gas smell

[mkoch1]

I preparation of starting my canam I finally filled the gas tanks. The tanks are not leaking but the gas smell in the garage is somewhat strong all the time. I have gone to leaving the garage door cracked. Is this because the tanks are not sealed?

Mark

[USCANAM]

No. Look around for some gas that might leaking at a fitting. Check the floor very carefully for some signs of fuel.
Jack

[edfoxuk]

You almost definately have a tank leak. The tanks are very fragile as i know to my cost. Please be very carefull, mine leaked and wiffed badly for days and the inside of the side pod was very wet before anything was evident under the car. The tanks are only 2mm plate and to the best of my knowledge aren't baffled, they are weak, be very carefull. the factory will relieve you of 426 pounds for a new one.

do you know how to remove a tank?

just how common are tank failures?

[bigmack]

I have had to pull each of my tanks out 3 times and repair pinholes on both the bottom of the tanks and on the welded seams of the tanks. I have recently pulled my left tank which had pitting in several spots along a weld. I showed it to several certified welders who thought it looked very odd to them. The factory tells me I must have them installed wrong. Both tanks of course.
cheers!
-Mack

[edfoxuk]

how did you repair?

Looking at mine, thinking of making a large access hole with a can opener on one of the flat sides to remove foam filling to make a weld repair.-


anyone else had problems?

[edfoxuk]

mark just thinking,

put your hand in the side pod and see if the foam around the sill section stopping plate is wet.

[mkoch1]

edfoxuk said:

mark just thinking, put your hand in the side pod and see if the foam around the sill section stopping plate is wet.

The foam is not wet, that's why I didn't think it's leaking. We did spill some gas when we flushed out the fuel lines, but that was Saturday so I think most of it would have evaporated by now.

Where are you guys running the gas tanks vents to? I have a tube going from mine that just sticks out the bottom of the engine bay. Do you guys have any type of filter on the line, if not any issue with sucking up dirt.

Mark

[USCANAM]

mkoch1 said:

Where are you guys running the gas tanks vents to? I have a tube going from mine that just sticks out the bottom of the engine bay. Do you guys have any type of filter on the line, if not any issue with sucking up dirt. Mark

Mark
This is how we accomplished the venting.
Ran a line from each tank filler hose below frame level.
Ran a -6 line from one tank vent to the other tank vent.
The overflow lines will vent the tanks
Jack

[Allen-GTR]

I had a similar issue with the gas fumes, but mine was much easier to correct...

The filler necks have a vent in each one... I had neglected to put a tube over them, venting them to the bottom of the car. When I filled the car up, the fuel would spill out of the opposite side vent (I have a connecting tube across the top). The spilled fuel then dripped onto the aluminum side pod cover, soaking the carpet covering the rear bulkhead...

Sometimes its the simple things!

Allen

[mkoch1]

I have hoses attached to the filler vent tube hanging out the bottom of car



I looked all around for leaks last night and still no luck. The foam around the tanks is not wet. I may jack the rear of the car up, just incase the gas is puddling in the lower rear part of the fiberglass side pod. Good news is the gas smell seemed a little better this morning when I left for work. Still hopping the smell is from the gas we spilled this weekend and not a leak. I only put about 5 gallons in one tank, I think I'll fill both all the way up and see what happens.

mark

[tuxman]

hi Mark don,t forget to check around fuel gauge float sensers both mine leaked through alan bolts could it be venting through these.Simon

[steve_D]

I had similar problem. Even borrowed a hydrocarbon sensor from work to see if I could trace the leak.

Never found a problem and the smell slowly went away.
One thing the sensor did show was that it could detect petrol through the braided hoses. I got a higher reading when held next to a hose than when the sensor was poked into the carb.

Steve

[gtr-tt]

Some braided hoses do let some smell out. Use PTFE hoses to solve the problem.

[jschwartz]

Like GTR TT said. or see post on US Forum

[arthurr]

I had steel braided lines that gave off a good deal of gas fume. Changed to teflon gas line and smell went away.