hey guys i have a 1988 rx7 convertible. i love the car so much but sometimes i smell fuel and the smell makes its way into the cabin and that really pisses me off. i took the car to a local rotary expert and he said the fuel pulsation damper is not leaking so im a lot less worried about it but it still gets annoying. its not a constant smell i just get like wiffs of it and i smell the fuel alot more on hotter days after its been running for a bit. not on cold start up or colder days. when i look at the exhaust and my gas tank area in the sunlight i can literally see the fumes coming out of the tailpipes and like around the catback and it looks a bit excessive. im pretty sure my gas tank is not leaking because i dont see any stains on my driveway. i think maybe i have an exhaust leak because during idle i can sometimes hear like a squeaking noise. or is all this normal for rx7 after all i did read that these cars run a little richer than most cars.

 

There is an item which is Black, made of plastic and is in the shape of a can that is about 6 inches or so high and perhaps 5 inches or so in diameter that is located in the corner of the engine bay near the fire wall and passenger fender. It's called the carbon canister that also has a couple of rubber hoses connected to it and it removes the smell of fuel from the engine at various times of operation. Is it still present or was it removed? If removed, it will cause the car to smell of fuel.

 

ya that part is still there. it still produces the smell. i dont really smell it in the engine bay. more around the rear of my car like the tailpipes and gas tank. i drove it today and it hasnt been too bad i think if i change my exhaust it might stop. what do you think about hks silent hi power? is that a good exhaust if my car is N/A?

 

Maybe try checking if the shifter boot is broken. I had that happen before on my car and after replacement the smell went away.

 

hmm well my shifter boot does have rips and tears...is that what you mean? or is the boot underneath that?

 

To continue with satch's thinking, the lines to/from the carbon canister end-up at a vent valve and check valve on the top of the tank. Get under the car and check the rubber lines at the valve and the plastic vent and you should see something amiss.

 

ok i will check it out tomorrow during the daylight. those valves are on top of the gas tank?

 

The tank vent is on the top of the tank but the 'purge' valve is a white plastic part with 3(?) small hoses connected in the same area just forward of the tank.

 

thanks for all the help guys but to be honest i kinda just dealt with it and about 2 weeks ago the smells just stopped and it hasnt emitted fuel smell into my cabin since. what do u guys think it was and do u think it will return?