Gas smell

[Adam Wartell]

After I have been driving around for a while in my 79, when I get home, the car sits in the garage for about 10 minutes or less and, I smell gas REALLY strong. The smell will linger in the garage for about 12-24 hours after shutting off the car, but does stop at that point.

I do not see any gas leaks on the ground, nor do I see any leaks near the carb.

Any ideas what is going on? One suggestion I got was about some sort of emissions canister, under normal operation, could be causing it. But I never used to smell it before.

Any help would be great!

 

[ed_in_pa]

I assume the the 79 is similar to the 76. I had a problem with a gas smell and it ended up being the rubber hose that connect the metal fuel line to the tank. When I inspected it further the rubber line was leaking into the passenger side rear frame rail and then onto the exhaust. There are many possibilities for the gas smell but this is definitely worth checking out.

 

[JohnZ]

Could be the rubber hose connections as posted above, or it could be a bad purge solenoid on the evaporative emission canister; if the solenoid dies, the fuel vapors collected in the canister don't get drawn into the intake and burned.

 

[Adam Wartell]

So basically, I need to inspect all lines that carry fuel, right? That sounds tough without a lift!

 

[Stallion]

Everything is tough without a lift.

 

[jason r. nugent]

i just fixed daryllawman 1979 the fuel pump bolts that hold it to the engine was loose also both gas and return lines made of the wonderful rubber line.... the clamps and the hoses were to loose to tighned need to replace all clamps and rubber lines and this will fix the oder of gas.

 

[Koop]

After I have been driving around for a while in my 79, when I get home, the car sits in the garage for about 10 minutes or less and, I smell gas REALLY strong. The smell will linger in the garage for about 12-24 hours after shutting off the car, but does stop at that point.

I do not see any gas leaks on the ground, nor do I see any leaks near the carb.

Any ideas what is going on? One suggestion I got was about some sort of emissions canister, under normal operation, could be causing it. But I never used to smell it before.

Any help would be great!

My Vette did that! But fire cured the problem, I guess I should've taken the problem more seriously.

 

[Whiplash]

So basically, I need to inspect all lines that carry fuel, right? That sounds tough without a lift!

Not sure about the 79 gas tank but my 71 had a bad gasket on the filler neck between it and the gas tank. You can't see the gas slosh out and there are no drips. The gas splashes and seeps onto the top of the tank. Stinks like hell and can't be seen. If the 79 filler neck bolts to the tank like the 71 did but if it does check the top of the tank for gas stains/residue as well.

Good luck.

Whiplash

 

[wishuwerehere82]

After I have been driving around for a while in my 79, when I get home, the car sits in the garage for about 10 minutes or less and, I smell gas REALLY strong. The smell will linger in the garage for about 12-24 hours after shutting off the car, but does stop at that point.

I do not see any gas leaks on the ground, nor do I see any leaks near the carb.

Any ideas what is going on? One suggestion I got was about some sort of emissions canister, under normal operation, could be causing it. But I never used to smell it before.

Any help would be great!

Sometime the screws on the underside of the carb will leak fuel into the intake manifold after the motor is shut down. It just drips from the float bowl into the carb port. Are you having a delay in starting after sitting overnight? That's a sure sign.
Sniff around your air filter intake snorkel to see if that's where your fumes are coming from.

 

[titan81]

Check around the fuelpump
There is a diaphram that leaks and it will not
always go to the ground. Its on the passanger side of the block.
Mine had a slow leak that never really made itself clear until I reached up and my hand stunk of fuel.

 

[ed_in_pa]

Delay

Sometime the screws on the underside of the carb will leak fuel into the intake manifold after the motor is shut down. It just drips from the float bowl into the carb port. Are you having a delay in starting after sitting overnight? That's a sure sign.
Sniff around your air filter intake snorkel to see if that's where your fumes are coming from.
__________________
Pete

What do you mean by a delay in starting?

 

[WARVET]

It could also be the overflow canister. Located on the driver side fender well. It was used for several years to pass gas vapors through a charcoal filter. It is the size of a small coffee can down below the wiper washer tank. Check the filter on the bottom of it. When I looked at mine, the filter wasn't even there. I had the same problem and bought the filter (NAPA had it for a couple of bucks) and the smell went away.

Also it should be noted that all vettes that have a gas tank blatter should not be overfilled. As soon as the pump shuts off - stop. Do not top off on a vette.

 

[Jimmy Vette]

I have the exact same problem on my 80 coupe. I kind of think that it does have something to do with the evaporative emission canister. I also have check everything for gas leaks....none found. The emissions canister/filter seems to be the best bet. I will have a looks at mine this weekend. If I find the fix I will let you know. If find the fix first let me know.

 

[Koop]

I've had the rubber lines to that cannister leak on another car, it was challenging to locate

 

[lucky76]

I've had the rubber lines to that cannister leak on another car, it was challenging to locate

I have the same problem with a strong gas smell after parking my 76 in the garage. After reading this thread I check my canister today. I discovered a 1/4 inch rubber hose attached to it that didn't go anywhere and another attached to a metal line back down the frame toward the gas tank.

I'VE BEEN WONDERING WHAT WENT TO THE PLUGGED LINE ON THE FRONT OF THE CARB SINCE I GOT THE CAR LAST YEAR! Now I know!

Bought some new hose and new clamps and connected it up, no more gas smell.