Why do I smell gas when I start up my truck?
#1
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Why do I smell gas when I start up my truck?
Not from the inside, but if I start it and get out right away I can smell it. It's EFI so I am kind of confused...Any ideas?
#3
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If everything is as it should be, you won't smell any gas. So you have a leak, which is a huge fire risk. I wouldn't move the vehicle till you find it. Most common leak spots are the pulsation damper (a metal disk on the front end of the fuel rail, kind of on the underside), the injectors, and the rubber section of the fuel return line where it attaches to the pressure regulator. Sometimes the regulator leaks through the diaphragm and fuel leaks into the vacuum tube that attaches to the top. That leads to the fuel pressure vsv. If you smell the fuel back by the tank, could be a leak in the back rubber section of the return line (the middle of the line is steel), or it could be a leak due to rusting in the steel high pressure line where it comes out of the tank (the fuel pump bracket).
Jumping +B and FP in the check connector can help you find the leak - that will run the fuel pump and pressurize the fuel system, but only when the ignition is on.
Jumping +B and FP in the check connector can help you find the leak - that will run the fuel pump and pressurize the fuel system, but only when the ignition is on.
Last edited by sb5walker; 02-09-2010 at 10:00 AM.
#4
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when the fuel pump outlet line rusted out on my truck I smelled gas for a while but couldn't find any leaks. Then one night I got home and could see gas dripping down the gas tank skid plate. I reached up to the fuel line and it pretty much fell of in my hand.
Wouldn't hurt to check that.
Wouldn't hurt to check that.
#5
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Hmmm, unfortunatly I'll have to wait till tonight to check it out...It's been going on for a while so I hope it doesent burst into flames anytime soon. Why does gotta break when your broke?
#6
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Well, if it's any consolation if that's what it is and there's enough of the fuel pump line left, you can fix it for about $10...better then going up in flames.
12" high pressure fuel line and clamps. Carefully cut out the coupling and patch with hose until you can get it fixed properly. Save the coupling so when you get a new bracket it can be reused.
12" high pressure fuel line and clamps. Carefully cut out the coupling and patch with hose until you can get it fixed properly. Save the coupling so when you get a new bracket it can be reused.
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#9
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It's definetly not the cap. Could it somehow just be the mix is too rich and I'm smelling it from the exhaust? I'm going out right now to see if I can find anything.
It does just seem to happen on start up, and I dont smell it all the time either. Dident smell it today.
Now I just got to figure out what those parts sb5 mentioned and where they are...
It does just seem to happen on start up, and I dont smell it all the time either. Dident smell it today.
Now I just got to figure out what those parts sb5 mentioned and where they are...
#11
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i would just as a precaution check all your fuel lines fittings and connections. hopefully its something easy to get to. and make sure you have a fire extinguisher at least a B C type.
a fire extinguisher was the second mod i did to my truck. haha the first was the marlin crawler shifter bushing, but the last thing anyone wants is to have to watch there truck burn.
a fire extinguisher was the second mod i did to my truck. haha the first was the marlin crawler shifter bushing, but the last thing anyone wants is to have to watch there truck burn.
#13
It's definetly not the cap. Could it somehow just be the mix is too rich and I'm smelling it from the exhaust? I'm going out right now to see if I can find anything.
It does just seem to happen on start up, and I dont smell it all the time either. Dident smell it today.
Now I just got to figure out what those parts sb5 mentioned and where they are...
It does just seem to happen on start up, and I dont smell it all the time either. Dident smell it today.
Now I just got to figure out what those parts sb5 mentioned and where they are...
How far north in BC are you? (North enough that it gets super cold?)
I'm in manitoba and I know on very cold days when it takes a little longer to start I will smell fuel also while I'm outside scraping the windshield. Maybe it's just the cold start injector dumping in a lot of fuel.
#14
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I guess I should update my profile, I live in Vancouver now...so not far north at all, Powell River is only a couple hundred km's from here. Cold would not be my problem.
So today I started it up and did some sniffing under the hood, no gas smell to my relief. I couldent smell it in the exhaust either so I cant yet confirm if it coming from the tail pipe or engine bay. Maybe it has to sit longer? At least I think I can rule out a fuel leak, at least thats what I'm telling my self right now.
I guess I'll do another sniff test in the morning after it sits overnight as thats when I usually notice it. Today when I did the test it was maybe 30 mins after I got home from work.
I dont know if a fuel leak would be noticeable for fuel consumption. I am using a bit more gas than I'm used to, but I am doing all city driving now and I'm used to living in small towns with like 75% highway driving. I just moved to the city like 3 weeks ago.
I used go about 130 km on a quarter tank of gas on a good day, now it's closer to 100. Des that sound about right comparing highway to city driving to you guys? thats about 81 mi vs 62 mi for you yanks.
So today I started it up and did some sniffing under the hood, no gas smell to my relief. I couldent smell it in the exhaust either so I cant yet confirm if it coming from the tail pipe or engine bay. Maybe it has to sit longer? At least I think I can rule out a fuel leak, at least thats what I'm telling my self right now.
I guess I'll do another sniff test in the morning after it sits overnight as thats when I usually notice it. Today when I did the test it was maybe 30 mins after I got home from work.
I dont know if a fuel leak would be noticeable for fuel consumption. I am using a bit more gas than I'm used to, but I am doing all city driving now and I'm used to living in small towns with like 75% highway driving. I just moved to the city like 3 weeks ago.
I used go about 130 km on a quarter tank of gas on a good day, now it's closer to 100. Des that sound about right comparing highway to city driving to you guys? thats about 81 mi vs 62 mi for you yanks.
Last edited by toyotatom93; 02-09-2010 at 07:59 PM.
#17
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Your cold start injector should spray briefly at start up then stop. If it continues to leak once the engine is running that can cause a gas rich exhaust smell, as well as cause your fuel economy to decrease. It would also likely cause your truck to idle roughly, how does your truck idle?
#18
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I was just gonna post to check you Cold Start Injector because mine leaks, but after what Wrenchinjoe said I believe that mine still runs, which explains my MPG drop and rough idle.
#20
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On the 3.0 engine the CSI is on the passenger side of the intake plenum, at the top above where the EGR return pipe attaches to the plenum. It has a fuel line and an electrical connection on it. (I'll let some one else give you the location for the 22RE.) It is held on by 2 10 or 12 mm nuts... super easy to remove.
Here is a test you can run. Remove the CSI from the plenum but do not disconnect the fuel line or the electrical connection. Place the CSI in an empty jar and have a buddy crank the motor. (The motor should not start unless you block off the CSI opening in the plenum.)
When the key is turned to the run position, the injector should spray briefly then stop. If it continues to seep or leak, it is faulty. I assume the same test could be run on the 22RE.
If your CSI is toast, you can either replace it or remove it. If you replace it, they run $130 from AutoZone and $200 from the stealership. Some folks just remove it and make a block off plate for the plenum. That makes the truck harder to start, but once it warms up a little, the CSI serves no function so you don't miss it.
Good luck,
WJ
Here is a test you can run. Remove the CSI from the plenum but do not disconnect the fuel line or the electrical connection. Place the CSI in an empty jar and have a buddy crank the motor. (The motor should not start unless you block off the CSI opening in the plenum.)
When the key is turned to the run position, the injector should spray briefly then stop. If it continues to seep or leak, it is faulty. I assume the same test could be run on the 22RE.
If your CSI is toast, you can either replace it or remove it. If you replace it, they run $130 from AutoZone and $200 from the stealership. Some folks just remove it and make a block off plate for the plenum. That makes the truck harder to start, but once it warms up a little, the CSI serves no function so you don't miss it.
Good luck,
WJ
Last edited by Wrenchinjoe; 02-10-2010 at 08:18 PM.