Gas smell inside

[ZX-14]

I sometimes smell gas inside the car- when the ac is turned on. Where should I begin looking?

[DMCMW Dave]

I sometimes smell gas inside the car- when the ac is turned on. Where should I begin looking?

At the fuel pump. It is located immediately below the windshield drain which actually feeds air into the inside of the car. If the pump is leaking or the sender is leaking you will smell it in the car vary quickly.

[ZX-14]

Ok, I replaced the old pump and sender with the new combo a few mos ago I got from DMC. Not sure if it's the problem. Maybe I should open up the compartment and check the hoses and clamps. Could it be a worn out gas cap?

[Jonathan]

Ok, I replaced the old pump and sender with the new combo a few mos ago I got from DMC. Not sure if it's the problem. Maybe I should open up the compartment and check the hoses and clamps. Could it be a worn out gas cap?

If you haven't looked in there for a few months since the install, I'd say, yes, very good place to start as many things might have changed or gotten loose during that time. It might be quite obvious once you look in with your own eyes. More so than speculating about it on the keyboard/monitor :)

[JIMJAM]

I know that even with a 1/2 tank of gas, if I have to slam on brakes I can smell gas.
Also learned the hard way to never overfill the tank. After huffing gas fumes for 100 miles in the summer thats one mistake I hope to never make again.
BTW- In a closed garage my D always has the slight odor of gas. However everytime I vist friends that have vintage cars they also spell of fuel and oil.

[Rich]

I know that even with a 1/2 tank of gas, if I have to slam on brakes I can smell gas.
Also learned the hard way to never overfill the tank. After huffing gas fumes for 100 miles in the summer thats one mistake I hope to never make again.
BTW- In a closed garage my D always has the slight odor of gas. However everytime I vist friends that have vintage cars they also spell of fuel and oil.

None of this is normal. A properly maintained D does not smell of gas. No carburetor like a true vintage car.

The vapor recovery system (charcoal filter) takes care of normal evaporative emissions. The pressure side of the fuel system is meant to be solidly leak-free and at 45-60PSI it better be.

Aside from spilling fuel from the hose onto the car during refilling one should not smell any gas even with the tank brim full.

For this particular car check the connections between the tank and the filler nozzle, also the fuel pump boot and the vapor recovery line connections up front. Something is loose or broken.

[David T]

You may not have installed the new pump set-up correctly. The other common source is the fuel sender. Make sure it is installed properly and the gasket is in place. You should not have to put up with a smell of fuel. Another thing you can check is the vent hose coming out of the bottom of the fuel canister in the left rear pontoon. It gets plugged up by insect junk. You can also have a bad or wrong gas cap.
David Teitelbaum

[ZX-14]

Alright - no leaks, but the last comment was correct. The fuel pump wasn't pushed down far enough to compress the rubber gasket. I put my hand on top of the pump, pressed down on it as I.was loosening the clamp it dropped down and was fully compressed(bottomed out). Tightened clamp up and finished.

Anyone familiar with this new pump probably understands what happened.