Bad Fuel Smell

[kovac]

hey all I have a bf xr6t (stock) with about 80k on the clock.

drove it for about 2 hrs with the aircon on (max) I could smell fuel coming through the vents when I stop at the lights.

when I got home I could smell it on the drivers side so I poped the bonnet to have a sniff (but nothing) had a wounder to the passengers side same nothing I could only smell it on the drivers side (regardless from the drivers door to the boot with no wind).

I know the fuel line is on the passengers side, had a look and didnt see any drips (left car running)

took it for another 2 hr drive without the aircon on but to my suprise there was nothing.

Had the car for about a year now and it only does it during hot weather and the aircon on.

I took it to ford a few times when it was doing it but when I booked it in for them to have a look it never seems to do it for them.

have any of u had any of these probs if so could you plz tell me what u have done to fix it as I have kids and dont want them to get harmed from the fumes

[BensXR6T]

I get the same problem on hot days when there is more then 1/2 a tank, I think it's evaporation as I have never been able to find a leak anywhere.

However, check all the fuel lines and at the base of the injectors. A small tube up your nose will help find a leaking injector.

I find when I get the problem if I take the fuel cap off and release the pressure in the tank it helps reduce it quite a bit.

Cheers,

Ben

Edited 21/01/10 12:04 PM by BensXR6T

[discostig]

I've been advised mine could be a soaked charcoal canister - it happens if you fill the fuel up the neck right to the top. There's a breather hose also which leads into the chassis rails aparrently - wrapping it around the canister and securing it there fixed another members issue!

Sucks hey and mine does it air con off, any temp, with over 1/2 tank...worst when full, or if I boot it or swing the car around a corner. Also could be the clamp between the filler neck and the tank - replace with better quality one might do it.

havent gotten around to fixing it on mine yet. ford inspected, said tank was leaking, when I got it inspected again to take pics for warranty job they couldn't find a problem.

link to AFF

Edited 21/01/10 12:26 PM by -SteveR-

[our06t]

Replacing the fuel cap can fix this on a lot of cars ,if the caps not venting ex pressure ,

[kovac]

cheers guys ill have a look when its a cooler weather but the thing is when this happens I am going through more fuel than ever (taking it easy) using 1/2 tank in 130k's its currently at ford for the 4th time now cause I insisted them to come and have a sniff cause when they look at it lol nothing happens but what they said is that it could b high pressure on the fuel pump

[kovac]

just picked up the beast from ford and they said that there is a rubber grommet or mould under the metal plate that was seeping fuel so they said that they resealed it and see how it goes.

just thought that id give u guys an update on what they said to me

[daztbo]

What rubber seal and where is the plate I thinki have the same prob

[LanceDickchops]

This thread is as old as the hills but I thought I would say something about the EVAP process on a BA. In my opinion the system is 50% for show, just so they could say that they had one. OK, the system does what they claim, only it does it at the lowest possible degree of efficiency, and it only does it for part of the time & it's not very efficient when it does.

Yes the EVAP in a BA draws fumes while you are driving but that Carbon Canister setup doesn't do much when your car is parked in the sun all day.

 

Is it any wonder the Factory hid it way down the back of the vehicle above the exhaust, behind Heat shields & above part of the IRS. Then to top it off they have pushed it way up in a Gap between the chassis sub-frame & rear Cradle mounts which makes it is almost impossible to find. It's not impossible to remove, but it is a lay down on your back under the rear right axle with the IRS Cradle above your chest chore to remove. Squeezing the "Tricky" vent tube clamps is the hardest part because there is no room, if you don't have strong fingers then don't even attempt it, because you won't get them undone with the room you (don't) have.

But when you do get it out, it has a huge 15mm diameter Tank vent hose,  a small diameter vacuum operated purge line,  and another 15mm diameter breather & vent hose combined that pokes into a hole on the sub-frame (for water & Dirt Protection).

 

But it still vents lots of fumes straight to to the atmosphere out of that sub-frame vent hose while the vehicle is parked & not running, which is most of the time. I believe that they also put the vent hose in the same proximity of the exhaust pipe for a reason too, because the exhaust helps masks the fumes at startup, you know the old excuse "all cars smell a bit rich at start up". Well, on the BA most of that rich petrol smell at first start is fumes coming from the fuel tank that are venting through the EVAP canister & the activated carbon in it is probably stale.

 

So, then I cracked open one of these BA Carbon canisters and I can tell you that it vents plenty of fumes to the atmosphere but it does it through two sponge filters & about a kilo of activated carbon. No working parts at all, but be assured that it is also a necessary ECU Controlled vacuum leak that only works properly if everything is sealed.

I know of BA owners who have had a cactus Fuel cap that was causing a very rough idle when that purge valve started a tickin and pulling manifold vacuum.

  I had a very similar rough idle, but the cap was not my problem, my vehicle is supercharged & due to the custom manifold setup it was pulling way to much vacuum when the purge solenoid opened at idle, it nearly sucked it inside out.  After much trial & error I connected my purge solenoid to ported vacuum source instead of straight manifold vacuum & it fixed that problem completely.

 

In the BA when you turn the motor off the vacuum operated purge process stops too & from then on it just vents fumes to the atmosphere like it did back in the 70's & before, only today the process is a little cleaner due to the carbon canister. Its old fashioned but it works to a certain degree if the charcoal is fresh, the problem is that activated carbon does not last forever & 5 years is about its limit. You replace every other filter on your car multiple times and although carbon is long lasting it does eventually fill up with impurities. The best word to describe it  would be "stale".

 

No one cares & most workshops don't even know. When was the last time you were told your Carbon canister needed replacing,  on any vehicle you have owned? It has never happened to me,,,, ever. It probably does happen from time to time but it would be rare.