My garage reeks of stale gas. My slightly stuffy nose can't pinpoint it. . .

In the garage there are:
Two motorcycles
Generator
914
Weed Wacker
Leaf Blower
Riding Lawnmower
1 gallon can of premix gas
2 - 5 gallon cans

Nothing is wet or stronger in smell than the others and the 914 is under a cloth cover. I lifted the car cover and it didn't smell that bad in the passenger compartment.


I don't dare crank anything up till I figure it out.
Anyone have a match?

My Teener had a leaky fuel line underneath the battery box. It was the fuel filter connection. Smelled like a gasoline soaked sandals all through the garage.

Check to see if the bikes have the pet cocks turned off.
(Pet cocks? )

If the fuel on the bikes are left on... The fuel drains out the tail pipes. Hence the you can't find the gas smell. Cause ya can't see it.

Twystd1

Whatever the source - get rid of/fix it. Fire hazard you know.

BTW, how many realize that the smell is contrived, just like natural gas. Been in there as long as I've been around (forever). Don't ask what I did with the induced smell of natural gas!

As a natural gas pipeline tecnician, I have to ask.
What did you do with the induced smell of natural gas???

Checked the bikes, ran my hand around the carbs - tanks - fuel lines. They pass the sniff test.

I am really afraid it is the teener, she is the oldest.

Nothing smells worse than anything else - front trunk, engine, passenger compartment. . . close the garage and phew!!??

Do gas fumes rise or sink? If it is the car would it get trapped under the car cover or go to the floor?

Check under the front of the car. My teener had a leak in one of the hoses under the gas tank. They get old, dry out, crack, and leak. Good Luck.

Gasoline fumes are heavier than air.
S
See here
http://www.msdsonline.com for gasoline, you will see that the
relative vapor density is in the 3-4 range. That means that
gasoline vapors are 3-4 times as heavy as air and sink like a rock.

Steph

"Gasoline fumes are heavier than air.
S
See here
http://www.msdsonline.com for gasoline, you will see that the
relative vapor density is in the 3-4 range. That means that
gasoline vapors are 3-4 times as heavy as air and sink like a rock.

Steph"

Thanks

I had the exact same leak. I think I had it for several years because I always got below average mpg. I never smelled the leak though until it driped on to my heater hose and I started smelling gas in the cabin (when using the heater). Now that I fixed it I'm getting 20% better mpg.

Not proud of this, but it was almost 4 years ago so I guess I'm safe.

Was going to the University of Cincinnati at the time & had an organic chem exam I wasn't prepared for. Worked for a chemical company at the time who made mercaptin, which is used to odorize natural gas.

One small drop in the lobby of the building cleared it & cancelled classes.

Young, stupid & p_ssed at the school because they had turned me in to the draft board when I dropped to part time. Lost my deferment & drafted within 4 weeks!

ONE SMALL DROP !
was enough to put the whole town in panic.
Lucky you didn`t get charged.

Steph

One small drop in the lobby of the building...

Why don't you just remove all the items you listed that contain gas? Then put them back one at a time. When the smell returns you'll know which is the culprit.

It's called a process of elimination


......b

Yeah, agree! But, as I said ......young, stupid, p_ssed & about to drafted for Vietnam! Do it again today? I'm no longer young, definitely less stupid & too old to be drafted, even if they did revive it!

We live & learn. And I DID live!

Found it yesterday,
It was the damn riding lawn mower. The tank has a leak, but not enough to drip to the ground unless you push on the seam.

It is now covered in the back yard - when I pull it out tomorrow it will be a pile of rust (Salt air).