Sorting a Petrol smell from rear of car
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 8:48 am
I have spent the past year trying to fix this problem on my 1993 480 auto ES. Symptons are:
Fuel smell when driving with windows/sunroof open.
Smell seems to come from the rear of the car, especially strong from the O/S rear wheel arch.
I checked the fuel filter, which just happens to be on this side of the car.
Checked the fuel lines from one end of the car to the other.
Changed the filler cap
Took the rear seats out and checked the fittings to the top of the tank.
Nothing.
Then, by chance I had the off side rear wheel off and I gently moved two breather pipes that come from the tank and go to a plastic chamber that is tucked up inside the wheel arch (behind the filler neck), the pipes just came away. A section of the plastic chamber had just broken off with the two pipes still connected into it.
That was it.
It looks like a fuel vapour recycling system, connected to the fuel filler neck from the tank.
I was able to glue the plastic box/pipes back together. Now when I undo the fuel filler cap I get a gentle hiss. So I know the system is now under some form of pressure and the smell has gone.
In my case I glued the part back together using a hot glue gun, and then sealed all around the joints. Naturally, care must be taken when working around petrol tanks, and we should all know that fuel vapour is extremely flammable. So be very careful.
Fuel smell when driving with windows/sunroof open.
Smell seems to come from the rear of the car, especially strong from the O/S rear wheel arch.
I checked the fuel filter, which just happens to be on this side of the car.
Checked the fuel lines from one end of the car to the other.
Changed the filler cap
Took the rear seats out and checked the fittings to the top of the tank.
Nothing.
Then, by chance I had the off side rear wheel off and I gently moved two breather pipes that come from the tank and go to a plastic chamber that is tucked up inside the wheel arch (behind the filler neck), the pipes just came away. A section of the plastic chamber had just broken off with the two pipes still connected into it.
That was it.
It looks like a fuel vapour recycling system, connected to the fuel filler neck from the tank.
I was able to glue the plastic box/pipes back together. Now when I undo the fuel filler cap I get a gentle hiss. So I know the system is now under some form of pressure and the smell has gone.
In my case I glued the part back together using a hot glue gun, and then sealed all around the joints. Naturally, care must be taken when working around petrol tanks, and we should all know that fuel vapour is extremely flammable. So be very careful.