Heavy Fuel Smell
12-22-07, 06:49 AM
#1
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Heavy Fuel Smell
okay ive looked around, and ive seen a few posts about the SA/FB smelling heavily of gasoline, but i think mine has gone too far.... Whenever i fill the tank, i have an extremely strong gasoline smell inside the car... i dont understand where or why its like that, because, there are NO fuel lines running through the car, just the rubber lines from the tank to the pump, then rubber to the steel line running to the engine compartment(under the car) and then rubber line from the firewall to the carb. Also, i have a Dellorto Carburetor, so there is no fuel return line.... any ideas people? i am only getting about 20 MPG which i think might be about right the way i drive. Anyone got any ideas why i only smell this gas when the tank is full to 3/4?
12-22-07, 10:05 AM
#2
well, when you are smelling gas with a full tank it could mean two things. maybe three. one, the top of the tank is beginning to rot and gas is seeping out of the top of the tank. you are smelling the gas because you MAY have a bad hatch or tailight seal causing the gasoline odors to creep in the car.
why arent you running a return line?
why arent you running a return line?
12-22-07, 10:21 AM
#3
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because as far as i know, the Dellorto Carb doesnt have a return line output.... at least not as far as i have seen. the car was sold to me with the Dellorto and RB system already installed....
so if the top of the tank is rotting, then that explains why i am smelling gas... the rear of the Rex has a lot of rust, and some of it goes all the way through, like just below the taillights to the underside of the car.... how do i fix this? short of bondoing the $hit out of the rear end? would and 81 to 85 Tank fit in my 80SA?
so if the top of the tank is rotting, then that explains why i am smelling gas... the rear of the Rex has a lot of rust, and some of it goes all the way through, like just below the taillights to the underside of the car.... how do i fix this? short of bondoing the $hit out of the rear end? would and 81 to 85 Tank fit in my 80SA?
12-22-07, 02:15 PM
#5
You answered part of your own question, sort of. The fuel fill hose does indeed go through the body and has exposure to the interior behind the plastic wheel well covers. It's rare that the fill hoses leak, but they can, tank leaks are more common.
If you want to repair the rusted body areas and have them them last, take an autobody course at your local comminty/tech school. Fiberglass patches end up being bandaids that eventually fall off, except for small holes.
If you want to repair the rusted body areas and have them them last, take an autobody course at your local comminty/tech school. Fiberglass patches end up being bandaids that eventually fall off, except for small holes.
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12-22-07, 04:12 PM
#8
Yes it will. I am running a FB gas tank in my SA. You will have to cut the spare tire well out, and resheetmetel the floor flat. The bands, fuel line connections, and sending unit are the same. Sucks that I cant carry a spare without sliding around. But o'well, can't have everything.
12-22-07, 06:24 PM
#10
Yes it will. I am running a FB gas tank in my SA. You will have to cut the spare tire well out, and resheetmetel the floor flat. The bands, fuel line connections, and sending unit are the same. Sucks that I cant carry a spare without sliding around. But o'well, can't have everything.
12-23-07, 07:01 AM
#11
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i really dont think i wanna switch tanks yet... im gonna be doing some body work pretty soon,. gonna pull out the tail lights, and see if i can find a way to put in some FB tails....NOTHING LIKE A DREMEL TOOL! then once those are in and the wing is reinstalled, bondo and sanding.. then im gonna try that 100 dollar paint job thing.... that should seal up the rear hatch pretty well so i dont get the smell anymore.... i was just wondering if it had something to do with not having a return line.
12-23-07, 08:18 AM
#12
NNOOO, the tail lights are what make it an SA and they are getting scarcer every day. The FB tails wrap around the sides of the fender, it's going to take a lot more than a dremel when it comes to making the recessed flanges needed. From your description of the smell and your planned work, it sounds like you're doing everything but actually fix the cause/source of the fuel leak.
I didn't care for the SA tails at first either, but they've grown on me and I wouldn't mind adding an SA to the 'collection'.
I didn't care for the SA tails at first either, but they've grown on me and I wouldn't mind adding an SA to the 'collection'.
12-23-07, 06:48 PM
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I think everyone is wrong on this point unless I'm uneducated about older first gens. I think the problem lies with your charcoal canister. Check the lines running to it. The fuel tank bleeds fumes through a line that runs to the canister. The fumes then run usually to a purge valve to the engine, the fumes are then burned off. If the lines are clogged, canister clogged or purge valve not working correctly the fumes are not burned off and are often collected in the tank which then bleed through the fuel pump hole or filler neck hose. I just had the same thing happen with my festiva. The tube on the canister had broken off and I didn't think anything really about it and just put a screw in the hose. After I started getting the really strong smell i did some research and that's what I found was going on.
Good luck.
Good luck.
12-24-07, 01:14 AM
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from all the different ans you've gotten, the few most logical are the charcoal canister; especially with older cars, those things don't last very long....the other could be a small hole towards the top of the tank. i had the same thing happen to mine; strong gas fumes when full, found a pin hole on the tank crease (top 1/4). i removed the tank, patched the hole and gas smell gone....good luck.
12-24-07, 03:52 AM
#21
okay ive looked around, and ive seen a few posts about the SA/FB smelling heavily of gasoline, but i think mine has gone too far.... Whenever i fill the tank, i have an extremely strong gasoline smell inside the car... i dont understand where or why its like that, because, there are NO fuel lines running through the car, just the rubber lines from the tank to the pump, then rubber to the steel line running to the engine compartment(under the car) and then rubber line from the firewall to the carb. Also, i have a Dellorto Carburetor, so there is no fuel return line.... any ideas people? i am only getting about 20 MPG which i think might be about right the way i drive. Anyone got any ideas why i only smell this gas when the tank is full to 3/4?
Now, perhaps, somone who's been insisting that the smell is coming from the charcoal canister can look at the pics of his engine bay and point it out to 80Drifter and the rest of the forum .
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12-24-07, 04:39 AM
#22
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yes please point it out as i dont have a stock air cleaner lid, hence no charcoal canister.... okay so i do i have to drop the tank tofind this leak??? is there a specific trick to finding it? can i pressurize the tank with compressed air and cover it with soapy water??? i mean thats how i find leaks in tires, but won't that cause issues with a fuel tank?
12-24-07, 05:18 AM
#23
Simplest way to find a leak is look for a wet spot when you smell fuel. It may be visibly accessable, it may not. Chances are if you find 1 leak, you'll find more since these tanks tend to rust from the inside out. Most common areas for leaks is the angled part of the tank near the fill tube and the fuel level sending unit and the joining flange between the upper and lower tank halves. Once you find a leak, its time to drain and drop it, then find a radiator shop that can boil and line it.
As a side note, the sending unit may be inaccurate. While the fuel gauge may show 3/4 full, you may actually be overfilling the tank.
As a side note, the sending unit may be inaccurate. While the fuel gauge may show 3/4 full, you may actually be overfilling the tank.
12-24-07, 07:13 AM
#24
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i just fill it till the pump stops pumping..... then the gauge shows a little above the full marker... could it be that the rubber seals around the top of the tank where the "bowl" is are worn out and me overfilling it is causing it to leak from there.... cuz the fuel smell only lasts for like 30 to 40 miles....
12-24-07, 11:39 AM
#25
"bowl"?
Since hopefully you've downloaded the 1980 FSM by now, download the '85 Edition also. Why you ask, because it's the most comprehensive one for the 1st gens. Section 4a, p. 3 has a diagram of the entire fuel system. If you can't find another name for the 'bowl', copy the fuel diagram to MSPaint and circle the 'bowl'
Since hopefully you've downloaded the 1980 FSM by now, download the '85 Edition also. Why you ask, because it's the most comprehensive one for the 1st gens. Section 4a, p. 3 has a diagram of the entire fuel system. If you can't find another name for the 'bowl', copy the fuel diagram to MSPaint and circle the 'bowl'