Gas smell

[Chad97z]

Recently my 97 LT1 has been smelling gassy in the garage. It didn't used to smell like this. I had a 96 Formula about 3 years ago and it had 100k miles on it and it smelled gassy in the garage also. My present 97 has recently turned 90k miles and just started smelling gassy. What is wrong? Is there something in the EGR system that can get saturated with gas and start smelling? There is a black canister under the hood that has hoses connected to it. Could that be it? Any ideas?

Thanks
Chad

[Zboner]

bad cats or no cats prolly

[5.0THIS]

Take a look at the fuel system all the way from the tank (as much as you can see) to the fuel lines. Often times you can trace a fuel leak, or at least narrow it down, by inspecting parts up close. Sometimes the smell will tell you, or just seeing the leak. It could be EGR related, but I'd be checking the fuel system as a whole first.

[Chad97z]

well, it doesnt really smell like raw fuel. Its not that strong but its very orderish. Like, maybe the gas cap is bad?

I doubt it is the catalyst because I open my garage, I drive in, I turn off my car, I get out, and all is fine. I smell nothing in the garage, then I close the garage door, and then after 20 min or so, the garage begins to smell sort of gassy. Then over the next 2 hours it begins to smell more gassy until it reachs a peak. Then by morning, most of the smell has left the garage, but its still slightly there because the garage doesn't really circulate air.

[96slow6]

what about injector o-rings possibly starting to leak. i never had this on a gm but my bronco had 2 of them go bad. i didnt figure it out until i put a fuel pressure gauge on it went inside to eat came back out and lost 8 lbs of pressure. i noticed the injectors had what looked like mist on them. well that and the smell.

[Chad97z]

good idea, but I am pretty sure I have new rings on my injectors. If I remember correctly, new rings came with the intake manifold gasket set I bought when I changed the head gaskets on the car last year. There a whole bunch of gaskets you have to buy when changing head gaskets. Including exhaust manifold gaskets on both ends, head gaskets and intake manifold gaskets, TB gasket.. cant even remember all of them.. But it seem slike I remember putting new o-rings on the injectors.. "i think".. cant remember for sure right now.

[94z28l]

pretty sure that cats are going bad on you, mine does that so i leave the garage door cracked for about 15 mins for fresh air to circulate in but i have no cats, you can try to replace the gas cap first especially if you dont have a locking one already so you'd kill two birds with one stone. check the entire fuel system tho like stated above

[Chad97z]

Thanks for your opinion, but when cats go bad they smell like rotten eggs.. not like gas. Cats dont remove fuel from the exhaust. Cats reduce carbon emissions. Cats would not fumigate after the engine shuts off.

its not the catalytic converters. thanks anyways

[94z28l]

are you familiar with the basic concepts of chemistry and how a catalyst works on a car? its apparent that you're missing one of the key things that a cat does and is a reason they were placed on cars way back in 1974

[camarolvr69]

my cat went bad and it smelled gassy not like rotten eggs. just took it off when i was doing my LT and exhaust and the cat was completely empty...all the honeycomb stuff was in my muffler.

[Krazy351w]

when the fumes reach a high point light a match and watch

[SexOnWheels]

Geezus Kage get outta here!

Elitist, J/K!

[Chad97z]

are you familiar with the basic concepts of chemistry and how a catalyst works on a car? its apparent that you're missing one of the key things that a cat does and is a reason they were placed on cars way back in 1974

ya.. In 1974 they put cats on cars because they smelled like gas.. haha

[Chad97z]

are you familiar with the basic concepts of chemistry and how a catalyst works on a car? its apparent that you're missing one of the key things that a cat does and is a reason they were placed on cars way back in 1974

A catalytic converter (colloquially, "cat" or "catcon") is a device used to reduce the toxicity of emissions from an internal combustion engine. First widely introduced on series-production automobiles in the US market for the 1975 model year to comply with tightening EPA regulations on auto exhaust, catalytic converters are still most commonly used in motor vehicle exhaust systems. Catalytic converters are also used on generator sets, forklifts, mining equipment, trucks, buses, trains, and other engine-equipped machines. A catalytic converter provides an environment for a chemical reaction wherein toxic combustion by products are converted to less-toxic gases.

A three-way catalytic converter has three simultaneous tasks:
Reduction of nitrogen oxides to nitrogen and oxygen: 2NOx -> xO2 + N2
Oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide: 2CO + O2 -> 2CO2
Oxidation of unburnt hydrocarbons (HC) to carbon dioxide and water: CxHy + nO2 -> xCO2 + mH2O
A two-way catalytic converter has two simultaneous tasks:
Oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide: 2CO + O2 -> 2CO2
Oxidation of unburnt hydrocarbons (unburnt and partially-burnt fuel) to carbon dioxide and water: CxHy + O2 -> xCO2 + mH2O
A three-way catalyst reduces emissions of CO (carbon monoxide), HC (hydrocarbons), and NOx (nitrogen oxides) simultaneously when the oxygen level of the exhaust gas stream is below 1.0%, though performance is best at below 0.5% O2. Unwanted reactions can occur in the three-way catalyst such as the formation of H2S (hydrogen sulfide) and NH3 (ammonia).

[94z28l]

cool you can copy and paste some shit from wikipedia that some retard with nothing better to do with his life posted. what do you know not what wikipedia says?

[Chad97z]

well its not the gas cap but I have narrowed it down to the rear of the car. I love stuff like this.. It only smells right after I park the car and then goes away after a little while. So I presume the smell stops as a result from the pressure in the system subsiding.

[96slow6]

well its not the gas cap but I have narrowed it down to the rear of the car. I love stuff like this.. It only smells right after I park the car and then goes away after a little while. So I presume the smell stops as a result from the pressure in the system subsiding.

maybe the fill tube has worked loose between the fill spout and tank? the stop stirs it up and maybe splashes some out alitle?

[Chad97z]

is there a way to tighten it? I have not gotton up under it yet.

if I am not mistaken, it seems like it smells the most when I am low on fuel.. Not sure but I am going to pay attention the next few weeks to see if it smells worse when its empty vs. full.

I do know one thing, its not smells at all right now. I have not driven the car all day.. so there is no pressure in the fuel lines.

[96slow6]

is there a way to tighten it? I have not gotton up under it yet.

its been a long time since i have dropped the tank in my car i cant remember. the only issue is its up above the tank i dont think there is an easy way to check. i would say un screw the filler spout from the fender and pull up on it, the only problem with that is if it pops out you will for sure have to drop the tank to fix it. and that would suck if it wasnt the fix to your problem.

[Chad97z]

ya.. I am getting down to 3/4 of a tank or so and now the garage smells worse than it did when the tank was full. Something is weird. Can the tank build more air pressure inside if the tank is low?