diagnosis.
The quickest and cheapest first step would be to renew the hoses at the carb/pump/filter/canister. The clips on my car are also 20 years old and yet are still "springy", but again, some new clamps are pretty inexpensive.
Then pop for a pump if the firewall is oily (an indicator of a bad pump). Typrus, as I recall, had a problem with this and had gas mingling with oil in the sump because of this. There was quite a thread a few months ago about this.
This is presuming, of course, that the carb is not moist as well.
Tom M.

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 2:57 am

The 3/8" hoses around the charc canister can "melt" and you'll get a gas smell...fuel pump? Carb might be leaking.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:17 am

thanks guys, i'll be looking at all this stuff pretty soon, i think i'll start with new fuel lines and clips.

the fuel pump was replaced about 6 years ago, so i'm not expecting it to be the problem, but if my engine oil smells like its fulla gas, then it probably is.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:12 am

Check for oil on the firewall behind the pump.
Try to find Viton hoses, or another chemical resistant material. With the Ethanol being put in fuels, it can corrode rubber down. Just a thought?

xirdneh · Post by **xirdneh** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:54 pm

Mac wrote: so, my tercel now reaks of gas when you drive it,

i once had a fuel pump that leaked intermittantly. it was hard to pin it down.
but i finally caught it with gas in that plastic thing under the pump.
the only other place i've had a leak was where the fuel line bolts to the carb.
the bolt was slightly loose.
good luck