Fuel Smell

[BIG_MVS]

Does anyones GTA smell as bad as mine when on tickover or generally not moving I'm as high as a kite when I stop in traffic!

Andrew (Turbodog) told me about the breather from the fuel tank and I traced this to a metal pipe which zig zags across the boot underneath the liner then pops down through the bottom past the brake servo.

I was told that there should be a rubber hose attached to this pipe then it pops out of the undertray and all smelly fumes disappear behind the car.

After I checked my this weekend there was no pipe attched to the end of the metal pipe near the servo, I then attached another pipe (piece of silicone hose - don't know if this makes any difference?) to the metal pipe and out of the undertray, I even found a cable management "hook" which held the pipe in place and pointed towards the back of the car. Job done so I thought, now it stinks as much if not worse than before

Anyone else had this problem

[phildini]

Yes mine does, especially in traffic on my way to donnington I was in traffic for two hours and it was like sitting in a petrol station.....

I have been told it might be the petrol pump underneath the rear wheel arch. Still have not checked but will do soon I hope and ill let you know.

I assume you've already checked all your fuel pipes.If they are all sound, then check the outlet end of your fuel pump as these tend to leak when the pump is running but not when switched off.

Don't light any matches !

Check all the rubber hoses to the injector rails.
Mine were leaking and I had similar symptoms.
Have a nice day!
And as above quit smoking, today

[BIG_MVS]

Check all the rubber hoses to the injector rails.
Mine were leaking and I had similar symptoms.
Have a nice day!
And as above quit smoking, today

Checked this before, although being an Alpine I will check again!! Would it not smell all the time though if the fuel lines were leaking rather than just when idling or going very slowly?

[Alpineandy]

the smell would get left behind.

[BIG_MVS]

the smell would get left behind.

Yes I get your point but the smell is definately coming from the front of the car and is getting sucked through the fan which always runs into the cabin, I will still check the fuel lines in the engine bay as a matter of course anyway.

You could confirm that the smell is "definatley" coming from the front through the cabin fan by disconnecting power from the fan, maybe block the duct too, and see if the smell is gone.

mine does exactly this too, and i agree about it being from the front. Only just bought it so ill have to give up smoking untill i have a chance to go searching!

[BIG_MVS]

Update - Checked the fuel pipes in the engine bay, although they look in poor condition (cracked) they do not seem to be leaking. Looks like I'll be replaceing them soon though as they look like they will leak sooner rather than later!

Had a blast and it still smells, the front fuel pump doesn't seem to be leaking although you can smell fuel from the outside of the car too. This leads me to think that there is a fuel or fuel vapour leak from the front of the car somewhere. I need to take the tray off this weekend and have a good poke around while the car is running.

[Alpineandy]

A310s suffer from the fuel smells when the tank is over 50% filled. I assumed the red one was unusual in this then i bought the yellow one and ....Same again. The fuel really does splosh around in the plastic tank. I keep meaning to look into the cost of petrol tank foam to see if it's cheap enough to experiment.
When I was trying to sort the headlights (access through the boot only like the GTAs) I kept leaning on the tank which 'gave' by an inch or so in the middle and was then surrounded by an optimax perfume, again and again... I quite like the smell but it does become a little worrying as I am a nicotine addict

[BIG_MVS]

A310s suffer from the fuel smells when the tank is over 50% filled. I assumed the red one was unusual in this then i bought the yellow one and ....Same again. The fuel really does splosh around in the plastic tank. I keep meaning to look into the cost of petrol tank foam to see if it's cheap enough to experiment.
When I was trying to sort the headlights (access through the boot only like the GTAs) I kept leaning on the tank which 'gave' by an inch or so in the middle and was then surrounded by an optimax perfume, again and again... I quite like the smell but it does become a little worrying as I am a nicotine addict

Fill to over 50% full I'm "sensible" with my money shall we say so the GTA rarely gets over £20 put in it...

I don't like the smell of optimax though!

I'm starting to wonder if someone in the past has drilled a hole through the top of the tank, maybe to install a cd changer?

[Alpineandy]

the GTA rarely gets over £20 put in it...

£20 wouldn't get me across London

If the breather is clear, the seal round the cap is good and all the pipework is leak free then the answer is undoubtedly that you have the ghost of a petrol pump attendant inhabiting the car...

Just remove the plastic floorpan in Bonnet, which covers the fuel tank.
Only takes a couple of minutes. This should help in your fault diagnosis.
Good luck.

Big MVS,
You say your injector pipes looked cracked. Replace as they are rubber it is difficult to tell if they are leaking. As any leaks just evaporate away, hence the whiff of fuel. Halfords sell a suitable fuel pipe. 6mm internal diameter.