96 Trans Am with bad Gas Fume Smell from back of car

I have a 96 TA and when driving it or starting it etc...it suddenly has a very strong gas smell coming from around the back drivers side of the car. The gas cap seems to be on good and there are no gas leaks that I can find. I got under the car and can't see where it is leaking or has leaked at all. I found out that the purge canistor is behind the rear wheel in the fender well. I also found that there are smaller lines that come from the front of the car back to that canistor. Only 2 of them are hooked up. One is just hanging there and it is shorter than the others. Then...there is a bigger rubber line coming off of the purge canistor and it is not hooked up to anything either. This larger rubber line and this smaller plastic line look like could meet up and be hooked together somehow but they are not. There is no way to hook them up unless something is missing? Does anyone know if these should be hooked up to something? I'm wondering if the gas smell is coming from one of these lines. I don't know how the lines should be hooked up or anything. It does not smell after is sits awhile but sometimes just starting it up and it will overpower you. Esp..inside the car if you drive with the windows cracked or down. Any ideas would be great. I just got recently and can't afford to pay out much until I recover from the tax and licences a bit.
Thanks,
Rob

Does anyone know where I might find a diagram for the hoses connected to the purge canister on my 96 TA...now my Check engine light came on on the way to work this morning. I put a new gas cap on it and the gas smell seems better. I'm not sure that it is gone just yet. (it has been raining hard for the past few days so I haven't been able to do much)
Rob

Updated!! I had to take my car into the dealer for a recall on the air pump. While there I asked about the gas smell and when I picked it up they told me that one of the hoses has come off of the top of the gas tank. One of the vent hoses. So, I guess I will try to take the gas tank off this weekend. Has anyone tried that before? Do you know how hard it is to do that and also what all has to come loose first?
Rob

i can tell you one thing...my bird u have to drop the rear end...in this case...big pain in the ass...case closed

The gas lines just don't "come off" You most likely broke (rusted away)1 of the metal lines on the tank pickup. In which case you wound have to get a new top to the tank.Gas tanks are just a pain in the a**

Great...I guess I'll know more tomorrow. My best friend and I are going to try and fix it so I'll know more when it comes down. This might be more than we bargened for.
Rob

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1c/ee/4a/0900823d801cee4a.jsp

Autozone gives a diescription in their repair section how to do it.
Hope that helps-Good luck!

If a metal pipe coming from the sending unit rusted out, you may have to replace the whole sending unit unless you get lucky an have enough of a stem left on it to hook the hose onto. Cross your fingers!

I got to looking around with my friend Saturday and I chickened out. It goes to the mechanic Wed :-(
Thanks for all the good info.
Rob

I got to looking around with my friend Saturday and I chickened out. It goes to the mechanic Wed :-(
Thanks for all the good info.
Rob

You might try dropping the tank a wee bit and see if you can see any thing (maybe with a mirror) the tank may have been dropped before and a line installed not right (loose) or a clamp may have rusted off or a rubber line dry rotted.

If you don't try you will never know if you can do it. Or you might just make it worse (I.E. snap MORE lines strap bolts) :)

PS wondering how much does the shop SAY it's going to charge you??

They told me at the dealer around $160. I am taking it to mechanic that I know. Actually, I didn't even asked him how much it would be. Pretty dumb huh! I might have to give him a call and see. I am also having him tighten up my tilt steering. It is loose. I don't know if I can get that snap ring off and such so I will just have him do it all.
Rob