Obnoxious fuel smell - HELP, please

[aldive]

I know this has been discussed before, and I did do a search looking for it, but didn't find it.

Anyway….

The last post I remember someone, sorry, I forgot who, said that the evaporation canister and the possible offending solenoid were located near the fuel tank ( actually between it and the frame ) on late model Explorers. NOT SO, at least in the case of my 99 4 door XLT with 4.0 SOHC.

The smell is getting so bad you can detect it 5-6 cars away in a parking lot.

Its gotta be fixed. Yesterday is not soon enough.

Someone, hopefully who has had this problem, help…..

Thanks.

 

[Triton46]

Ive got the same thing on my 91...driving me crazy. I thought it was due to a bad FPR, but the FPR is fixed now and the smell is still there. Its so bad, my girlfriends dad thought I was leaking gas.

Did you say the solenoid and evap canister are on the rear of the explorer? Where?

 

[Bill Kemp]

Aldive, The Haynes bible says the evap. can. is located just behind the fuel tank. Shows a pix & everything...
They say quite a bit about the need to check the hoses, canister, pressure in fuel tank ect.
The fuel vapor management valve is mounted on the left frame rail. Somewhere on the left.
I hope this helps but it doesnt take the place of having a manual. It will pay for its self......

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by Bill Kemp
Aldive, The Haynes bible says the evap. can. is located just behind the fuel tank. Shows a pix & everything...
They say quite a bit about the need to check the hoses, canister, pressure in fuel tank ect.
The fuel vapor management valve is mounted on the left frame rail. Somewhere on the left.
I hope this helps but it doesnt take the place of having a manual. It will pay for its self......

Bill, thanks for the info. I do have the Haynes Manual, but.... the EVAP System is discussed on p 6-27 and "must continue on the next page{s}. I say "must
because in my book the next page is 7A-2 and discusses transmissions.

Would you be so kind to tell us what the "missing" pages say?

Thanks....

 

[Bill Kemp]

Well it starts by saying if your missing this page you are SOL....
Make sure the gas cap is good. Replace all damaged hoses and make sure there are no kinks in the hoses. If canister is cracked--replace it. The hoses run from the fuel tank and the throttle body and intake manifold to or through the vapor management valve to the canister.
You also may get a reading on a scan tool if there is a problem with the system or the VMV mentioned above.
Be careful and be sure to set the brake and if you take out something be sure to put it back the same way.
Dan't f it up....per Haynes....

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by Bill Kemp
Well it starts by saying if your missing this page you are SOL....
Make sure the gas cap is good. Replace all damaged hoses and make sure there are no kinks in the hoses. If canister is cracked--replace it. The hoses run from the fuel tank and the throttle body and intake manifold to or through the vapor management valve to the canister.
You also may get a reading on a scan tool if there is a problem with the system or the VMV mentioned above.
Be careful and be sure to set the brake and if you take out something be sure to put it back the same way.
Dan't f it up....per Haynes....

Does it show exactly where the canistor and valve are located? I still can't find either.

Thanks....

 

[kps36]

if i'm not mistaken the 'canister' is up next to the battery. A vacuum line runs from the gas tank to the canister up front. then there is an assembly with 2 solenoids (why 2?) and input to the exhaust manifold.
Just curious, if the fuel smell is coming from the engine bay, this is most likely the source. Were you getting a CEL (check engine lite) ? I had the ever present CEL for about 2k miles, changed out O2, IAC, plugs...etc. It wasn't until i changed out this assembly did it go off, and picked up 2mpg and still climbing. But i didn't have the fuel smell.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by kps36
if i'm not mistaken the 'canister' is up next to the battery. A vacuum line runs from the gas tank to the canister up front. then there is an assembly with 2 solenoids (why 2?) and input to the exhaust manifold.
Just curious, if the fuel smell is coming from the engine bay, this is most likely the source. Were you getting a CEL (check engine lite) ? I had the ever present CEL for about 2k miles, changed out O2, IAC, plugs...etc. It wasn't until i changed out this assembly did it go off, and picked up 2mpg and still climbing. But i didn't have the fuel smell.

I have NEVER had a CEL. I am not even sure where the smell originates' it too damn prevelant.

I have looked everywhere for the infamous canistor. No luck...

What does the canister look like? Size and shape, color?

Thanks....

 

[kps36]

It is a black box about 7"x4"x4" with 2 'bulb' looking 'out'dentations on the top. refer to my previous description about plumbing. It is near the front driver side of the engine bay, between the battery and the rad. It is also called the 'charcoal canister'. I don't know what is at the fuel tank, but I assume it is a vapor outlet with the vacuum line coming up to the canister. Then out like I said to the intake manifold, maybe the TBody. I have a 95, your 99 may be different.

 

[sholzee]

Aldive, have you tried a dealer? The evap canister is an emission device, and the best I recall must be warrented for 5 years 50 k miles. As a matter of fact I think most the fuel system is covered by the emission warrenty.

 

[Bill Kemp]

Per Haynes......The charcoal canister on 95 and later is underneath the veh. just behind the fuel tank....

 

[tac0meat]

hey triton46, heres the link to that thread:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=26638&highlight=gas+smell

just read through it it will explain what to do on the 91-94 explorers with this problem, for those of you with newer explorers i dont know if it will help you at all

 

[aldive]

This an aside to the current topic.

Tonight I went to dinner and after eating was walking to the parking lot and low and behold I smelled GAS. At first I thought I was near my Explorer but remembered I came with a friend in their Navigator. The smell took me directly to a late model 4 door Explorer.

I am not the only one.

And.... I still can't find the darn evap canistor.

Still need HELP..........

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by aldive


Another 24 hours and still NO answer from these people. Based on this I will NEVER do business with them.

Opinions...

To be fair....

I did ( just ) get the following E Mail from them

>>$73.25, and yes, Magnecor lists that part number application for the 99 Explorer, exc. the export model, which was right hand drive. <<

 

[RytM1]

Ok guys, I gotta question for ya. When you noticed this fuel smell, did any of you notice the idle drop when pulling up to a stop sign/light? And, if any of you did a lot of highway driving, did you notice that your Ex would seem like it would "miss" for a split second, then "kick" a little when it caught back up?

The reason I'm asking is that my local dealer now has my truck because of these problems, which didn't go away after changing the fuel filter, and vapor mgmt valve. After $300 of tests, the tech said the diagnostics showed a problem with the #4 cyl., and upon pulling the plug, it was gas fouled. He changed the plugs, and updated my ECM (making my Superchip obsolete), started it back up, and said it was fouling the #4 plug again. He then pulled the plug, put it in a key on position, and said it was pouring gas out of the #4 cylinder. He also said that it was probably the injector staying open because of the superchip, and that it had dumped too much fuel into the intake manifold. He said he was going to pull the manifold in the a.m. and dry it out, didn't want to take the chance on hydo-locking the cyclinder. He still has said nothing about checking the fuel EVAP system, and could not explain why the varnished fuel smell was present. What makes it so bad too, is that, of course, my extended warranty doesn't cover the diagnostics, and plugs up to this point.

 

[BGN]

The smell of gas from my 91 Sport finally became too much for me yesterday so I took it to my mechanic who says after pressure testing the gas tank says that I need a new one, actually its the gasket at the top of the tank is all corroded. He also says the sending unit should be replaced while hes got it apart--he says these used come out to around $250 or so--comments anyone?

Barry
91 Explorer Sport
180,000 miles

 

[amigo]

my only comment is I got a 91 XL I'll sell ya, no odor problem, only needs new heads as one is cracked from an overheat.

 

[sholzee]

I live in Buffalo, N.Y. rust belt where the use salt to melt the snow and it eats our vehicles alive. Many places up here sell "used Southern tanks". I replaced mine a little over 1 year ago and it was $150 for tank and sending unit, I also needed the straps for the tank dealer only item about $50 for the 2 straps. I did the job myself, it was'nt too bad but I have repaired my own vehicles for 20 years now. You do need a special tool to remove the fuel lines but they are about $15 at any parts store.

 

[95ExplorerLtd]

What about injectors? My dad had a gas smell in the cab of his truck and I believe it was a problem with the injectors. BUT, I may be wrong.