More gasoline fumes information

[Kneale Brownson]

At 09:25 PM 03/22/2003 -0500, Fay     ^. .^  ~ wrote:

>I sent a friend with a very sensitive nose down stairs to the parking area
>to go around the car.
>
>I had her start at the front, then the wheel wells, and then the exhaust.
>
>She smells if most strongly near the wheel well on the side you put the
>gas in (right), but NOT
>at the place you put the gasoline in, but near the passenger wheel well.
>
>Does that information help anyone to pinpoint this.

Fuel lines to and from the tank run down that side of the car, Fay.  Your
odor could be coming from a rusted out fuel line at one of the points it is
anchored to the car.  The rubber pads that hold the lines in place commonly
collect salt and dirt and the lines will rust through and leak at that
point.  It may not be visible on the rest of the line, and you sometimes
have to look really closely to see where the anchoring point is wet with fuel.

But your odor and accelerated fuel consumption could be a result of a bad
Oxygen sensor.  A failed O2 sensor can make the exhaust smell of fuel
because it usually causes the engine to run extra rich.