Gas odor - Type 44

[Helge Wunderlich]

On Sat, 23 Feb 2002 21:58:13 EST, TWFAUST at aol.com wrote:

>       I have begun to notice a gas odor in my '90 100. This seems to be only
>inside the car as nothing is noticeable when approaching it. I can't see any
>leaks in the engine compartment and do not see any spots under the car. It
>seems to occur while standing. Any guesses?   Tom Faust

Gas evaporates very quickly, even in cool weather, so you will not see
spots under the car or in the engine bay unless the leak is really
huge. You may not see gas even if you look directly at the leaking
area.

The tank in the 100 is monted practically completely outside the car,
so it is likely the smell comes from the engine bay past the seal
between hood/bonnet and torpedo wall through the ventilation system.

In my case, it turned out to be a leaky spare can in the boot. Duh !

The most common culprit seems to be that the gas lines rust inside the
monting clips under the car.

To search for the problem, do as many tests as possible, and note when
the smell gets worse or less. Here are a few ideas:

- Does the boot smell ?

- Any smell in the engine bay ?

- Does the smell get worse when you open a window while driving ?

- Does travel speed make any difference ?

- Does it also smell when the engine is not running ?