Petrol smell !

Fireflyaway

My car is getting on - 10 years old and over 100k on the clock. I posted recently how I hoped to keep it till it dies! Worried now I spoke too soon....

There is a really strong smell of petrol. Yesterday I had to drive with the windows open as the smell was making me feel sick. The exhaust does sound a bit blowy so I wonder if its that?

What I worried about is a huge bill. The car isn't worth much. I'm taking it for a check over and MOT in a few weeks.

Any ideas?

motorguy

You really need to get the car to a mechanic - it could be as simple as a perished hose or a slight leak.

If your car smells that badly of petrol (and is therefore a fire risk), i wouldnt wait around for further suggestions on an internet forum....

bazster

Petrol leaking from somewhere obviously.

You have two options: scrap it, or get it fixed. Doing nothing is not an option, and continuing to drive it is not an option.

ChumLee

Get a fag on the go, it'll mask the smell.

Strider590

Not necessarily leaking fuel, could be running extremely rich due to some sensor failure or perhaps there's an exhaust leak before the cat (most people don't remember what old pre-cat cars smell like).

If there's a fuel leak you'd see it on the ground under the car.

It'd be worth checking the fuel tank, to make sure some scrote hasn't drilled it to steal petrol. It'd be quite easily to spot if this was the case.

Fireflyaway

Thanks guys. I initially thought it was because I had just filled up and maybe spilt some fuel but its clearly not that.

I suppose it probably is more unsafe than I had thought......

bazster

Strider590 wrote: »

Not necessarily leaking fuel, could be running extremely rich due to some sensor failure or perhaps there's an exhaust leak before the cat (most people don't remember what old pre-cat cars smell like).

If it were running rich enough to make the driver feel ill from the smell I suspect plug-fouling would prevent it running at all, but in any case it needs to be checked.

Strider590 wrote: »

If there's a fuel leak you'd see it on the ground under the car.

Not necessarily, fuel pump not run when engine not run kemosabe.

Strider590 wrote: »

It'd be worth checking the fuel tank, to make sure some scrote hasn't drilled it to steal petrol. It'd be quite easily to spot if this was the case.

Yeah, the lake of fuel on the floor and the non-starting car would be a bit of a giveaway.

droopsnoot

If the problem was at the tank end (presuming the tank is in the rear as most are), wouldn't it get fainter as the OP drives along?


Anyway, get it checked ASAP. Unless you have the same occasional strong smell of petrol that always sets my nose off, which turns out to only be as I pass a petrol station.


ETA - 10 years old? Pah, barely run in yet.

Rolandtheroadie

How full did you fill it?
Had issues with a metal tank leaking before, only became apparent when the fuel level was above the joint that ran around the tank.

If you think the exhausts a bit blowy too, possible injector/manifold leak being drawn in through the air vents?

forgotmyname

Where is dark matter? He would go around the car with a gas torch looking for the source of the leak.

Ever changed the fuel filter? Lots count of the number of 10 year old cars with the fuel filter so rusty i dare not touch it.

Strider590

bazster wrote: »

If it were running rich enough to make the driver feel ill from the smell I suspect plug-fouling would prevent it running at all, but in any case it needs to be checked.



Not necessarily, fuel pump not run when engine not run kemosabe.



Yeah, the lake of fuel on the floor and the non-starting car would be a bit of a giveaway.

Fuel pump will be electric, if the ignition is on, the fuel rail will be pressurised and any leak would be evident.

When they drill the tank, they shove a small rubber bung into the hole, so they can keep coming back for a top up......... A good reason for not owning a 4x4 (that and exhaust/cat theft), as they target vehicles with good ground clearance before bothering with normal family cars.