Gas smell at the front of the engine

[LoneStarExplorer]

Hi gang,

I've got a two-part question for you experts out there.

Vehicle: 98 Limited, 4.0 SOHC, 2X, automatic. Completely stock except for 31x10.50 15 Michelin's.

First- Our trusty companion has just started to emit the smell of fuel at the front of the engine, in the vicinity of the EGR valve I think. I can hear a faint hissing sound associated with the smell. The smell is pretty potent and is drawn in and pushed out of the a/c registers inside the cabin. I don't see anything wet or drippy-looking under the hood and there are no puddles on the ground. The old girl has delivered over 190,000 faithful miles and still runs, drives and looks like new.

Second- I'm about to do a very comprehensive "tune-up" on her in another month or so, maybe sooner if the gas smell diagnosis deems it necessary. That said, what all can or should be replaced on the vehicle since we're gonna' hit the magic 200K this year some time? Cost is really no object since "Bessy" is a member of the family and has been since 1999. More importantly, I don't want to overlook anything during her "renovation".

Thanks for your help and advice!

Dan

 

[yavapaires]

Hi gang,

I've got a two-part question for you experts out there.

Vehicle: 98 Limited, 4.0 SOHC, 2X, automatic. Completely stock except for 31x10.50 15 Michelin's.

First- Our trusty companion has just started to emit the smell of fuel at the front of the engine, in the vicinity of the EGR valve I think. I can hear a faint hissing sound associated with the smell. The smell is pretty potent and is drawn in and pushed out of the a/c registers inside the cabin. I don't see anything wet or drippy-looking under the hood and there are no puddles on the ground. The old girl has delivered over 190,000 faithful miles and still runs, drives and looks like new.

Second- I'm about to do a very comprehensive "tune-up" on her in another month or so, maybe sooner if the gas smell diagnosis deems it necessary. That said, what all can or should be replaced on the vehicle since we're gonna' hit the magic 200K this year some time? Cost is really no object since "Bessy" is a member of the family and has been since 1999. More importantly, I don't want to overlook anything during her "renovation".

Thanks for your help and advice!

Dan

First, how's the fuel mileage? Second, I'm guessing a leak around a fuel injector, or fuel rail. Probably a bad upper o-ring. Just my guess.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

Not on topic at all, but FINALLY somebody else has named their truck, and actually says the name. I thought I was just weird when I named my Explorer "Martha" and talk about it as "Martha", and not simply as my truck...

Also, I see on SOME vehicles that the fuel rail, or a portion of it begins to rust, and since it is under pressure, it just took time to spring a small leak. Although living in Texas, I doubt you deal with much rust, if at all.

 

[LoneStarExplorer]

Thanks for the responses. I'll have to dig deeper to see if I can zero in on the little gremlin. The o-rings are a good place to start for sure. We spent over 9 years in Europe with Bessy, so she's been "exposed" to the yucky world of salt. That said, there is a possibility of rust I suppose.

I don't know how she came to be called "Bessy". It just sort of happened one day and she's been Bessy ever since. We even have her name proudly emblazoned on the personalized TX license plate! We just love her!