Is it me???
picked last in gym class
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 920
Likes: 0
I think I had my last 240 under control. Following the "internet common knowledge guide to building POS 240s" was one of the big problems.
- When you do a fuel pump, the gas tank seal is a mandatory replaceable item. No one ever does that. The FSM says that you have to. Buy a real pump kit like a Tomei and it'll be included.
- Cars without catalytic converters smell like fuel. No one ever runs a cat. Even NA cars with good tunes smell. I'm finding this complaint even on stock 350Z's with test pipes.
- Cars with cats and are out of tune smell like fuel. YMMV.
- The first thing people do is delete the charcoal canister, all the lines, and the solenoids. That's what keeps vapor pressure from building up in your tank. That high pressure turns everything into a leak. Ever release the gas cap and it sounds like a million psi escaping... yeah.
- Don't forget that there are more rubber lines under the car in the rear. People change the engine bay lines due to age, but the same 20 year old ones are still dragging along in the rear.
- Not having AC, isn't helping. There is a piece that I don't know the name of in the rear that vents air from inside the car. It's not supposed to let air in from the outside, but I'd be willing to bet that over time it doesn't seal well. Combine that with driving with the windows down creating a bit of vacuum, and you'd be drawing air directly from the gas tank area outside the car.
- Fuel smell is strong. It doesn't take much at all to notice. Even the smallest leak or being a bit too rich will do it.
- When you do a fuel pump, the gas tank seal is a mandatory replaceable item. No one ever does that. The FSM says that you have to. Buy a real pump kit like a Tomei and it'll be included.
- Cars without catalytic converters smell like fuel. No one ever runs a cat. Even NA cars with good tunes smell. I'm finding this complaint even on stock 350Z's with test pipes.
- Cars with cats and are out of tune smell like fuel. YMMV.
- The first thing people do is delete the charcoal canister, all the lines, and the solenoids. That's what keeps vapor pressure from building up in your tank. That high pressure turns everything into a leak. Ever release the gas cap and it sounds like a million psi escaping... yeah.
- Don't forget that there are more rubber lines under the car in the rear. People change the engine bay lines due to age, but the same 20 year old ones are still dragging along in the rear.
- Not having AC, isn't helping. There is a piece that I don't know the name of in the rear that vents air from inside the car. It's not supposed to let air in from the outside, but I'd be willing to bet that over time it doesn't seal well. Combine that with driving with the windows down creating a bit of vacuum, and you'd be drawing air directly from the gas tank area outside the car.
- Fuel smell is strong. It doesn't take much at all to notice. Even the smallest leak or being a bit too rich will do it.
__________________
Word.
Word.
(OO\____/OO)
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,612
Likes: 0
Offset-----Less is MORE!!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,160
Likes: 0
rubber hose to the fuel filter goes bad and you can't tell just by looking at it. It gets little tiny stress holes. Replace the soft line to your fuel filter and see if that helps.
__________________
Looking to buy or sell Real Estate, give me a call.
http://liberty-vip.com Flush ≠ VIP. Spread the word in 2012
Looking to buy or sell Real Estate, give me a call.
http://liberty-vip.com Flush ≠ VIP. Spread the word in 2012
buildin' it
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,565
Likes: 0
240's smelling like fuel is "normal" because it is so common that something is wrong and causes it, but it isn't normal in that it isn't supposed to be like that.
If it is from the rear of the car, then chances are you need to replace that fuel tank gasket. Between it being 15+ years old, and the ethanol, it has probably gone bad, even if you haven't ever pulled the pump out.
You can ghetto it with gasket maker, but a tube of rtv should cost about as much as the seal itself.
It could also be the fuel lines coming off of the tank. People always forget about those. They might not be "leaking" leaking, but there might be just a touch of fuel coming out. I would just say replace them. Fuel line is cheap and it would be better than waiting for it to start spraying fuel all over the place.
If it comes from the rear, but seems to get worse when you are sitting still then, in the rear corner (can't remember if it is both corners or just the passenger side) anyway, there is a flap down in there. Pretty sure it started off as a charcoal filter thing. It was supposed to let air out, but no air back in to keep the cab from filling with carbon mon/dioxide and other various gross gases from building up in the car. They end up going bad and letting exhaust fumes right back into the car. Typically only happens when you drive with the windows down because of the vacuum it creates. Technically, you should replace it, but you could get away with just sealing it shut. Usually, sealing it shut will get rid of that exhaust smell.
If it seems to be coming from the front of the car, then go over all of the fuel lines. Again, it might not be a visable spray, but if it has a little stress crack in it, then it could be letting a touch of fuel out that is evaporating right away. Again, I would suggest just changing them out with new lines. It is cheaper than the cost of the fuel you will loose when it finally cracks and sprays fuel all over the place.
If you have removed your emissions, then you more than likely got ride of the charcoal canister. That hard line that was attached to it goes back to the fuel tank. It was there to let the vapor from the fuel tank have somewhere to go once it starts to pressurize. Typically, you only get that gas smell on a warmer day when the fuel tank gets more pressurized. Either the catch can set up needs replaced, or you need to remove that line and route it out the back of the car. The smell will still be there, but then it would be coming out the back of the car and typically not getting back into the car. OR, just totally seal it off and hope the tank doesn't get overly pressurized and pop a fuel line off. Never personally seen it, but I've heard that it could happen. Here's your salt shaker.
If you removed the EGR valve, make sure your patch job on the header is sealed so you're not shooting exhaust at the firewall.
While you're at it, check your whole exhaust for leaks. Even a small leak can make its way into the car and smell.
KA's run rather rich to begin with, removing the EGR valve and cat just make it worse. Well, not run more rich, but make it more noticeable. So if you've done everything else, and the exhaust still smells, then get a tune.
Because of the ethanol in the fuel, even if you are tuned, if you don't have a cat to burn it off, it will still smell like fuel. Ethanol just doesn't burn as well as the rest of the fuel. There are still a couple of "real" gas stations around. Try running that for a couple of tanks and see if that smell doesn't go away.
If it is from the rear of the car, then chances are you need to replace that fuel tank gasket. Between it being 15+ years old, and the ethanol, it has probably gone bad, even if you haven't ever pulled the pump out.
You can ghetto it with gasket maker, but a tube of rtv should cost about as much as the seal itself.
It could also be the fuel lines coming off of the tank. People always forget about those. They might not be "leaking" leaking, but there might be just a touch of fuel coming out. I would just say replace them. Fuel line is cheap and it would be better than waiting for it to start spraying fuel all over the place.
If it comes from the rear, but seems to get worse when you are sitting still then, in the rear corner (can't remember if it is both corners or just the passenger side) anyway, there is a flap down in there. Pretty sure it started off as a charcoal filter thing. It was supposed to let air out, but no air back in to keep the cab from filling with carbon mon/dioxide and other various gross gases from building up in the car. They end up going bad and letting exhaust fumes right back into the car. Typically only happens when you drive with the windows down because of the vacuum it creates. Technically, you should replace it, but you could get away with just sealing it shut. Usually, sealing it shut will get rid of that exhaust smell.
If it seems to be coming from the front of the car, then go over all of the fuel lines. Again, it might not be a visable spray, but if it has a little stress crack in it, then it could be letting a touch of fuel out that is evaporating right away. Again, I would suggest just changing them out with new lines. It is cheaper than the cost of the fuel you will loose when it finally cracks and sprays fuel all over the place.
If you have removed your emissions, then you more than likely got ride of the charcoal canister. That hard line that was attached to it goes back to the fuel tank. It was there to let the vapor from the fuel tank have somewhere to go once it starts to pressurize. Typically, you only get that gas smell on a warmer day when the fuel tank gets more pressurized. Either the catch can set up needs replaced, or you need to remove that line and route it out the back of the car. The smell will still be there, but then it would be coming out the back of the car and typically not getting back into the car. OR, just totally seal it off and hope the tank doesn't get overly pressurized and pop a fuel line off. Never personally seen it, but I've heard that it could happen. Here's your salt shaker.
If you removed the EGR valve, make sure your patch job on the header is sealed so you're not shooting exhaust at the firewall.
While you're at it, check your whole exhaust for leaks. Even a small leak can make its way into the car and smell.
KA's run rather rich to begin with, removing the EGR valve and cat just make it worse. Well, not run more rich, but make it more noticeable. So if you've done everything else, and the exhaust still smells, then get a tune.
Because of the ethanol in the fuel, even if you are tuned, if you don't have a cat to burn it off, it will still smell like fuel. Ethanol just doesn't burn as well as the rest of the fuel. There are still a couple of "real" gas stations around. Try running that for a couple of tanks and see if that smell doesn't go away.
Thread Starter
FN Herstal
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,612
Likes: 0
Well i do remember the rubber gasket in the back where fuel pump goes was really in bad shape. But still can't remember if i changed it or not so i will pick one up this weekend and check to see what happens. Also i am running a cat.
__________________
Thread Starter
FN Herstal
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,612
Likes: 0
Anyone would happen to know the name of the o ring or gasket that goes where the fuel pump assembly is in the back? Bout to call these parts store and get one to see if the smell goes away? The other night someone told me my car smells like fuel from pulling up.
__________________
buildin' it
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,565
Likes: 0
don't know what it is called, or even if the part's store would have it.
might have to hit up the dealership. they would be able to tell you the part number, since they have the exploded prints that have all of the parts identified.
Could try RTV as a messy, cheap, temp fix.
might have to hit up the dealership. they would be able to tell you the part number, since they have the exploded prints that have all of the parts identified.
Could try RTV as a messy, cheap, temp fix.
