Gas Smell - Appears Tank is Leaking?

[TBrown00]

I filled up my car the other day and noticed a strong smell of gas coming from the car the next day. I've smelled it before occasionally at random times (not necessarily after fill-ups), usually on warmer days, but haven't been able to pinpoint where it's coming from. This time though it was much stronger and I was able to figure out the smells was coming from the fuel pump cover in the trunk. The smell is obvious in the passenger compartment, trunk, and outside the car. The smell usually goes away while driving. The check engine light came on a couple days before the most recent full-up and I haven't been able to get ahold of a reader yet to read the codes. The CEL hasn't came on when I've had this smell before.

I called my volvo dealer and discovered that the fuel recall for this car was completed in 2004, so that doesn't appear to be the issue. Upon researching it on this forum, I found the following threads. I've put a photo below and I was wondering if anyone knows if my problem looks similar to these and if replacing a/multiple hose(s) will be necessary. Is there anyway to figure out the exact cause or which hose(s) would need to be replaced before dropping the tank?

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=37481
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=36140

My leaking tank after a fill up

[Ozark Lee]

From the picture the recall wouldn't have dealt with your leak anyway. The recall covered cracks in the tank around the heat shield mounts.

I can't tell from the picture if the leak is coming from around the gasket on the filler neck or coming from higher up. If I look off to the left it appears to be leaking from above the heat shield whereas at first glance it appears to be leaking around the filler neck connection.

I would remove the fuel pump cover and take a peek around the locking ring on the top of the fuel pump. That is a fairly common place for leaks on the top of the tank and it is a very easy and inexpensive fix to replace the rubber gasket on the fuel pump housing. If it indeed is leaking around the filler neck there are a couple of parts involved there - the rubber gasket (pn 6842166) and there is a check valve (pn 9135119). They have list prices of around $15.50 for each part. have you dealer double check those part numbers with your VIN number and also have them show you the parts diagram.

...Lee

[castconcrete]

Where in the photo would the check valve that your refer to be located? Do you need to remove the rubber gasket on the fill tube to access it?

[misha]

...I would remove the fuel pump cover and take a peek around the locking ring on the top of the fuel pump. That is a fairly common place for leaks on the top of the tank and it is a very easy and inexpensive fix to replace the rubber gasket on the fuel pump housing.

I vote for this^^^.

[Ozark Lee]

Where in the photo would the check valve that your refer to be located? Do you need to remove the rubber gasket on the fill tube to access it?

You may or may not need the check valve, I can't tell if it has a rubber seal or if it just fits inside of the main seal. Here is a parts diagram a part number listing. I was looking at items 12 and 13.

Fuel Tank Parts Diagram.pdf

Fuel Tank Parts Diagram.

(36.01 KiB) Downloaded 190 times

Fuel Tank Parts.pdf

Fuel Tank Part Numbers.

(63.87 KiB) Downloaded 401 times

...Lee

[TBrown00]

I'll remove the fuel pump cover tomorrow when it's light out and I can see better I just made myself up a code reader with an LED light from radio shack and got code 315 (EVAP system) out of port 3 on the OBDII socket. Could this gasket cause this code or does this signify a different problem. I was also going to inspect the EVAP hoses tomorrow after reading this code.

[TBrown00]

I'll remove the fuel pump cover tomorrow when it's light out and I can see better I just made myself up a code reader with an LED light from radio shack and got code 315 (EVAP system) out of port 3 on the OBDII socket. Could this gasket cause this code or does this signify a different problem. I was also going to inspect the EVAP hoses tomorrow after reading this code.

I reset the CEL and drove the car around and the light didn't come back on. Hopefully it was just a one time thing and nothing needs to be replaced.

[TBrown00]

...I would remove the fuel pump cover and take a peek around the locking ring on the top of the fuel pump. That is a fairly common place for leaks on the top of the tank and it is a very easy and inexpensive fix to replace the rubber gasket on the fuel pump housing. If it indeed is leaking around the filler neck there are a couple of parts involved there - the rubber gasket (pn 6842166) and there is a check valve (pn 9135119). They have list prices of around $15.50 for each part. have you dealer double check those part numbers with your VIN number and also have them show you the parts diagram.

...Lee

After driving about 85 miles on my current tank, the fuel smell is mostly gone. I pulled the cover on the fuel pump today though and while there isn't any gas sitting there, there did appear to be some darker spots on a few of the hoses and near the locking ring. The gasket doesn't appear to be on the diagram you attached. Am I missing something or was that just for the check valve/rubber gasket on the filler neck?

[TBrown00]

From the picture the recall wouldn't have dealt with your leak anyway. The recall covered cracks in the tank around the heat shield mounts.

I can't tell from the picture if the leak is coming from around the gasket on the filler neck or coming from higher up. If I look off to the left it appears to be leaking from above the heat shield whereas at first glance it appears to be leaking around the filler neck connection.

I would remove the fuel pump cover and take a peek around the locking ring on the top of the fuel pump. That is a fairly common place for leaks on the top of the tank and it is a very easy and inexpensive fix to replace the rubber gasket on the fuel pump housing. If it indeed is leaking around the filler neck there are a couple of parts involved there - the rubber gasket (pn 6842166) and there is a check valve (pn 9135119). They have list prices of around $15.50 for each part. have you dealer double check those part numbers with your VIN number and also have them show you the parts diagram.

...Lee

Lee,

I removed the locking ring and the fuel lines from the pump the other day (finally had time), but I was unable to remove the fuel pump due to the red and black electrical cable being caught. Instead of coming up with the fuel lines and going straight to the wiring harnesses that clip together by the back seat, it runs back toward the front of the car (while under the frame of the trunk), gets caught on something, and then comes back and up though the fuel pump access port and to the wiring harness. I was unable to get it unstuck with the fuel tank attached to the car, so it looks like I'll have to drop the tank this weekend to get the electrical line unstuck. The other option would be to cut the wire, strip it back, and put a new connector on. Right now with it being caught, there isn't enough slack in it to remove the fuel pump completely to get the old gasket off and the new one on.

[TBrown00]

I dropped the tank, replaced the gasket, filled it up, and discovered that it still leaks fuel. While it was off the car, I wiped it down so I could see where it leaks from in case it continued. When looking at it this time, I can see that the fuel is leaking from the top and running down the side. I'll drop it again this week and maybe pressurize it and spray it with soapy water to try and locate the leak.

I'm now thinking that maybe the hose that runs along the top (overflow hose maybe?), #23 on the above diagram, might be the culprit? Anyone have any ideas?