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Scary gas vapor smell!

80Vette

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2006
Messages
63
Location
Portland OR
Corvette
1980 pearl white vette
Fuel line system...YIKES!

My 80 smells like gas BAD after I drive it, regardless of how full the tank is. It happened immediately after my mechanic put on new performer Intake & performer 600cfm carb. So, somewhere along the many vacuum lines, return hoses, charcoal fuel cannister or separator, something is leaky or open. These cars have a whole slew of lines & vacuum hoses and I've tried to trace the lines back to the gas tank but quite frankly, for these mechanically untrained eyes I cannot locate where the stinky, potentially explosive vapors are coming from. It does smell the strongest right around the cannister however. I am just unsure of which ones I can plug since it is an 80 with a vented system....

The car sits in an enclosed, attached garage to my house near the furnace. Needless to say, I haven't been driving the vette much because of this...
 
You may want to check the fuel pump.
I just replaced the pump on my 1972. It was running
fine but fuming up the garage. Turns out it was
seeping around the top seam but not leaking on the
garage floor.

Mike
 
Still time to ask the GM shop manual from Santa! :)
All the vacuum lines are in there so easy to find the error.

Groeten Peter.
 
I dunno...I have the GM manual and it's not neccessarily clear as to the identification of any of the lines. It just shows two hoses off of the cannister. My cannister has 4 or 5 coming to and fro the tank, carb, manifold and some "magical" land somewhere behind the fire-wall.
 
Your emission label on the inside of the hood should also show where all the lines are going to in color. Because the GM manual is black and white it's not that clear but in my 81 manual everything is in there. Non of them are going behind the firewall btw.

Groeten Peter.
 
I think I would take it back to your mechanic and have him figure it out, since some changes have been made in the engine.
 
Sounds like the charcoal cannister is not hooked up right, or a vapor tube is open somewhere.

I tend to remember that there's a line that runs from the gastank to the charcoal cannister to collect the expansion gases from the tank. The smog pump then sucks the vapors out the cannister and into the manifold to burn. (I think that is how it is.) If this is the case, maybe the line that used to run from your smog pump to your manifold is not connected to anything and left open.(?)

Anyway, I'm not 100% sure of this, but this was how I thought it was to be. My car has been changed so much, it is no longer stock.
 
I have ordered a new Carter Fuel pump. I'll replace the fixed lines too.
Is it possible to just cut all the lines off of the charcoal cannister & plug them? Bypassing the whole slew of hoses? If doing that, I'll need to buy a vented gas cap huh?


-Thanks guys.

This forum is so helpful!
 
Hmmm...not too sure. At least, not sure enough to recommend a remedy.
Perhaps a better experienced person will chime in on this one.
 
Why remove it when you can reconnect everything very easy?
I don't know if the 80 canister is about the same as the 81. Then I could send you a picture of the vacuum lines in color. My canister has 5 vacuum lines on it.

One going to the vapore fuel line on your right chassisbeam to the fuel tank.
One going to the front of your carburator
One going to the air intake, connecting above the left valvecover.
One going to the TVS valve
Last two join together and connect to a T connection from the PCV valve at the left valvecover.
Hope it will get you on the way, if you want the picture please send a PM. :)

Groeten Peter.
 
Why remove it when you can reconnect everything very easy?
I don't know if the 80 canister is about the same as the 81. Then I could send you a picture of the vacuum lines in color. My canister has 5 vacuum lines on it.

One going to the vapore fuel line on your right chassisbeam to the fuel tank.
One going to the front of your carburator
One going to the air intake, connecting above the left valvecover.
One going to the TVS valve
Last two join together and connect to a T connection from the PCV valve at the left valvecover.
Hope it will get you on the way, if you want the picture please send a PM. :)

Groeten Peter.



Thanks Peter, I may need to ask for your guidance on this matter. I do know that my smog pump / AIR pulley assembly has been removed from the engine. So I am curious as to where to send some of these lines.

Thanks so very much!
-Andy
vetteengine2.jpg


"Don't know who she is, but she sure as h#ll looks good next to my car!"
Appreciated!
myVetteModel3yweqt1.jpg
 
Isn't it about time you would get to know her Andy? :D ;)

Looking at your engine bay changes a couple of things.. I didn't read your first reply that good it think. Without all the air stuff, no Rochester carb, open air filter it sure is the question if the vapor canister is still of some use or not. I only see the use for two of the vacuum lines to of from the canister. These two:

One going to the vapor fuel line on your right chassis beam to the fuel tank.
Last two join together and connect to a T connection from the PCV valve at the left valve cover.

And the PCV valve returns fumes back to the carb so I don't think its necessary to connect the vapor canister to that.
Would be easier to replace the PCV line for a new one and exclude the T connection to the vapor canister. Than you could plug the vapor line next to the canister and remove the canister.

Also don't forget to plug the a.i.r. system in/output. I see one open (on top of the exhaust manifold. So it would to some rate be pumping exhaust fumes into your engine bay.

When a Rochester came of your system I think that would be your fuel smell problem. Of course I can still send you the picture if you want but I only count one line at your system compared to the xx lines in the picture ;)
Good luck with the lady eeuhh.. engine ;)

Groeten Peter.
 

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