Fuel? Smell

[Bitsyncmaster]

My car will hold rest pressure for 3 hours. If I tried to start it at 3.5 hours on a hot day parked in the sun it would not start. Now if I tried to start it at 4 hours it had no problem because the engine had cooled off enough.

That is why I put the 3 hour rest pressure extension into my RPM relay. But for that to work you must hold rest pressure for 1 hour or more.

[CFI]

I guess that's so you don't suffocate?

Cars aren’t airtight, if that’s what you’re referring to. Airplanes aren’t either, btw

[JBaker4981]

As others have said.... and I restate starting with the simplest thing first... replace your old gas cap. There is a high probability that this is the issue.

I was in the same boat within the first few weeks of owning my DeLorean and smelled gas in the interior and simply resolved it with a new gas cap from DGo

[Helirich]

My car will hold rest pressure for 3 hours. If I tried to start it at 3.5 hours on a hot day parked in the sun it would not start. Now if I tried to start it at 4 hours it had no problem because the engine had cooled off enough.

That is why I put the 3 hour rest pressure extension into my RPM relay. But for that to work you must hold rest pressure for 1 hour or more.

I had thought a hot start was 10-20 min. After that I figured it was considered cooled. If your accumulator is bad, can you not turn the key on and off a few times to get the pressure back up?

As others have said.... and I restate starting with the simplest thing first... replace your old gas cap. There is a high probability that this is the issue.

I was in the same boat within the first few weeks of owning my DeLorean and smelled gas in the interior and simply resolved it with a new gas cap from DGo

I took the gas cap and wire brushed the metal and cleaned the rubber. I also took some scotch bribe to the filler neck. It doesn't look old now and the rubber looks good. It has circular lines in the rubber. Is that a stock cap? It does fit tight.

I do feel it has to be something that sloshes. Obviously, any opening in the front of the fuel tank is suspect. But the fact that it only seems to happen on long drives has me thinking of something else. I know that AC water can sit on top of the close plate. I had that problem and fixed it. So if fuel leaked on there slowly, it could build up and slosh forward with brakes. Micheal reminded me of the accumulator location and I don't think it would leak on top of the plate. Maybe the fuel pressure or return lines. But aren't they hard lines with no joints through there? I wonder if the leak could be right at the fuel line to tank hose connection. Maybe the leak is running down the hard line and I didn't notice it. I guess I will pull the access cover again.

It can't be leaking much because I get pretty good mpg'.

The other wild idea I have is that it's not fuel at all. My wife says it's gas, but her normal great sense of taste/smell has been dulled by Covid. In my case, I never could smell very good. I definitely smelled something when she said it, but I thought it smelled like pool chlorine. I've never takin apart the AC box. Could water or bleach sit in there and slosh forward on braking to make a smell?

[Bitsyncmaster]

The prime does not force fuel though the injector lines. That is where the problem occurs. You would need to press the air plate to get fuel to flow though those lines.

[Ron]

The other wild idea I have is that it's not fuel at all. My wife says it's gas, but her normal great sense of taste/smell has been dulled by Covid. In my case, I never could smell very good. I definitely smelled something when she said it, but I thought it smelled like pool chlorine. I've never takin apart the AC box. Could water or bleach sit in there and slosh forward on braking to make a smell?

Maybe, brake fluid? ...hitting exhaust?

The prime does not force fuel though the injector lines. That is where the problem occurs. You would need to press the air plate to get fuel to flow though those lines.

+1
OT, but I still think you should make a unit that activates the CSV if the RPM Relay (87b) shows the engine is not rotating and it sees the WOT activated, say, three times within 5 seconds and held. It could help with very cold starts too...

[Helirich]

Maybe, brake fluid? ...hitting exhaust?.

Not sure what that would smell like, but I doubt it could migrate forward to the AC pickup.

[JBaker4981]

I took the gas cap and wire brushed the metal and cleaned the rubber. I also took some scotch bribe to the filler neck. It doesn't look old now and the rubber looks good. It has circular lines in the rubber. Is that a stock cap? It does fit tight.

I do feel it has to be something that sloshes. Obviously, any opening in the front of the fuel tank is suspect. But the fact that it only seems to happen on long drives has me thinking of something else. I know that AC water can sit on top of the close plate. I had that problem and fixed it. So if fuel leaked on there slowly, it could build up and slosh forward with brakes. Micheal reminded me of the accumulator location and I don't think it would leak on top of the plate. Maybe the fuel pressure or return lines. But aren't they hard lines with no joints through there? I wonder if the leak could be right at the fuel line to tank hose connection. Maybe the leak is running down the hard line and I didn't notice it. I guess I will pull the access cover again.

It can't be leaking much because I get pretty good mpg'.

The other wild idea I have is that it's not fuel at all. My wife says it's gas, but her normal great sense of taste/smell has been dulled by Covid. In my case, I never could smell very good. I definitely smelled something when she said it, but I thought it smelled like pool chlorine. I've never takin apart the AC box. Could water or bleach sit in there and slosh forward on braking to make a smell?

Man, I really wouldnt beat around the bush with the gas cap. Just replace it. My old one looked perfectly fine but the slightest imperfection will result in fuel vapors being released.

For the AC Box, there is a drain that goes through the chassis from behind the center console that drains out water. This has known to become clogged easily as it is a very poor design. Once this drain is clogged, it will eventually back up to the point where your entire AC box will be leaking onto your passengers feet in addition to your passenger floorboard. So with that said, unless you constantly have water in the floorboard, dont worry about the AC Box.

[Ron]

Not sure what that would smell like, but I doubt it could migrate forward to the AC pickup.

Are you saying that it is definitely coming from the AC vents?

[CFI]

I had thought a hot start was 10-20 min. After that I figured it was considered cooled.

The hot start problem is caused by fuel vaporizing in the lines after the engine has been shut off. This takes some time to accomplish. Generally speaking a hot start issue shows up 1-3 hours after engine shutdown.