Strong Fuel Smell in the Morning

[Gnnr]

After my car sits for a day or two, after starting it there is a strong fuel smell when I first turn it on. If it sits for a week or more without me starting its about 10x stronger after first turning it on, almost intoxicating. After driving for a while the smell is gone. I get a bit of the strong oder when I first turn it on in the morning. I know KAs tend to run rich, but I think something is up. I don't believe its a leak. What can it be?

Car is a stock 95 auto S14. Thanks in advance.

[S14DB]

Smell in the engine, car, exhaust? Before you start it or after it;s running?

[Gnnr]

After starting it. I smell it in the cabin...I'll have to check if I sense it in the engine bay or coming out of the exhaust

[ll_EvOluTIoN]

if its in the cabin you might want to check if the o-ring around the fuel tank cover in the trunk is swollen

[GSXRJJordan]

Yup, cabin smell probably = fuel tank o-ring. Cheap to replace at a $tealer$hip.

[g6civcx]

Fuel tank lid where the pump mounts to has several gaskets. Also check all your fuel lines for leak.

[steve_o1989]

As suggested the o ring that goes around the fuel pump where it goes into the tank.

I once had a bad oring around one of my injectors for a couple days and it would leak a little gas so I would get the smell inside the cabin, but only when then air was on. If it smells like gas as soon as you are getting in though, then it isn't what my problem was...

[Gnnr]

Thanks a lot guys! I'll check that out.

Originally Posted by steve_o1989

As suggested the o ring that goes around the fuel pump where it goes into the tank.

I once had a bad oring around one of my injectors for a couple days and it would leak a little gas so I would get the smell inside the cabin, but only when then air was on. If it smells like gas as soon as you are getting in though, then it isn't what my problem was...

No its not as soon as I get it. Its after first turning it on in the morning.

[racepar1]

Check the fuel hoses by the tank. That is 100% the most common source of fuel leaks in 240's. The o-ring for the sender unit rarely goes bad.

[g6civcx]

I found the most problems on the big O-ring between the lid and the tank, not the small o-ring.

When you get gas, do you feel the tank depressurising when you open the filler cap or is there nothing at all? It should feel like opening a soda bottle.

If not, you have a leak in the fuel tank lid.

[white92_s13]

Originally Posted by g6civcx

I found the most problems on the big O-ring between the lid and the tank, not the small o-ring.

When you get gas, do you feel the tank depressurising when you open the filler cap or is there nothing at all? It should feel like opening a soda bottle.

If not, you have a leak in the fuel tank lid.

check the lines, and the 0 ring. mine started as a small smell, then got worse, turns out my line had a small hole and squirted all over. got a new line and new o ring, no problems now!

[Gnnr]

Originally Posted by g6civcx

I found the most problems on the big O-ring between the lid and the tank, not the small o-ring.

When you get gas, do you feel the tank depressurising when you open the filler cap or is there nothing at all? It should feel like opening a soda bottle.

If not, you have a leak in the fuel tank lid.

Yes, I feel it letting out pressure when I open the gas cap.

Originally Posted by white92_s13

check the lines, and the 0 ring. mine started as a small smell, then got worse, turns out my line had a small hole and squirted all over. got a new line and new o ring, no problems now!

Which line was it for you?

[white92_s13]

Originally Posted by Gnnr

Which line was it for you?

the feed line, it was cracked to shit and then i guess sprung a leak. i replaced it with new efi hose and made sure the clamps were all good and tight.

fyi i did have to drop the tank, i did it when it was almost on Empty. it made it easier to get the rubber hose attached up to the chassis hard line.

total time maybe 1.5 hours i did it myself, with help under an hour easy.

open the trunk/hatch pull the pump cover off and look into it, you can do a visual check on the hoses.

[Gnnr]

Ugh, I hope I don't have to do that shit. I had to drop a tank to change a fuel pump in a 1990 camry, pain in the fuckin ass!

[white92_s13]

Originally Posted by Gnnr

Ugh, I hope I don't have to do that shit. I had to drop a tank to change a fuel pump in a 1990 camry, pain in the fuckin ass!

wasnt bad at all. i jacked the rear of the car up, opened the gas door, pulled the seal off, and took off the fuel pump plug in in the trunk, and then unbolted the tank and let it down. doesnt have to drop super far.

honestly wasnt that bad to do really

[ericcastro]

Originally Posted by racepar1

Check the fuel hoses by the tank. That is 100% the most common source of fuel leaks in 240's. The o-ring for the sender unit rarely goes bad.

+1
had this happen twice. first time was due to normal wear on an old car and needed replaced.
second time just needed to retighten the clamp.

[S14DB]

The S14 doesn't have that shitty O ring like the S13. It's got a screw on cap on the top of the tank.


I was thinking your evap purge is screwed up but then you said you had a 95 and some had the charcoal canister in the engine bay. Try opening the gas cap one day before you drive and let the pressure bleed off the tank.

This is all I can think of it being cause you say it builds up if you don't drive and it only leaks when you start it up. Which is when the evap system purges. If it were a leak in the lines the fuel would evaporate over time and the smell would be less then day to day running. But the evap system would be sealed all the time and build up more gasses over time. so when you drive it after a longer time the smell is worse.
Basically the evap is purging into the air and not the intake manifold like it should. Usually the evap is behind the rear passenger wheel on the S14. But, some OBDI 95's had the S13 setup in the bay. Which do you have?

[Gnnr]

Hmmm, that may be it. I have the black canister in the engine bay (car is OBDI). Now that I think about it one of the lines that goes from the canister cracked so I took it off (the one that goes under the throttle body). So what shall I do?

[1CLNS14]

if its in the cabin, %100 sure its a hose, o-rings dont get replaced untill removed. fuel hoses get brittle and leak, check by squeezing and check for cracks or leaks. replace and drive.

[S14DB]

Originally Posted by Gnnr

Hmmm, that may be it. I have the black canister in the engine bay (car is OBDI). Now that I think about it one of the lines that goes from the canister cracked so I took it off (the one that goes under the throttle body). So what shall I do?

Yeah thats the purge line that opens up to purge the vapors into the intake manifold. Now it's purging into the engine bay and you are smelling that in your vents. Buy some line at the parts store and hook it back up. You probably have a vac leak too if you didn't cap the intake manifold.

[ROUGE180]

GNNR... How did everything work out? I have the same issue. I'm going to have to check my lines aswell. I get the same stong smell of fuel in the cabin. I filled my tank lastnight. I drove about 38 miles to work today and burn 1/4 of a tank. WTF. Stock Redtop SR at 10lbs. I drove my step dads 4Runner the same distance and got WWAAAYYY better gas milage.

[Gnnr]

Hmm, funny you mention it I was planning on working on my car this weekend, I'll address that issue tomorrow. Gotta buy the hose. But like I said I think its emissions related (since KA has a bunch of that crap) your problem sounds like a fuel leak.

[DALAZ_68]

quick question....ive replaced my Oring...but i also wanna replace th eother 2 lines the feed and return lines...how hard are they to change...

i just wanna change the 18+ year hoses with new ones

[neoninja]

I just had a fuel situation myself... I have a 95 as well, and I kept smelling gasoline for a couple days. I checked and checked and couldn't find anything. Finally found that it was a hairline fracture in my tank. The crack was on an area of the tank that couldn't be reached, so I couldn't just repair it with that epoxy stuff. Many don't know this, I learned the hard way, but to get our tanks out to replace them requires removing the entire rear K-frame, exhaust, and drive shaft... I hated my life... not to mention a junk yard tank cost $210.00

[DALAZ_68]

Originally Posted by neoninja

not to mention a junk yard tank cost $210.00

WTF!?!?!??!

was it made of gold and full of 105 octane

[neoninja]

Originally Posted by DALAZ_68

WTF!?!?!??!

was it made of gold and full of 105 octane

Nope, believe it or not... I searched everywhere. Best price I could find. It wasn't even local, I had to ship it in from Georgia to Mobile, Alabama. Got it from GA because it was the best price in about a 400 mile radius. The place I got it from warrantied it though, so that's a plus...