Carbs and Gas Smell Options

[mmascari]

I have a 914 with a 3.0l six and PMO carbs. The gas smell is unbearable, especially when the car is in the garage. My wife is about to lose her mind. What do you carb guys do to limit this? Would running the engine with the fuel pump off, IE running out of fuel help with this situation?

[GregAmy]

That's not totally true; the float bowl is vented to the atmosphere. But the smell should certainly not be "unbearable".

Are you sure you don't have any leaks somewhere else? The fuel system should theoretically remain pressurized at your set point, 3-4 psi or whatever (though some fuel pumps will back-leak that pressure slowly).

Another common place for leaks - what made my D-Jet car "unbearable" in my garage - was rust holes in the tank sides where the wear carpet/felt retained moisture. I finally figured it out when fuel started seeping on my shoe soles, with a small puddle on the garage floor, any time the tank was over about 2/3-3/4 full. - GA

[ClayPerrine]

That's not totally true; the float bowl is vented to the atmosphere. But the smell should certainly not be "unbearable".

On a stock 914-6 the float bowl is vented into the air filter assembly. That is supposed to be part of the charcoal canister system, and will pull the fuel vapor into the carbs instead of venting it to the atmosphere.

This, however, does not apply to K&N water shield air filters. And I do agree, the small venting from the float bowls should not be unbearable.


And I agree with the tank rust issue. It started happening to Betty's 914 on the way home from Okteenerfest one year. Drove me absolutely bonkers trying to find the fuel leak. Ended up buying a new tank to fix it.