I smell gas

[evolutionmovement]

Maybe it's the synergy between me and Electric Barbarella (my car), but my car may be an aspiring arsonist. I just bought a book on sniper training for book research and now she seems she wants to participate in some perceived mayhem...

Whenever I drive in traffic I smell gas (at first I blamed it on the domestics around me, but then they were gone and the smell remained). On the highway its fine, and I can't find any leaks. She also doesn't seem to be using any more gas that I can tell. My guess is that she's running rich on open loop and smelling when she goes to idle. There is a little extra black around the tailpipe, but nothing like a diesel Benz. No CEL. All sensors, emissions, and exhaust are original (227K). Could it be the o2? Wouldn't that throw a CEL?

Thanks for any help.

Steve

[vrg3]

Almost any sensor can give incorrect signals without throwing a CEL... An oxygen sensor can be partially clogged without the ECU knowing.

First, are you sure this smell is coming from your exhaust? If it's not, then you might be leaking fuel somewhere else (which is bad!)... Are all the hoses going to the charcoal canister in good shape?

If it is coming from your exhaust then you're probably running rich.

If you suspect the oxygen sensor, maybe try disconnecting the sensor and resetting the ECU. The ECU will then use its factory default maps, which are a little on the rich side but not by much. If the smell goes away, I'd replace the sensor.

[evolutionmovement]

Thanks. I'll give that a shot. I'm not sure where the smell is coming from, everything seems in good shape and I don't see any leaks.

[legacy92ej22t]

I did a D-check on my car a few months back and I got a code 32
(o2 sensor) and I never got a cel. I checked the o2 sensor and it was totaly dead, and I too was running really rich and smelling gas at idle at the time. Replaced the o2 sensor and it's been great since and car runs much better too. So I would do a D-check and see if it throws a code 32 or any others.

[entirelyturbo]

Open the hood and take a good whiff (not TOO good though... ). If you smell gas in the engine bay, the very first place you should look is the charcoal canister, as this is the most common place. Look for loose hoses, etc etc. Simple stuff there.

If that checks out, then check other fuel lines in the bay, obviously. Check at the fuel filter, injectors, FPR, rails, etc. etc.

If it's not in the engine bay, then check into you O2 sensor as everyone has suggested.

[123c]

I've been smelling gas in my car too, but mostly when I have the a/c or heat on. The car sometimes doesn't run the way it should under hard excelleration. This week I am going to change the plugs and wires (all NGK), and if this doesn't solve the problem I will look at the O2 sensor.

There is a little extra black around the tailpipe, but nothing like a diesel Benz.

Nothing like an old diesel Benz