Strong Smell of Gas..........

[coptertom]

Hey Guys,

I've got a strong smell of gas while I am driving and after I turn the vette off. I've checked vacuum lines and they look OK. I've checked to make sure the gas cap is tight and I have no leaks from the fuel pump.

I just had the thermostat changed and noticed that the Thermal Valve Switch on top of the thermostat was broken. Could this possibly cause a strong gas smell?

Since the car is as we all know is getting older, and the previous owners have tinkered in the engine compartment: there are a couple of vacuum lines that have been blocked off. I am guessing, because the air pump has been removed. Would anyone have a diagram handy showing where the vacuum lines would be hooked up to the carb.

I am reaching for anything that would help..............:confused

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Hi, I'm recently returned after a long hiatus and was just sort of cruising through the topics and this one caught my eye.
I wanted to suggest something for you to look at.
My 78 had a terrible problem one summer with an overwhelming smell of fuel while driving and shortly after parking. It was so bad it was affecting my mental ability to function and I remember cutting short my shopping trip to return and drive it to the mechanic. I had to pull over several times to get out and breathe fresh air to clear my head but when I arrived at the mechanic's I was still behaving oddly and had to sit for a little while before I could make sense about what was happening.
It turns out the lines over the top of my gas tank had corroded and were spewing fuel when it was under pressure (running/hot had vacuum). I had so much fuel leaking out, it was running over my gas tank, dripping over the hot mufflers (yikes!) and pooling in my spare tire carrier.
Anyhow, a quick replacement of the lines fixed the problem. Perhaps this could be the beginings of the fuel smell you are experiencing. Anyway, it is worth checking them out and could save you quite a bit of chasing vacuum lines under the hood if the problem is further back, like mine was.
Heidi

 

[Peer81]

Look if you still have the fuel vapor canister. If you turn off the car fuel vapor is trapped inside the carb. Normally a vacuumline goes to your vapor canister so the vapor can go to there. If the vacuumline is open in the enginecompartment this could be the problem. I think

Groeten Peter

 

[Dustoff529]

WOW!

Wow Heidi!
Dramatic story on your car!!! I have a pal thatg has a heavy fuel smell in a mustang, started yesterday I'll put him on that!
Charlie

Hi, I'm recently returned after a long hiatus and was just sort of cruising through the topics and this one caught my eye.
I wanted to suggest something for you to look at.
My 78 had a terrible problem one summer with an overwhelming smell of fuel while driving and shortly after parking. It was so bad it was affecting my mental ability to function and I remember cutting short my shopping trip to return and drive it to the mechanic. I had to pull over several times to get out and breathe fresh air to clear my head but when I arrived at the mechanic's I was still behaving oddly and had to sit for a little while before I could make sense about what was happening.
It turns out the lines over the top of my gas tank had corroded and were spewing fuel when it was under pressure (running/hot had vacuum). I had so much fuel leaking out, it was running over my gas tank, dripping over the hot mufflers (yikes!) and pooling in my spare tire carrier.
Anyhow, a quick replacement of the lines fixed the problem. Perhaps this could be the beginings of the fuel smell you are experiencing. Anyway, it is worth checking them out and could save you quite a bit of chasing vacuum lines under the hood if the problem is further back, like mine was.
Heidi

 

[coptertom]

Hey Guys,

I've got a strong smell of gas while I am driving and after I turn the vette off. I've checked vacuum lines and they look OK. I've checked to make sure the gas cap is tight and I have no leaks from the fuel pump.

I just had the thermostat changed and noticed that the Thermal Valve Switch on top of the thermostat was broken. Could this possibly cause a strong gas smell?

Since the car is as we all know is getting older, and the previous owners have tinkered in the engine compartment: there are a couple of vacuum lines that have been blocked off. I am guessing, because the air pump has been removed. Would anyone have a diagram handy showing where the vacuum lines would be hooked up to the carb.

I am reaching for anything that would help..............:confused

Hey Heidi and Peter...........Thanks for your suggestions. Heidi, first I will look at the fuel lines at the gas tank (sure would hate having gas spilling out onto the "HOT" exhaust). Sure hope you recovered from the fumes...........Peter, I do still have the fuel vapor canister. It is stuffed down in the lower driver side fender; if I can figure out how to access it, I will replace the vacuum lines and check the valve.

Also, what does the "thermal valve switch" or as some refer to it as a "porter valve switch" do? I think some time in the past I read that it has to do with the vacuum or exhaust. Would this also contribute to the vapors?