Fuel Smell...

[semisendiz]

My 1999 SD starts a gasoline smell AFTER I have been driving for about half an hour. Does not smell from start up. It does smell at drivers side window (window down) only. Seems to smell outside only.
Full tank, half tank, almost empty; it does not matter how much gasoline in tank. It has the large gas tank (140 liters?)
I have owned my SD since december last year and have put about 2K miles on it.
5.4L V8, 2WD, extended cab, long box, automatic transmission.
Recent transmission work performed, but smell comes from before that.
I tried looking for leaks, but have not yet found any.
Any input on this?

[marksatterfield]

Had a strange situation on my Ford Thunderbird once. The gas cap was not sealing. In town, no issues. Got up to highway speeds, and car would fill with gas fumes.

I cannot remember now what queued me into thinking about the cap, might have been my dad's suggestion. Whatever it was, I replaced the cap and "no problem no more."

--Mark

http://www.marksatterfield.com

[semisendiz]

I did replace gas cap with new one when I bought truck, OEM. Been getting SES light on ever since.
Think they gave me wrong cap?
Damaged intake at cap?

[marksatterfield]

Hmm...

Well, do you have an ex wife? There was this time a friend of mine's 67 Mustang smelt like gas because of his ex wife...

Actually, his ex wife took an ice pick to his trunk, and pierced his gas tank. Dummy wouldn't fill the holes with JB Weld or anything.

You might look at physical damage on the filler pipe.

Does not smell from the start is intriguing.

1) Will it smell like fuel if it sits idling in the garage for an hour? If so, then I'd look more into the pressure areas of the system, from the fuel pump on through ignition.

2) How about the carbon canister under the hood, or the hoses that go to the carbon caniser? I'm not sure how you might test that.

3) Is it possibly coming from your tail pipe? Now that would be a lot less dangerous, compared to the other options!

If it is coming from the tail pipe then we'll start barking down that trail.

--Mark

http://www.marksatterfield.com

[semisendiz]

WELL, THE EX-WIFE THEORY SEEMS MORE DANGEROUS BY ITSELF, SO I WILL LEAVE IT FOR NOW (I HAVE TWO OF THEM).
Will look for any damage to the fill pipe.
No gasoline smell from the tail pipe.
It does smell if it just sits running in iddle.
Will check canister and lines as well.

[knelleken]

check your fuel line fittings under the car. i think that there was a recall on the quick disconnect fitting way back when. you will want to cycle the key a few times to pressurize the lines then look underneath for a slow leak.

[semisendiz]

Well, guess what?
Took off gas cap and bam! There it was: a broken-off piece from the crown of the fuel intake pipe, right where the cap screws on, where the cap should seal against the pipe itself. I believe its plastic, but will not risk reattaching. Have another truck to take this part from.
Will keep you posted...

[Scrapper]

if it came off then you have to change fuel neck of the gas tank.

[semisendiz]

Finally Replaced Fuel "neck" (aka Fill Spout) On Truck, 5 MINUTES WITH THE SPARE ON HAND.
Filled Up Gast Tank (38 Gls) And Reset Computer Codes.
Now It's Just A Matter Of Time To See If "check Engine" does Not Light Up ANYMORE.
By The Way, Drove It Yesterday And Could Not get The feared Gasoline Smell from Before replacing part.