I smell gas...

[bryanjchen]

I have notice that every time I fill my gas tank full, there will be a smell of gasoline and the smell will linger for a little while but if I don’t fill the tank full there is no smell. I have taken apart the trunk lining but have not found any gas leaks, the gas tank and surrounding areas are totally dry. The only other thing I have noticed is the rubber on the gas cap seems a crack but not sure if this could be the cause. Has anyone else had this problem before or have some idea of what it could be that’s causing the gas smell? Thanks in advance.

Bryan

 

[Twilling]

I had same issue with mine. My problem was that the Fuel Tank Sending Unit was not correct mounted / leacky. Hard to find, because small amounts of gasoline evaporates very fast.

 

[gsxr]

Bryan, assuming the fuel smell is INSIDE the car, not outside - first check the simple items... gas cap seal, and fuel sending unit O-rings. If you still smell gas inside the car, it's possible there are hairline cracks in the tank. I chased this problem for a long time in my '92 500E (fairly strong gas smell inside the car, usually with the tank mostly full) and since I could not find a leak anywhere, I replaced the tank which solved the problem. Once the tank was removed from the car, I found the back side slightly collapsed (barely visible). Hopefully this isn't the issue on your car.

If the fuel smell is OUTSIDE the car, check the high-pressure fuel hose at the outlet of the fuel filter under the car. If this hose is original, I would highly recommend replacing it proactively as a safety item; 25-year old rubber is not a good thing when it comes to pressurized fuel lines. Details, part numbers, and photos are all in this thread:
https://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8977

If the smell is outside and the hose described above is recent OE, also check the rest of the external fuel system (pumps, hoses, fuel return, vent system, etc).

 

[bryanjchen]

Thanks guys, will check above items. My car smell on the inside and only when the tank is full. If I don’t fill the tank to the top, will likely not smell any gas, so haven’t fill gas up full recently. Hopefully not a big issue. Will post my findings once fixed. Thanks.