Technical Very strong Petrol smell

Currently reading:
Technical Very strong Petrol smell

Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
52
Points
13
Location
Puivert
I, Have a 97/Black/B i have just bought in u.k.but there is a strong smell of Petrol when Driving on the winding roads here in the south of France i have had the fuel cap apart and the valve is allowing me to suck and blow surely it should be one way air in but closed when the tank is full this seems to be the norm on most other cars any help will be appreciated Bryan
 

Attachments

  • DSCF1936.JPG
    DSCF1936.JPG
    2.2 MB · Views: 204
Maybe its your fuel pump dying... You might need to replace it soon..

Otherwise i have petrol fumes on occasions but never found the leak & never knew why...
 
Last edited:
If the source of the smell is from the cabin then most probably the fuel pump.. Which is located in the softtop storage bay.. Look there as last time i found a pool of petrol on over of my fuel pump before changing it...

Have you kept the car parked for a long while? I smell fumes for a week's time after leaving the car unused for 7-10 days...
 
If the source of the smell is from the cabin then most probably the fuel pump.. Which is located in the softtop storage bay.. Look there as last time i found a pool of petrol on over of my fuel pump before changing it...

Have you kept the car parked for a long while? I smell fumes for a week's time after leaving the car unused for 7-10 days...
Hi will check this out but the smell is when driving with top up or down and seems to be sucked in no smell if the car is sealed. any way thanks Bryan
 
I'd check that out fairly urgently...Italian electrics and fuel vapour (n). Unless of course you want to arrive Clarkeson style through the pearly gates..backwards in a fireball. I suppose it beats arriving flat on your back with a tube up your bum...
 
Last edited:
^ true the fuel pump has wires coming from it & they where engulfed in a pool of fuel when i saw it... Look for fuel pump leak inside the Rear-Right Wheel arch area...
 
I had a bad experience a few weeks ago after filling up to the brim with petrol (something I never do). I drove away and 5 minutes later had a very strong smell of petrol in the cabin at 50mph. Roof was up and windows were shut.

I pulled in at a lay-by and investigated....It turned out I had somehow not fitted the filler cap on properly and petrol and petrol vapour was getting everywhere it could.

I would have another look at the fuel cap it should screw shut and lock on a Barchetta. With mine I had locked it without screwing it.
 
Thanks you All for replies Removed the rear panel found no leak at all it was very dry ,It is the fuel cap i think as there is a suction sound after stopping have taken the cap apart and blown this out with a air line and sucked and blew seemed to pass air both ways, cap does fill with fuel though did wonder if it could be the two float valves in the tank not shutting the fuel off on accelerating and bend swinging as described in the work shop on fuel system or could it be the carbon filter at the moment i am at a loss any more ideas will be looked at thanks again Bryan
 
Could it be expansion of the fuel being forced through the fuel cap rather than through the vent which I believe should be on the top of the fuel tank?

I get the same scenario (posted previously about it) when I fill up in the morning and leave the car parked in the sun on a hot day. I actually get some fuel leaking out through the cap, and a very strong petrol smell in the car itself.

Once I've used a bit of fuel the issue stops, so my solution has been in hot weather to restrict my fill ups to about 5 litres less than I would normally put in, and since doing that I've not had the same problem recur.

Matt
 
I had a smell of petrol for a while in my B.

When I took the car in for it's last service I mentioned this. The problem was traced to a leaky fuel filter, which was replaced as part of the service anyway.

It's fine now :)
 
^BTW. where is the fuel filter located??
 
Yup, DR is spot on - cars built up to '99 have a filter located underneath the car in front of the o/s/r wheel arch behind where the passenger sits - takes 2 mins to change!

Easy to spot, its a small silver cylinder with a couple of flimsy clips keeping it in place!
 
Does the "on fuel tank" fuel filter requires replacement as it ages?
 
Back
Top