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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / April 2008smell of gas under hood
I noticed a smell of gas under my 1985 S10 Blazer hood on the right side after a fill up, but I don't see any leaks........ is it possible that this smell is coming from some vent like a gas vent emmision thingy? >I noticed a smell of gas under my 1985 S10 Blazer hood on the right side >after a fill up, but I don't see any leaks........ is it possible that this >smell is coming from some vent like a gas vent emmision thingy? Maybe. The thing is, gas is very stinky. One drop of gasoline can stink up the entire garage, so a tiny leak that is effectively invisible can make a huge smell. On most cars, the tank venting system and charcoal canister are in the back, though, not under the hood, so you can rule that out. There are basically two ways to find tiny leaks... you can wait a while until they turn into big leaks (and make sure to carry a fire extinguisher in the car at all times), or you can use an emissions testing wand to poke around and find the place where the unburned hydrocarbon level is slightly higher than the rest of the engine compartment. --scott  Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." > >I noticed a smell of gas under my 1985 S10 Blazer hood on the right side > >after a fill up, but I don't see any leaks........ is it possible that this [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > On most cars, the tank venting system and charcoal canister are in the > back, though, not under the hood, so you can rule that out. On an 85 S10 Blazer, the charcoal canister is most definitely under the hood. > There are basically two ways to find tiny leaks... you can wait a while > until they turn into big leaks (and make sure to carry a fire extinguisher > in the car at all times), or you can use an emissions testing wand to > poke around and find the place where the unburned hydrocarbon level is > slightly higher than the rest of the engine compartment. Basically three ways, the third being to use a smoke machine. Much easier then trying to keep one eye on the sniffer wand and one on the HC display. >> >I noticed a smell of gas under my 1985 S10 Blazer hood on the right side >> >after a fill up, but I don't see any leaks........ is it possible that this [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >On an 85 S10 Blazer, the charcoal canister is most definitely under the >hood. By all means, then, do that first before anything else. It's something that is probably overdue for replacement anyway. >> There are basically two ways to find tiny leaks... you can wait a while >> until they turn into big leaks (and make sure to carry a fire extinguisher [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Much easier then trying to keep one eye on the sniffer wand and one on >the HC display. Smoke machine? Tell me more.... this is one I don't know. --scott Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." > Smoke machine? Tell me more.... this is one I don't know. > --scott > -- > "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - Smoke machine; http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=79716&group_ID=178 33&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog >> Smoke machine? =A0Tell me more.... =A0this is one I don't know. > >Smoke machine; >http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=3D&tool=3Dall&item_ID=3D79716&gr= >oup_ID=3D17833&store=3Dsnapon-store&dir=3Dcatalog I got that... how do you use it to find a fuel system leak, though? --scott Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." >>> Smoke machine? =A0Tell me more.... =A0this is one I don't know. >> Smoke machine; [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I got that... how do you use it to find a fuel system leak, though? > --scott In the evap system you just use an adapter to connect it to the gas filler or to a vacuum line up front. Then follow the lines through the solenoids and connectors and look for smoke leaking out of them. If you use it and a scan tool to command the different valves you can cut down on a LOT of diagnostic time. Take a split vacuum line or a bad brake booster for example. The normal method is to spray some starting fluid around and listen for a change in the engine. For the brake booster you listen for the hiss of the vacuum leak. With the smoke machine you just disconnect a vacuum line and turn it on. Then look for the smoke. You just need to know if something should be smoking or not. SignatureSteve W. Near Cooperstown, New York Life is not like a box of chocolates it's more like a jar of jalapenos- what you do today could burn your a.s tomorrow! I am not meaning to be off topic, but speaking of brake boosters, my 1978 Dodge van has power brakes.(power steering too) When I bought that van in 1989, I dont think the van's power brakes have worked like they should when the van was shipped from the factory.Other than that, the van seems to stop ok.Are there anythings I should be really concerned about/looking for, as far as the brake booster is concerned? I wish my van haden't came equipped with power brakes and power steering, (and automatic transmission) just more stuff that can go wrong. cuhulin > I wish my van haden't came equipped with power brakes and power steering, > (and automatic transmission) just more stuff that can go wrong. I think you might find that if it didn't have power steering it would be very difficult to steer. Even on my small Peugeot 306 (about the size of a Ford Focus) the power steering is essential - as I found out when the fan belt broke, causing the power steering pump to fail: driving the short distance away from a busy road junction to a place where it was safe to stop was very difficult without power steering - much more difficult than on a car that didn't have power steering in the first place. Automatic transmission: well that's a matter of personal preference. I much prefer manual because I am then in control of when the gearchanges take place. I find that automatic transmission has a nasty habit of changing down a few seconds after you accelerate out of a roundabout, so you initially apply too much power to accelerate in too high a gear and then get a kick when the transmission changes down belatedly while you are applying more power than you should. If you are in control, you can change down at the correct instant and press the accelerator just the right amount. When automatic transmission fails, it can be a real nuisance. I once drove a Ford Focus automatic when my company hired it for a business trup that I was making. The change-down was very sensitive to the slightest throttle movement and it was extremely difficult to make the car speed up: I had a choice of 50 mph in any of 5th, 4th or 3rd gears because the more I put my foot down, the further it changed down! | > I wish my van haden't came equipped with power brakes and power steering, | > (and automatic transmission) just more stuff that can go wrong. | | I think you might find that if it didn't have power steering it would be | very difficult to steer. Even on my small Peugeot 306 (about the size of a | Ford Focus) the power steering is essential Not true... My 1978 Mustang did not have power steering. It had a well designed rack and pinion setup that worked well. About a week ago, when I was backing my van out of my driveway to go to the food store, I noticed the power steering wasen't working.I had to strong arm muscle my van's steering every step of the way.I am going to go to a NAPA store and buy new belts and put them on there.It's about time anyway. cuhulin > About a week ago, when I was backing my van out of my driveway to go to > the food store, I noticed the power steering wasen't working.I had to > strong arm muscle my van's steering every step of the way.I am going to > go to a NAPA store and buy new belts and put them on there.It's about > time anyway. Are they slipping? I'd start by checking the fluid level. > | > I wish my van haden't came equipped with power brakes and power > steering, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Not true... My 1978 Mustang did not have power steering. It had a well > designed rack and pinion setup that worked well. Ah, I was distinguishing between cars that do not have power steering and those which have it but it's not working. I imagine that non-PS cars have a different set-up of steering rack (and maybe lower-geared steering). My Mark II Golf did not have PS whereas my Mark III one did. The Mark II was noticeably harder to steer (especially in comparison with the Mark III when I was switching between the two cars while waiting to sell the older one). However it was much easier to steer than my PS-equipped Peugeot 306 when its PS failed. >>>> I noticed a smell of gas under my 1985 S10 Blazer hood on the right side >>>> after a fill up, but I don't see any leaks........ is it possible that this [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > Smoke machine? Tell me more.... this is one I don't know. > --scott EXPENSIVE machine that uses a non toxic, non corrosive mixture to generate smoke and pump it into the lines. Then you just look for it coming out in places it shouldn't. If you have seen stage fog machines they are almost the same item. The fog machines are a LOT cheaper though. I have been actually thinking about testing out a fog machine and seeing if it would work. You don't need a lot of pressure just a LOT of smoke. SignatureSteve W. Near Cooperstown, New York Life is not like a box of chocolates it's more like a jar of jalapenos- what you do today could burn your a.s tomorrow! > > Smoke machine? Tell me more.... this is one I don't know. > > --scott [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > and seeing if it would work. You don't need a lot of pressure just a LOT > of smoke. I'll save you the bother. Fog machines don't work worth a crap. The Glycerine based fog fluid condenses to easily and it's probably not a good thing to introduce into an automobile. I built a machine from some 3-4" pipe, pipe caps and used three diesel glow plugs as a heat source. The whole thing fit into a small tool box and was 12 volt powered. Pressure came from an electric 'rattler' type fuel pump. Fluid was a mix of ATF, mineral oil and GM top engine cleaner. (the three smokiest things I could find) Where the pro machines have an advantage is; they come with a flow gauge and a magnehelic gauge. Makes it a lot easier to see what's going on... Evap failures becoming so common, I do NOT regret spending the money on a smoke machine. >>> Smoke machine? Tell me more.... this is one I don't know. >>> --scott [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Evap failures becoming so common, I do NOT regret spending the money on > a smoke machine. I figured there was someone out there who tried it. Oh well. I was just thinking it might be something for the average wrench to use on their own vehicle. Yeah I use mine quite a bit, keep finding other areas it works good in besides vehicle. SignatureSteve W. Near Cooperstown, New York Life is not like a box of chocolates it's more like a jar of jalapenos- what you do today could burn your a.s tomorrow! > I noticed a smell of gas under my 1985 S10 Blazer hood on the right side > after a fill up, but I don't see any leaks........ is it possible that this > smell is coming from some vent like a gas vent emmision thingy? Yes. The canister is under the hood on most I have seen that age. If it like my Jeep one it has a $2.00 air filter on the bottom that gets plugged up so the canister can't purge. When it can't purge, the charcoal gets gas saturated and a fill can force out some fumes. Mike 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com > The canister is under the hood on most I have seen that age. If it like > my Jeep one it has a $2.00 air filter on the bottom that gets plugged up > so the canister can't purge. When it can't purge, the charcoal gets gas > saturated and a fill can force out some fumes. > > Mike Ok, I will try this cheap fix before I take it to a mechanic........ thanks |
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