Smelly boot/trunk

mylesdw · #1 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 04:32 PM

I am currently going over my car trying to sort out some of the stuff I didn't get right first time around and one of these issues is that the boot/trunk has always smelled of petrol. I have the filler neck, tank, electric pump, filter, pressure regulator and pipework all in there. There are no visible weeps or leaks but I wonder whether I am attempting the impossible and some of these components just aren't meant to be mounted in an enclosed space. Should I consider moving things like the pump out of the boot and into the space under the car behind the rear axle, or maybe making a vented compartment that is sealed from the rest of the boot?

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

MrMagoo · #2 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 07:30 PM

I dont have anything in the trunk, except for the filler pipe, which runs down the side and I have the same problem. Noticeable odor, but not to me indicative of a leak anywhere.

I would move the pump next to the tank on the inside of the wheel well though in any event. It just seems to me that I wouldn't want those things in the trunk. Especially if you have a battery back there too!!!

Rick Parker · #3 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 07:42 PM

Check the gaskets (if any) that seal the filler neck to the tank, and the gasket on the fuel sending unit. Both can weep vapors. It doesn't take much

Rick

mylesdw · #4 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 10:06 PM

Thanks guys, I had not thought of the fuel guage sender unit, it is tucked right up out of sight (out of mind). I think I will pull the tank out and rework so that there is less stuff in the boot.

I do have the battery back there too, and it has always worried me slightly

Michael C Henry · #5 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 10:16 PM

Same here Trunk smells of gasoline.Sealed fuel quantity gauge sending unit.Never any sign.We kept heavey coats stored in trunk.they smelled of gas .Seems like a common problem.Tank sets in a hole in trunk part above inside the tank sending unit filler elbow. below (under) sumpwith fuel outlets and fuel pumps. New 3" neoprean elbow double clamped.Sending unit has sealant on both sides of corkand neopren gasket and screws sealed.

G.R. · #6 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 11:04 PM

Old fuel fill hose absorbs gas odor. In my FIA i had two problems of fuel odor, #1 was a leaking fuel-sender gasket replaced that and still had the odor, discovered after filling the tank I still had the odor, did the "sniff test" yup came from the filler hose to the tank.
I replaced the hose&vent line with marine type fuel hose from West Marine. It is non-permeable for use in boats to eliminate the diesel smell, gas won't hurt it either. Expensive though about $3.50 a foot.

NO more fumes/odor in the boot.

I had the same problem on our boat several years ago. Fill the tanks,close the boat up for a week, come back and the diesel smell would darn near knock you over. Replaed all the Filler hose and vent lines problem went away

mylesdw · #7 (**permalink**) 08-24-2004, 01:22 PM

The marine hose idea sounds like a good one, it is a problem that you would HAVE to solve in a luxury yacht. My brother works for a boatyard so I will ask him what they have. I put all the other stuff in the boot because I thought it would be easy to get at and protected but I can't help thinking that especially the pump which must have rotating shaft and seals and so on will always smell a bit and so it is better to move them into a vented area, either under the car or a vented compartment in the boot. In the mean time I am working on improving the fuel filler pipe by having it made up in a single length of stainless steel rather than multiple elbows and flexible couplings. For this I am building a wooden jig to take to the pipe fabricator.