Stick only

I installed a Procharger and just got it running last night. This morning I had a strong fuel smell in the garage. I have been over all the fuel lines 10 times and have no leaks. Now, the EVAP system runs into the manifold behind the throttle body - could this be pressurizing and backing the smell out? There was not anything in the instructions about rerouting this...

Thanks,
Mike

kp

iTrader: (34)

The evap solenoid closes at WOT, its possible its bad and stuck open or not sealing well. The rear of the car would smell pretty bad if that was the case

Did you change anything in the fuel system when you put the blower on?

Stick only

Yes. Put all Aeromotive fuel rails, regulator, plumbing kit, and changed the fuel filter/installed their return line system which taps into the old return line that was on the filter. It seems the smell is more to the front of the car...

kp

iTrader: (34)

Most likely have a small leak, vacuum cannister is int he rear and if it was blowing boost into the evap the rear would be pretty bad.

I had a small leak on one on the rails on the rear where I didnt tighten a pipe fitting enough and it was seeping enough to smell but not to drip. I'm not familier with the aeromotive setup but also make sure any braided like isnt seeping. If you dont get a good seal on the hose ends the braided hose will wick up that fuel the whole length and stink like crazy and never drip a drop..

2001WS6Vert

My car smelled terrible after installing braided fuel lines, the smell just came through the hose. I had to redo everything with Earl's teflon braided line. It is more like a plastic tube that has the braided covering.

kp

iTrader: (34)

Generally if you have that problem you are using the wrong fittings with the wrong hose. There are some different hose and fitting combos, aeroquip fittings with russel pro flex hose for example, that just doesnt work well. People thing the hose is seeping but its the hose end leaking a tiny bit and the steel braid wicks up the fuel (even uphill sometimes) like a brawny paper towel. Then it evaporates quick enough so it never even drips. It just takes a tiny bit of fuel on the hose to stink up your whole garage..

Always buy the hose and fittings from the same company and avoid 'bulk' off-brand hose and you will usually be OK. But its easy to mess up assembling them and having them seep as well..

Or just use the push lock stuff, not as pretty and you will have sore hands putting the fittings on but they seldom leak and its impossible to screw them up.

andereck

It has been known to happen. Some hose has worse permeability than others. The Aeromotive Goodridge may allow more fumes to penetrate than say Aeroquip hose.

Mike, smell your hose and see if its a contributor and then check the vapor canister. If you still suspect the vapor cannister call Jim or myself ( I purchased the 10.5 sintered iron single setup and hemi aluminum flywheel from you last year) and we will try to help you sort it out. It is however not unusual to smell gasoline after braided line install.

Mark

kp

iTrader: (34)

Plus unleaded pump is just some stinky stuff to begin with, the smallest amout of that stuff will have you garage smelling like a gas station in no time

I dont doubt some hose seeps a bit, I have fixed quite a few stinkers by using different fittings and redoing them and some others had to replace the hose (even with the same brand sometimes). Wonder if its just a run by run issue or if one brand is always better then the others?

Stick only

I was kind of thinking it was coming form the hoses/ends. I can smell it when I get my sniffer close to them. I'll check everything over again tonite for leaks but will probably go the teflon route to eliminate this and keep my wife from asking why the garage smells so bad

Thanks everyone!

kp

iTrader: (34)

I hear ya, I have an attached well sealed heated/air conditioned garage with a gas water heater in it (elevated of course) so I am very **** about gas fumes. Even though I have all steel braided except for the -12 out of the tank sump it doesnt stink at all even if I leave the a/c off on a 100 degree day. Took some doing but the wife is happy now anyhow..

cablebandit

iTrader: (37)

what happens if you throw the evap solenoid in the trash? if you mod the dtcs for it...will it still pass the gas cap emissions test or does that affect it? I sure would like to get it off the intake

Stick only

Thats what I really would like to do anyway - take all the EVAP off. My understanding is it vents the gas tank to the manifold. Would we need another vent of some sort if we remove this, or will it build pressure if we cap it off?

kp

iTrader: (34)

I am using just a looped vent higher then the top of the tank, evap on mine is long gone. Surprisingly it doesnt stink up the garage at all. As far as the cap test they used to just take them off and check the cap, if they pressurize the tank to check a regular vent wont work.

kp

iTrader: (34)

Actually the fuel tank vents to the canister when not running, on startup it opens the vent valve in front of the tank, pulls the fuel from the canister then closes the rear vent valve and keeps a slight bit of negative pressure in the tank. Thast why the evap solenoid on the manifold pulses as the car warms up.

At least I'm pretty sure thats how it works

andereck

Currently there should be a couple of loops from your tank to evac. During cruise the ecu opens the evac purge solinoid which takes vapors stored in the cannister and pulls them into the intake manfold. At some other point the systems pulls a vacuum on the tank itself to test its sealing capabilities. If you leave the cap off, or a hose to the tank the ecu will set a code and illuminate the check engine light.

I sent a description of the system to you via fax.

cablebandit

iTrader: (37)

hmmm....i may slap a rearend vent on my evap hose up front and slide it behind the brakebooster somewhere in that "black hole"
I dont remember how they do the gas cap check here.

Stick only

Andereck - thanks for the fax - I wondered where that came from

So I think its safe to assume that if the Evap was the problem we'd have a fuel smell in the back when the car is not running instead of up front. There is definitely a fuel smell near the fittings on the hoses. That leaves me checking all the hoses again, and if that does not reveal anything I'll be building some teflon hoses next week!

2001WS6Vert

Are you saying I don't know how to put a hose together? J/K, I actually went from Aeroquip and then tried Earl's (per my buddy that sells Earl's) and then went with the Earl's teflon. Mine smelled so bad I was afraid I was going to blow the garage up when I hit the opener. I did leave a couple small sections with the old stuff, you don't notice any smell when near the car but if you put your nose up to the hose you smell gas. By the way the teflon takes different fittings so none of your old fittings can be used.

kp

iTrader: (34)

Na, its not that hard to put fittings together, just I have fixed a few cars here and there with 'seeping hoses' by redoing the fitting. Andereck has a lot more fuel line experience then I do so I'll take his word that some hose can seep fuel through it. Fuel systems werent my thing but I did them when I had to, I'm not a big fan of making braided hose to begin with.. But I do have about 25' of braided fuel line on thiis car and my wife can smell a drop of gas a mile away and its clean, its about 10' from the kitchen to garage door

andereck

I should add that the permeability has to due with gasses, fumes and not liquid fuel. There are actually SAE specs for emissions hoses that deal with this exact issue. Freon lines are also very much affected as a "porous" hose will lose more refrigerant over time. The pores are too small for liquid to pass, but large enough for vapor...hence the smell. I've built a number of fuel lines with Aeroquip hose and can't say I've noticed an odor, but I like the smell of fuel so who knows. I do know the Aeromotive hose is just different stuff compared to the Aeroquip AQP hose and it could be the culprit.

As 2001WS6Vert says teflon is great stuff and easy to use, I just hate the plated steel fittings.