Petrol smell in cabin

[Justy]

Hi folks,

Recently bought my Leon 1.6S 02-reg and there's a faint but noticeable whiff of petrol in the cabin every time I draw to a halt, say at traffic lights or similar. It's definitely petrol but with a bit of a 'marzipan' type of edge to it.

It disappears just as quick on pulling away again, so I was just wondering if this is common to the Leon or symptomatic of something wrong.

Any thoughts? Ta in advance,
J

 

[andycupra]

have you checked to see if you are leaking any petrol on the road?

i had the filter leaking while back. When you are moving you wont smell it..
(its under the car just in front of offside rear wheel)

also check under the bonnet for signs of leaks
not a good thing a petrol leak!

if you are only smelling it when at a standstill its kinda say to me its not under the bonnet...

what if you stop, but have vents switched off? still get the smell?
does the smell seem to come from the air vents?

 

[Tom B]

Broken seal on the top of the tank, where the sender screws in?

These go on Meganes all the time.

 

[luke]

have you checked to see if you are leaking any petrol on the road?

i had the filter leaking while back. When you are moving you wont smell it..
(its under the car just in front of offside rear wheel)

I had exactly the same problem.

 

[andycupra]

I had exactly the same problem.

i seem to remember it cost me three times as much in lost petrol than the part itself!

also pipes are funny to get off... they seem to be a push fit... but you kinda have to sqweeze then at the correct point and get a 'click' and they come off!
the push fit back on..

 

[surfo]

I had the same problem, and checked all over and there were no leaking, so I realized that a little hard plastic hose that goes to a little box just next to the water container was broken and the gasoline gas oddor was entering the cabin trough the A/C filter (sorry about my english)... check this little hose righ were it is clamped to the wall... that little clamp broke the hose because of the constant presure...

here is a little picture to show you moreless where the hose is...

 

[Justy]

Folks - many thanks for the prompt replies.

When the air vents are closed (or recirc switched on) the smell vanishes altogether, whether at a standstill or moving.

When the vents are open, the smell comes back v quickly when stopping and starting moving, but seems to be worst shortly after moving away from standstill as opposed to when I am at a halt.

No sign of leaking petrol on the road and no obvious leakage under the bonnet.

The little pipe mentioned by 'surfo' seems intact and no smell coming from this vicinity that I can detect.

So, does any of that add up to you? I'd rather isolate the problem meself than pay a mechanic to find it for me. Sounds like I'll be getting fairly intimate with the engine and undercarriage of the car this weekend then!!

All the best...
J

 

[BlackFR]

Had this before and it was the rubber strip that runs along the front of the trim which the windscreen wipers poke through and separates it from the engine bay. There was a small gap at one end where it hadnt quite been put back properly!

Removed and refitted it and the smell went!

 

[PlatinumR]

Had this before and it was the rubber strip that runs along the front of the trim which the windscreen wipers poke through and separates it from the engine bay. There was a small gap at one end where it hadnt quite been put back properly!

Removed and refitted it and the smell went!

Unless your at the petrol station you shouldn't be able to smell it. the fumes from the tank are drawn into the engine through the charcoal canister. Any fuel smell is bad.

 

[Boqueron]

I used to have that problem on me old car, but only when my aunty was in the car!



Hat, coat, gone.

 

[surfo]

...

I found where my gas smell was comming from, just sniffing around the engine... you may do that with the engine runing... from top to bottom...

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[sri_130]

Speaking total off key here, and not from personal experience, but my mates Chavalier did this.

He said that the crank case breather pipe (which vented gasses back to the inlet) had split. When the car was in motion the fumes were obviously wafted under the bay and everything is fine, but when it stopped, the cabin filled with the crap.

I smelt it, and its weird.

1st question that somebody would need to answer is, is there a crank case breather? and/or a pipe!?

 

[MGarcia]

I had the exact problem surfo explained, and it would smell only at stops, if yours is similar, the leak is under the hood, and it is a pain to find.

 

[Empi5]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but i am getting a strong smell of petrol at start up, last for about 15 secs then all is ok. Any ideas ?

 

[surfo]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but i am getting a strong smell of petrol at start up, last for about 15 secs then all is ok. Any ideas ?

I think is the same problem.. lasts 15 seconds because obviusly you open your windows o do some kind of ventilation? or maybe you get use to the smell?hehehe... try looking on all your fuel, vacum, and other hoses around engine bay..

you can light up a match to locate it faster... hahahaha Just kidding!! DON´T!!!

greetings!!

 

[andycupra]

if the smell is just at start up it may be a leak in the engine bay, when you start up you get a burst of the air from under the bonnet.

probably a very small leak.
if you can have a small petrol leak!

 

[DPJ]

I had the same prob recently. Not noticable with the engine running......
But as soon as the petrol pump primed when you opened the door the smell appeared. It got worse and ended up in petrol p*ssing out of the split filter (just forward of the rear offside wheel).


I don't think these are down to be replaced at any particular service interval, but if you ask me it should be every 30k.....

 

[andycupra]

I had the same prob recently. Not noticable with the engine running......
But as soon as the petrol pump primed when you opened the door the smell appeared. It got worse and ended up in petrol p*ssing out of the split filter (just forward of the rear offside wheel).


I don't think these are down to be replaced at any particular service interval, but if you ask me it should be every 30k.....

agreed, just far too many of us have had that happen...

 

[andyj]

yes I know it's an old thread, but it's helped my solve my 'fuel smell' problem

just checked and I'l got a split/leaking fuel filter.....

Any idea how much a new one is ?!?

Andy

 

[DPJ]

yes I know it's an old thread, but it's helped my solve my 'fuel smell' problem

just checked and I'l got a split/leaking fuel filter.....

Any idea how much a new one is ?!?

Andy

Less than £20 Andy.