[dan.oneufer]

I'm having a problem that has 2 symptoms:

The first is a strong fuel smell. It is very noticeable at traffic lights or stop signs. As I start moving, it is as though I'm driving right through a wall of fumes 2 feet ahead of me. Naturally, it is more noticeable when the roof is down.

The 2nd symptom is that I have to crank the engine for several seconds and depress the accelerator pedal to get it to fire if it has been sitting for more than half an hour or so, when it used to fire right up.

There is no CEL and the dash light does illuminate at startup, so I believe it works.

There does not seem to be any link to fuel level or refueling.

There are no obvious drops of fuel anywhere along the fuel lines, and nothing on the garage floor.

I have checked all the lines connected to the Charcoal canister and I even tried drawing air through them with a MightyVac to ensure they weren't clogged. I am not sure which ones are controlled by valves, so I don't know if that did anything good or not.

I have removed the battery tray and checked for leaks, cracks, loose cover, etc on the fuel tank. It all looks tight and dry.

Any thoughts?