Smell of Fuel

[mk08]

Hi all

After i have driven my car, I can smell fuel. I don't think there is any leaks etc. I am not sure why there is a smell of fuel and if it is dangerous to drive.

On last M.O.T, there was 1 advisory:
• Central Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Thanks in Advance

[PH User]

A lighter or a box of matches will quickly find any fuel leaks

[mk08]

PH User said:

A lighter or a box of matches will quickly find any fuel leaks

How?

[E-bmw]

mk08 said:

PH User said:

A lighter or a box of matches will quickly find any fuel leaks

How?

Oh dear!

[Drogo]

E-bmw said:

mk08 said:

PH User said:

A lighter or a box of matches will quickly find any fuel leaks

How?

Oh dear!

Whoosh Parrot for the OP please.

[GreenV8S]

mk08 said:

After i have driven my car, I can smell fuel. I don't think there is any leaks etc.

If you can smell fuel it's either coming out of the exhaust, or there's a leak. It's normal to smell unburnt petrol coming out of the tail pipe after a cold start but once the engine is warm there should not be any significant smell unless the engine is misfiring. Is the smell coming from the tail pipe?

mk08 said:

I am not sure why there is a smell of fuel and if it is dangerous to drive.

If there is a fuel leak it is dangerous to start the engine and could potentially result in the vehicle setting on fire. Modern fuels are very agressive towards rubber based fuel hoses and it would be very easy to have a porous hose quietly spraying petrol out while the engine is running.

[mk08]

GreenV8S said:

mk08 said:

After i have driven my car, I can smell fuel. I don't think there is any leaks etc.

Is the smell coming from the tail pipe?
Not sure where is the smell coming from. But I can smell it as soon as I open the door. May be from the front/engine part?
I have not noticed it from cold start, but I do notice it when I park after driving for a while.

[GreenV8S]

mk08 said:

I do notice it when I park after driving for a while.

That strikes me as a potentially dangerous problem. (Hence all the 'whoosh' jokes.)

[mk08]

GreenV8S said:

mk08 said:

I do notice it when I park after driving for a while.

That strikes me as a potentially dangerous problem. (Hence all the 'whoosh' jokes.)

Will they find that problem at MOT (which is due soon).

[GreenV8S]

mk08 said:

Will they find that problem at MOT (which is due soon).

You are not taking this problem seriously enough. You could pull up at traffic lights tomorrow and literally find the car on fire around you. This is a very serious and dangerous problem. You don't want to be driving or even starting the car with a petrol leak.

Do you not understand why all the comments mention 'whoosh'? This is the sound your car will make when it catches fire. (And also the sound of that point going over your head.)