Overwhelming gas smell in car

[Chapel]

My car smells like fuel vapor. Its most prominent when idling or crawling through traffic. It is enough to make my eyes water.
I cannot find any leak as of yet. I have also noticed that for up to an hour AFTER the car is shut off, an area about 10 feet in diameter from the car is consumed with gas fumes.
This is really worrying me and I would like to find out what could be causing this unbelievable smell.
What is normally the cause of this type of smell?

[Jordan]

Light a match and hold it around all the fuel lines.

The one that catches on fire is the problem one.


Seriously tho... just look over the car. Go drive it, then get it into a shop and onto a lift ASAP and look for any wet dirt or anything of that sort on the hard lines. follow each rubber line in the engine bay from the hardlines to where they end. pull your rear seat and check all the hoses under the access cover.

[Chapel]

cool, I'll get it up on stands tomorrow and get some better looks
Im pretty sure its not leaking... I placed some paper bags under the car and they came out dry the next day.

[Beej '86 325es]

My car used to smell like gas sometimes as well. Look at the fuel lines draped over the top of the engine and see if they have a bunch of cracks in them like mine did. I had them replaced and the smell was gone.

[KenC]

The hose clamp on the hose going down into my cold-start valve wasn't tight, and it was causing gas to leak a bit. I could smell it A LOT when I was driving. You might want to check that out.

[Chapel]

yeah, I DID notice a few months ago that there was a cracked fuel line heading INTO the fuel rail.
I'll have to see how long that line is and just replace it.

[chesster6969]

I replaced both the the fuel lines going into the fuel pressure regulator. There are few feet long each. Mine where cracked and started leaking one morning during cold weather.

[Jand3rson]

Light a match and hold it around all the fuel lines.

The one that catches on fire is the problem one.

That was awesome. I seriously almost blew Mountain Dew all over my monitor.

[Chapel]

yeah, cept I heard it on a few other sites and on some IMs when I asked other people too... :D

[BavarianBimmer]

Did you have checked the fuel lines on the fuel pump like Jordan said
mine was leaking there and my whole cabin smells like a gas station

[BMW BMXER]

Wouldnt the paper bag thing not work? Doesnt gas evaportate fairly quick?

[Chapel]

fuel on a brown paper bag would still leave a stain even after evaporating.

[Chapel]

found it
was looking in the completely wrong place

[BavarianBimmer]

found it
was looking in the completely wrong place

did you call that a fuel line ???? :eeek:

[Chapel]

it supplies fuel to the fuel rail...
well, actually right now, its supplying fuel to the firewall, valve cover, and exhaust manifold...