Venture gas smell

[ddwells]

I have a 1998 Venture with 98k miles. It has been relatively trouble free until lateley. The Intake maniford gaskets started to leak. I replaced them at about 88k miles and all was well until my wife began noticing a strong gas smell about 80% of the time just after the car is shut down. There is no apparent leak. The smell is generally at the front left of the car. It dissapates after a few minutes. I am also getting an intermittent check engine light. I suspect either leaky injector nozzle or something related to this, perhaps a failing evaporative canister. The car always starts and runs flawlessly. Has anyone seen similar symptoms or have any ideas? I have searched this forum and have not seen anything similar. I'm also reluctant to send it to a dealer.

Thanks,

[cdru]

Well what does the code say?

['97ventureowner]

I experienced a similar situation to yours recently, where I smelled gas but couldn't pinpoint a leak anywheres. It wasn't until I took my van in for exhaust work that they told me they found a leak in the fuel line in the area under the driver's side seat. There appears to be a flat metal piece that comes off the floorboard and the fuel line on my van passes through this piece of metal. The leak just started before it entered the metal. It was a quick fix with some compression fittings and a new piece of line. The leak was very small and hard to see. I live in NY where there is a lot of salt used on the roads in the winter, so we constantly have problems with brake and fuel lines rusting out. That might be something to go back over and check, also check the fittings on your fuel filter, and the condition of your fuel lines.

[ddwells]

Originally Posted by cdru

Well what does the code say?

Tried to read the codes but got no reading. Reader may have been bad...

[ddwells]

Originally Posted by '97ventureowner

I experienced a similar situation to yours recently, where I smelled gas but couldn't pinpoint a leak anywheres. It wasn't until I took my van in for exhaust work that they told me they found a leak in the fuel line in the area under the driver's side seat. There appears to be a flat metal piece that comes off the floorboard and the fuel line on my van passes through this piece of metal. The leak just started before it entered the metal. It was a quick fix with some compression fittings and a new piece of line. The leak was very small and hard to see. I live in NY where there is a lot of salt used on the roads in the winter, so we constantly have problems with brake and fuel lines rusting out. That might be something to go back over and check, also check the fittings on your fuel filter, and the condition of your fuel lines.

I live in Texas and the underside looks about the way it did in '98, but I will try looking back along the fuel lines and filter to see what I can find.

[ddwells]

Originally Posted by '97ventureowner

I experienced a similar situation to yours recently, where I smelled gas but couldn't pinpoint a leak anywheres. It wasn't until I took my van in for exhaust work that they told me they found a leak in the fuel line in the area under the driver's side seat. There appears to be a flat metal piece that comes off the floorboard and the fuel line on my van passes through this piece of metal. The leak just started before it entered the metal. It was a quick fix with some compression fittings and a new piece of line. The leak was very small and hard to see. I live in NY where there is a lot of salt used on the roads in the winter, so we constantly have problems with brake and fuel lines rusting out. That might be something to go back over and check, also check the fittings on your fuel filter, and the condition of your fuel lines.

I finally found a code reader that works and came up with the following codes:
P0305 - Cylinder 5 misfire detected
P0440 - Evaporative emission control system malfunction
P1676 - Driver 4 Line 6 (which I believe is related to an evaportive emission control problem

Does give enough information to zero in on the problem?

[denyp]

Originally Posted by ddwells

I finally found a code reader that works and came up with the following codes:
P0305 - Cylinder 5 misfire detected
P0440 - Evaporative emission control system malfunction
P1676 - Driver 4 Line 6 (which I believe is related to an evaportive emission control problem

Does give enough information to zero in on the problem?

I share the fuel smell problem and this appeared following the replacement of head and intake manifold gaskets. I have a service engine light and the obdII codes are PO441, Evaporitive Emissionontrol system incorrect purge flow and P1655. In looking up P1655 on the web, indicates a EEM purge solonoid. I have replaced the solonoid. I have yet to locate the EEM canistor nor have I traced the vacum lines from the purge solonoid to the canistor. I hate having the service engine light lit - drives me nuts. I know the EMM system doesn't effect how the engine runs. I must say the rig is running as well as it ever has lots of pep, no misses etc. Anyone have a sugguestion. I have heard a bad gas cap can cause the EMM system to throw error codes - anyone have expirance here?

Deny

[98venture100]

Originally Posted by ddwells

I have a 1998 Venture with 98k miles. It has been relatively trouble free until lateley. The Intake maniford gaskets started to leak. I replaced them at about 88k miles and all was well until my wife began noticing a strong gas smell about 80% of the time just after the car is shut down. There is no apparent leak. The smell is generally at the front left of the car. It dissapates after a few minutes. I am also getting an intermittent check engine light. I suspect either leaky injector nozzle or something related to this, perhaps a failing evaporative canister. The car always starts and runs flawlessly. Has anyone seen similar symptoms or have any ideas? I have searched this forum and have not seen anything similar. I'm also reluctant to send it to a dealer.

Thanks,

Did you check the fuel pressure regulator. Its right above the pcv valve and is connected directly to the fuel rail. Look at the body of it, its small, a little bigger than a nail polish bottle, and see its wet. I had the same problem where mine was leaking.

[corning_d3]

p1676 is the evap purge control solenoid code. Sounds to me like you have a bad purge solenoid. This would cause a gasoline odor because the system can't vent any vapors into the engine. I assume you have a 3400 engine. I believe the purge solenoid is located behind and under the coil packs. If all vacuum hoses and wires look ok, i'd bet it's bad.. This doesn't seem to be a fuel system problem..

[denyp]

Originally Posted by corning_d3

p1676 is the evap purge control solenoid code. Sounds to me like you have a bad purge solenoid. This would cause a gasoline odor because the system can't vent any vapors into the engine. I assume you have a 3400 engine. I believe the purge solenoid is located behind and under the coil packs. If all vacuum hoses and wires look ok, i'd bet it's bad.. This doesn't seem to be a fuel system problem..

I replaced the purge solenoid. It is difficult to examine closely the wires and hoses due to where the valve is located. But as best as I can tell they appear to be OK. I replaced the gas cap thinking the seal might be bad, allowing the vapors to be released. I still get the error code. Because our temperature has dropped greatly here in Minnesota, I can not tell if the cap solved the gas smell problem. I don't notice it now.

DenyP