Faint Fuel Smell in Cabin? Options

[Heckler]

It dissipates once you get going, and it's noticable in the front trunk (which I kinda expected)...

Short of tearing into the fuel lines to see if they're tired and leaky, are there any likely suspects?

P.O. had a handkerchief around/under the fuel cap, don't know if the gasket is leaky (is there anywhere to procure the gasket only or a '73 2.0)?

Thanks!

[highways]

Umm, 914's always seem to have a faint smell of gas in the front. If you drop even a tiny drop of gas from the pump as you pull it out of the tank- you can smell it. I wouldn't worry a whole lot.

On the other hand... if you have never replaced all your fuel lines.. then you're dealing with 30 year old plastic lines and a disaster waiting to happen. Racer Chris makes awsome stainless steel lines to replace the plastic ones going through the center tunnel- definitely not a place you want a fire to start. So I used those and high pressure 5/16" fuel injection hose from Pep Boys (not the regular, non high pressure stuff) and things are looking good. I still have a leak from my pump and need to swap it out. Where is your pump located? Under the engine bay or in the front trunk? Pump is next thing to watch after replacing any antique fuel lines.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Heckler]

Umm, 914's always seem to have a faint smell of gas in the front. If you drop even a tiny drop of gas from the pump as you pull it out of the tank- you can smell it. I wouldn't worry a whole lot.

On the other hand... if you have never replaced all your fuel lines.. then you're dealing with 30 year old plastic lines and a disaster waiting to happen. Racer Chris makes awsome stainless steel lines to replace the plastic ones going through the center tunnel- definitely not a place you want a fire to start. So I used those and high pressure 5/16" fuel injection hose from Pep Boys (not the regular, non high pressure stuff) and things are looking good. I still have a leak from my pump and need to swap it out. Where is your pump located? Under the engine bay or in the front trunk? Pump is next thing to watch after replacing any antique fuel lines.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

While I've had the car for a year, I'm just now getting around to driving it (and addressing it's issues), so I don't honestly know if the PO(s) replaced the fuel lines and/or had the fuel pump replaced/relocated... I guess I've got another thing to add to the list (though the car is in great shape given it's age, with only ~36K original miles, as hard as it is to believe)...

Thanks!

[highways]

Unfortunately, low mileage won't help when it comes to fuel lines. They still have probably had fuel sitting in them for 30+ years and they are 1970's plastic. The ones through the tunnel can be deceiving too because the ends that come out at each firewall are short steel sections. Mine were in decent shape and didn't appear to have any leaks- but I still replaced them just for piece of mind. You just never know when they are going to give out at this age. Also, everything after the fuel pump is high pressure- and pretty easy to replace so those ones in the engine bay are definitely worth redoing with the Pep Boys stuff if they look at all questionable. Here are the tunnel lines:

stainless steel fuel lines


By the way, where are you in LA?

[Spoke]

I've tracked down a couple of gas leaks in 914s inside the front trunk. So far, 2 of the smells came from gas caps. Had to replace those, one came from the little hose that goes from the overflow tank to the charcoal canister. In all cases, I used my nose to try to locate the source of the smell.

If it seems to be coming from the gas cap, keeping the fuel level lower than full can help reduce the odors until a new cap is purchased.

The last one which I'm currently working on had fumes that seem to come from under the tank. As I took the gas tank out I realized that the PO relocated the fuel pump and filter to below the tank. The issue with this one was one of the clamps was not 100% tight. Since the tank is now out of the car, I'll be replacing all rubber fuel lines under the tank as well as the fuel filter.

Unless the smell comes from spillage during refill, gas fumes are not a good thing and needs to be tracked down.

[bahnzai]

You might want to drop the cover below the tank underneath the car (5 minute job). There is a 4-5" hole where the fuel lines come off the tank and into the car. Good place to check the lines and the bottom of your tank. I hope you don't have the problem I just fixed. I had the same symptoms, looked there and the bottom of the tank was slightly damp. Where the tank rests on a shelf above the peddle cluster, someone had put a piece of carpet. It got wet, held the moisture, and rusted the tank and the body. Gas had been barely weeping until I moved the tank, then it was a steady down pour. Anyway, hope that is not your issue, but I found it underneath the car. Tank was wet but the lines dry.

[SLITS]

If the fuel evaporative recovery system is not in place or the hoses are bad, you will get a fuel smell especially after filling up and when driving with a full tank as the fuel sloshes

[yarin]

Check the rear firewall where the fuel lines exit below the engine tin, right in the middle. If you have the original plastic type fuel lines you will be able to see them. They might be coated or painted, but a surface scratch will reveal the type. I just replaced mine last year, they were definitely original.

I bought 3/8" and 5/16" brake line, a pipe bender and whatnot. If I had to do it again I would just go with Chris's set, much easier and cleaner.

Good luck!

[BigD9146gt]

They are designed to do that. Its like that Old Spice commercial... it puts hair on your chest.

[Tobra]

same gas cap as an old bug, spend the 12 dollars

[Heckler]

I think I'll start with a new gas cap and a full inspection of the fuel lines/pump/filter... Since I've only owned it for the last year of it's ~34, I'm going to have to figure out the state of some of it's repairs, but other than the clear coat coming off and the paint paying for it, it's in remarkably good condition...

Thanks!

[orthobiz]

I thought I read somewhere that the plastic lines in the tunnel usually don't go bad. Is replacing them for peace of mind or is there a known issue with tunnel failure?

Paul

[914rrr]

I've also seen the gasket between the filler neck and the tank leak.

Does anybody sell just the replacement gasket? I thought the only way to get it was to buy the entire neck assmbly. I was lucky enough at the time to have a shop next to work where they could custom make gaskets.