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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Whats it mean when..

Posted by: davidcalvin Oct 16 2004, 07:45 PM

I cant smell anything from the engine compartment.. but when I am driving along I smell gas. Not real strong, but its there. Most notably when I am accelerating along the road. Sitting idle, I get nothing.

It _seems_ like its coming from the exhaust.

Is that possible? what does it mean? Any dangers?

Thanks,

david

Posted by: trekkor Oct 16 2004, 08:06 PM

What have you been eating?

Sorry...

KT

Posted by: trekkor Oct 16 2004, 08:17 PM

Seriously, if you smell fuel after a fill up you could have a leak around the filler neck or expansion tank.

Could it be oil burning off the HE's and entering the cabin through the ducting?

If the car is new to you, pull the fuel tank and check/ replace the lines. Check all the other lines, too.

Fire, bad.

KT

Posted by: elwood-914 Oct 16 2004, 09:03 PM

That happens to me too, at 4k plus on the highway and I have my foot into it. Just a slight odor. No one has been able to answer why.

Posted by: davidcalvin Oct 16 2004, 10:15 PM

It smells like a mixture of oil and gas. I had someone step on the gas while it was sitting (idling) and smelled all around. From what I can tell.. its coming out of the exhaust? Maybe through the ducting as well..

I guess I am going to have to take in Monday and have them take a look. Fire.. bad.

I was just wondering if its possible for gas to come out of the exhaust? Or, if you smell gas, does it necessarily imply a gas leak?

Thanks,
David

Posted by: Jenny Oct 17 2004, 01:16 AM

Hi,

Check for leaks below the battery tray. I had a pretty bad gas leak there. Hard to tell from looking since it evaporates quick, but old hoses that sit under an old battery are prone to leak. Start the car, get down on your hands and knees just infront of the passenger rear wheel, and take a whiff. Mine was leaking so badly that I was getting sick from the smell inside the car.

Good luck,

Jen

Posted by: trekkor Oct 17 2004, 10:09 AM

Sounds like a combo of oily heat exchangers and rich fuel mixture with an exhaust leak inside the heat exchangers.

Look for an oil leak off the push rod tubes first.

If the heat exchangers are original, they are no doubt leaking. You'll smell gassy all day long if that fuel isn't all burning in the engine.

KT

Posted by: davidcalvin Oct 17 2004, 11:01 AM

When you say the ooil exchangers are leaking.. gas or oil?

If its gas.. is there a chance of fire?

David

Posted by: Andyrew Oct 17 2004, 11:12 AM

Maybe your AFR is way off?

You runnin carbs?

Posted by: trekkor Oct 17 2004, 11:36 AM

The heat exchangers are the exhaust manifolds/passenger heater system.

The pipes are jacketed by sheet metal. Air move through and over the hot pipes in these ducts by fan power. When you request warm air in the cabin this warm air goes straight to your nose!

If oil drips on these HE's it burns off creating horid smoke.
If the sheet metal is corroded the smoke will find you.

If the pipes are leaky then raw exhaust gas will get you.
If the car is not burning all the fuel in the combustion chamber, then you smell gassy.

KT

Posted by: davidcalvin Oct 17 2004, 12:38 PM

No, not running carbs. Its FI.

Funny thing is, when I turn the heater fan on it clears the odor away. So I guess that must mean that its coming in from the ducting in the cockpit? I don't see how smell from the exahaust could fold its way back into the cockpit (top off) while driving..

A little odor wont kill me. safety is key, though. I'll have the guy look at it. Thanks, all, for giving me possible places to have him check!

David

Posted by: davidcalvin Oct 17 2004, 08:53 PM

Just took her out in the rain.. with the top off. Couldn't smell a thing with the top on.. I suppose thats good news.

Didn't leak a drop either from the top. I guess thats even better(?) news..

Posted by: davidcalvin Oct 20 2004, 04:20 PM

Turns out that.. the gas smell was (they think) coming from the gas tank. There is a seal (gasket?) that the gas cap plugs into that's missing.

Weird.

Posted by: soloracer Oct 20 2004, 05:42 PM

In my 944 Turbo I used to smell gas when accelerating. But now I warn my passengers before I pull out to pass 10 cars in a row and the problem has almost gone away. Bladder control is a whole other problem though.....