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When ever I drive my 97 Chevy Cavalier I always smell gas when I park in the garage.?
It does not seem to be leaking gas, but it is causing the garage to smell like gas all the time. I don't know how long this has been happening because I've only recently started parking in the garage, and never noticed the smell before. Any ideas or suggestions of what it might be or what I should do.
7 Answers
- Me againLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
There are a lot of places that gasoline vapors can be coming from, and it takes very little fuel to generate a strong odor, so you may never see an obvious leak. Rule number one: Your car's fuel system is so well-sealed from the factory that if you smell gas, your car is leaking gas. The dangerous thing is that the vapor is what burns in the engine, not the liquid gasoline, so if you smell it there is a very real possibility that it will ignite. If your fuel filler cap is loose or doesn't seal properly, that's one reason. A loose or cracked fuel line or vapor return line is another. A pinhole leak in your fuel tank is another. Bad seals in the fuel injection system or the fuel pump or fuel filter is another. Rule number two: If you are smelling fuel, don't park it in the garage. The vapors will build up in the garage and possibly ignite from a spark, a water heater, a clothes dryer, or other ignition source. If your car catches fire, you do not want it in the garage, and if you share a carport or community garage, you don't want to be responsible for the destruction of several cars and the garage. I have personally seen houses that have burned to the ground because the car caught fire in the garage. Rule number three: Find and fix the leak before you drive the car. There are all kinds of ignition sources in your car that can cause the vapors to ignite, such as spark plug wires, the alternator, various switches and relays, and heat sources like the exhaust manifold that are just waiting for a wisp of fuel vapor to come by. Leaks often get progressively worse, so if you smell vapors now, you may find yourself later on driving a car that is in flames that you cannot stop or get out of. At the very least, it is very difficult, sometimes almost impossible, to fix a car that has had an engine fire because of all the plastic and rubber parts that melt and burn. You need to get it fixed for your own safety and for the safety of everyone around you. Seriously.
Source(s): I smelled a strong fuel odor from my Neon last night, which it had never done, and it turned out to be a pinhole-size leak in a high-pressure fuel line under the hood that was spraying fuel. I immediately found a replacement hose at a 24 hour Auto Zone and fixed it. Same thing with a Sentra I had years ago. Had I ignored it or not fixed, the cars could have easily caught fire, and since I share a common garage with almost 50 other cars, the fire would have done hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. Both times I have smelled fuel, it hs been an under-hood fuel line leaking, and in the case of the Sentra, it was dripping on the exhaust manifold and boiling off. Please don't wait on this. - forktail_devilLv 51 decade ago
gas vapors have as much punch as a case of dynamite, especially in an enclosed area like a garage. if those fumes find ignition, u might find pieces of the car in the next zip code, and pieces of garage in the next county. i strongly suggest u keep the car outside if u dont want the garage to turn into a space station.
most cars now are fuel injected. easiest way to check is to only turn the key on. the fuel pump will start up, and pressurize the lines. look along the passenger side close to the frame edge. usually the fuel lines will be in the vicinity.
also look around inside the engine bay. if there's a fuel line leak in the bay, chances are, u'll soon find it in a hurry. the fuel pump will be putting the lines under alot of pressure. even a itty bitty pinhole will appear to be a gusher; it will be under at least 40 psi or better. some injectors will require more pressure to operate to specs.
unlike the old days, u cant just 'splice repair' fuel lines. they're under alot of pressure, and when 1 section starts to fail, the entire lines should be considered 'rotted'. the pump will also put enough pressure on the lines to basically blow ur 'patch' apart as soon as u turn the key on. toda's cars has the pump in the gas tank instead of it being by the engine of 'yesterday's' cars. fuel will already be under alot of pressure by the time it gets to the injectors. this is a fairly big job, and fuel lines isnt exactly cheap either. will take about a day or 2 in the shop. u'll be lookin at about 3 franklins depending on shop at the very least.
- StephenWeinsteinLv 71 decade ago
First, stop parking in the garage, before the gas fumes become concentrated enough to burn explode.
Seond, the smell is from gas fumes and only liquid gas is visible. The problem is most likely either (a) that gas fumes are leaking from somewhere or (b) that liquid gas is leaking, but not enough to drip to the floor or affect the gauge, so you do not see a puddle or notice that it is gone.
The most likely problem is the seal formed when you screw on the cap after buying gas. Try replacing the gas cap. If that does not work, then try replacing the piece of rubber (?) against which it seals.
- 1 decade ago
I am not a mechanic but assume that you should have it checked out. Gas is not a good thing to let go by like that especially if it is sitting inside your garage. Have it checked out by someone you know so that like some places they want you to pay for something that may not be needed.If that someone you know says that something is wrong then I would definitely get it fixed pay what it is worth to prevent an accident.
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- ?Lv 44 years ago
What year is the automobile? has it been sitting for a while? ought to be working to wealthy, gas/Air mixture incorrect. Small gas Leak close to the right of the engine that on no account gets to the floor? If it look gas Leak fix it ASAP previously you have an engine hearth!
- 6 years ago
the fuel pressure regulator will leak where it inserts to the manifold. gas smell thru vents when first starting