Smell of gasoline issue

alan38

1999 Plymouth Gr. Voyager 3.0L

Everytime when I switch off the engine and get out of the van, there is a smell of gasoline outside of the van. When the engine is running there is little white smoke coming out from the muffler.

What sort of problems caused the gasoline smell?
Any tips or suggestions for me pls?

Many thanks.

shipo

White smoke (aka. steam) is usually indicative of a coolant leak into the combustion chamber (typically from a cracked head or block). Are you losing coolant?

The smell of gasoline can come from many sources (including but not limited to the following):
- fuel leak somewhere between the tank and the fuel injectors (that leaves lots of real estate to check)
- extremely rich operation (should cause really bad fuel mileage)
- damaged evap system (fairly common)
- overflowing evap system (typically from milking the gas pump to fill the tank up through the filler neck after it has automatically shut off)
- bad gas cap (should cause a "Check Engine Light" to illuminate on the dash)

Keep us posted.

Best Regards,
Shipo

ucbarney

:sick: I recently had my tranny replaced at 100k. Shortly thereafter, I now smell gas under the car toward the back after turning it off. It is also having a hard time starting now. I've read about a cracked evap canister, could that be my problem? Why would tranny work cause this? Perhaps careless work done on the tranny caused the crack? Is it easy to locate and fix myself? thx

stoopgirl

2005 Chrysler T & C 97K miles. Gas smell/Exhaust when parked in garage for 10 min or more. NO Check Engine light, NO Codes. ONLY occurs when gas tank is below 1/2 tank. Similar issue at 70K miles, 1 yr ago, replaced EGR valve. Problem Corrected. Check Engine light at 70K.

Dealer cannot find in Large Open Garage.... Go Figure. They tell me check engine light would have to be on for EGR to be bad, Ideas?

map79z28

I have a 97 grand caravan. I had a similar issue. The check engine light kept coming on and indicated a small vacuum leak when I checked the ODB at Autozone. I examined all the vacuum lines, intake etc. No dice. I occassionally smelled gas, but not always. Then I thought of the fuel filter tube. I removed it. A rusting hunk. Expensive dealer only part, too ($248). Cleaned the old one up. Wire brushed, and acid treated, and yup full of tiny holes, some not so tiny. Patched it all up and painted it with POR15. That was two years ago and the check engine light has not come back on.

tork49

Had same problem, 97 Grand Caravan DO NOT PARK YOUR CARAVAN IN YOUR GARAGE ! I HAD DISCOVERED THAT THE LEAK CAME FROM BROKEN FUEL PUMP LINE (PLASTIC)! Leaking gas creates a high level of danger especially, if you happen to have a water heater in your garage! Hope this may be of some help?