# Heavy smell for gasoline



## DT-Fan (Oct 12, 2015)

Hi all,

after I stop the engine and park the car in the garage, usually a heavy petrol smell comes up.
Is this for some part normal, or is there maybe the needle valve, that should be closed by the float in the carburator, hanging?


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## Lemans guy (Oct 14, 2014)

DT, sounds like much more than a small internal carb leak. The fuel lines in the engine compartment should be checked first, and the carburetor base. Be careful in a garage as any spark, even the pilot light on gas hot water heat can ignite those fumes, I keep a fire extinguisher handy when checking this. Do it outside and have a helper. The fuel pressure is only 6 lbs on these cars so, not like a new car but once outside and prepare, run it while observing for just a short minute, you don't even have to let it heat up. Look with a flashlight for gas leaks on the lines from the fuel pump coming up in front of the engine, watch your hands with the fan....

Smell look, usually they become pretty apparent. Remove the air cleaner and look at carb, wipe it off before you start if it is real dirty, and once you find the leak, fix it before you drive it again...they can quickly cause an engine fire.

You will get it! Good luck....let us know how you did!


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

X2 with Lemans guy. Silly question, but you gotta check, did you forget to put your gas cap back on after filling it up? Make sure no gas is coming out the gas tank when you accelerate. You should not have a strong smell of gas. If a Quadra-jet carb, they can leak internally. Look for any seeping gas from the base of the carb or from the throttle shaft at the base of the carb, you may see some staining on the intake manifold as well.


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## snoslyd (Mar 9, 2010)

Had this happen to me the last time I took the car out for a drive. Heavy smell of gasoline. Had a guy flag me down and said I have lots of gas splashing out the back. Sure enough....Gas Cap!


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## mgrig (Jul 16, 2015)

Same here, happened to me as well


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## DT-Fan (Oct 12, 2015)

Lemans guy said:


> DT, sounds like much more than a small internal carb leak. The fuel lines in the engine compartment should be checked first, and the carburetor base. Be careful in a garage as any spark, even the pilot light on gas hot water heat can ignite those fumes, I keep a fire extinguisher handy when checking this. Do it outside and have a helper. The fuel pressure is only 6 lbs on these cars so, not like a new car but once outside and prepare, run it while observing for just a short minute, you don't even have to let it heat up. Look with a flashlight for gas leaks on the lines from the fuel pump coming up in front of the engine, watch your hands with the fan....
> 
> Smell look, usually they become pretty apparent. Remove the air cleaner and look at carb, wipe it off before you start if it is real dirty, and once you find the leak, fix it before you drive it again...they can quickly cause an engine fire.


Thank you for the advise! Will try to check this the next sunny days. (At the moment the weather is not too nice, so I keep it in the garage)


snoslyd said:


> Had this happen to me the last time I took the car out for a drive. Heavy smell of gasoline. Had a guy flag me down and said I have lots of gas splashing out the back. Sure enough....Gas Cap!


Even if it is closed, the gas cap seals not too well. You notice every time you've been at the gas-station....


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## pjw1967 (Mar 10, 2014)

I had 2 issues with my '67 stinking up the garage. The gas tank had been in and out a few times, so the seal between the sending unit and the tank was not soo good. If I had too much gas in the tank, it would slosh up to the sending unit when I stepped on the brakes. It never was enough to cause a drip, so I didn't catch on for a long time. Eventually I sprung for a stainless steel tank and sending unit. GTO Tank by pjw1967 | Photobucket I also had a generic rebuilt Q-Jet that leaked almost from the moment I put it on the car. Pls pardon me if I get the terminology wrong here. The pass side of the carb was leaking out of the bushing on the throttle plate. It was close to impossible to find it, because the drip would hit the intake and immediately evaporate. I just happened to notice it when I was doing another check on the fuel lines. Solved that by getting a rebuilt Q-Jet from Ames which they said was built with ethanol resistant materials. Carb is on the car 3+ years now and looks brand new. GTO Carb by pjw1967 | Photobucket


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