Gas smell - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

ChairmanRon · 12-02-2011, 06:28 PM

I have a gas smell coming from the vehicle when it is warm. There are no signs of liquid gasoline dripping from the engine compartment or any other part of the car, and a visual inspection of the engine compartment from both above and from inside the vehicle (with the access panel removed) shows no sign of gas.

Any ideas? This is an 03 986 w/ 83K mi.

Thanks!
Ron

blue2000s · 12-02-2011, 06:56 PM

You have to trace the fuel throughout the car. If you can smell fuel, it will be wet somewhere. I have found that it's easy to find the general area of a fuel leak just by following the smell to the strongest spot. Lots of fuel line connections from the tank to the injectors and back. And then there's the fill tube and pump access panel.

turbo23dog · 12-03-2011, 04:32 AM

Could be that the engine is running rich. Any chance you can check the computer for error codes?

ChairmanRon · 12-03-2011, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbo23dog

Could be that the engine is running rich. Any chance you can check the computer for error codes?

No engine error codes at all (check with Durametric each week).

milliemax · 12-03-2011, 12:58 PM

Open the front hood and smell around the battery. If you smell gas, remove the battery and battery tray to inspect the gas tank lid and gas lines. Hope you find ...soon !!

WhipE350 · 12-03-2011, 06:22 PM

Also drop the panel underneath and sniff around the filter...good luck.

ChairmanRon · 12-08-2011, 04:29 PM

I get no gas smell from the front of the car. It seems to be coming from the passenger side, perhaps the side vent. But there is NO gas dripping from the engine compartment.

WhipE350 · 12-08-2011, 05:16 PM

Ron - I've been reading the chapters on fuel injection in the Bentley manual. Check out the section on the evaporative control system. Maybe something has come loose or a vacuum valve has issues. There are also several other interesting sections that might be helpful. We all know it takes just a tiny leak to smell gas. Gas wouldn't have to drip to give off smell.

blue2000s · 12-08-2011, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhipE350

Ron - I've been reading the chapters on fuel injection in the Bentley manual. Check out the section on the evaporative control system. Maybe something has come loose or a vacuum valve has issues. There are also several other interesting sections that might be helpful. We all know it takes just a tiny leak to smell gas. Gas wouldn't have to drip to give off smell.

Absolutely. It can just be wetting a fuel line or collecting around an injector. If it was bad enough to drip, you probably wouldn't want to be driving it.

fcotanis · 03-24-2012, 12:03 PM

... I'm in the exact same spot. I found an old thread but for 928-s having to do with an Y connector in the passenger wheel well near the evaporative system.
If you have anything - let me know.

I will update once I figure mine out.

Thanks,
01 986 S

amschnellsten · 03-24-2012, 07:15 PM

It sounds to me like an evap problem. Any other symptoms? Howling, hard start after fill up? hard to fuel ect? There is a regeneration valve that can in some instances create a strong odor coming from the passsenger side wheel area exscpecially when warm. Are there any codes present? There are many different areas of the evap system that can have similar symptoms.