1999 S70 T5 Fuel smell through a/c vents

speedyt5 · Post by **speedyt5** » 04 Jun 2014, 20:49

Hi all,
When I have the a/c on outside air it smells of fuel. Problem is that damn plastic arm on the recirc motor has fallen off and I can't get it back on, I think I need a new one from a junk yard as this one is the second one on there, so it's always on outside air. The fuel smell is pretty strong, especially when accelerating. Any ideas?

Post by **abscate** » 05 Jun 2014, 03:20

You need to stop driving the car and find the fuel leak. It almost certainly is in the fuel rail sitting above the intake manifold. The aluminum cover just snaps off (pry the top up and towards the front of the car) and then look for wet spots around the fuel hose where it connects to the rail. There is an Oring there which went bad on my 99 a few years back.

Post by **mecheng** » 05 Jun 2014, 07:55

Also look at the schrader valve at end of fuel rail, it may need tightening.

speedyt5 · Post by **speedyt5** » 05 Jun 2014, 15:02

I will do this when the car cools down. Is it dangerous to be driving it like this without windows down and only a/c on?

Post by **abscate** » 05 Jun 2014, 15:17

Fuel leaks are dangerous with the car turned off. Fuel, uh, burns well.

speedyt5 · Post by **speedyt5** » 05 Jun 2014, 15:49

The car has been throwing a P0455 code forever, evap emission system leak, large leak. Could this also be the culprit? It has just recently started to smell like fuel through the vents, especially when accelerating uphill. About 2 months ago I noticed when I fill up the tank all the way there would be a fuel smell in the car, but it wasn't coming through the vents like it is now.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 05 Jun 2014, 17:38

Don't fill the tank beyond the first click on the nozzle - not even to round off to the nearest dime. If the tank gets overfilled it sucks gas into the charcoal canister and the car will run like crap until it gets purged out. It can also cause the smell but do a visual check. I have had injector seals leak and that causes a distinct fuel smell in the car.

...Lee

Post by **jreed** » 06 Jun 2014, 05:08

Many moons ago my car smelled of fuel from up front and it turned out to be caused by a hole in the small rubber elbow on the passenger's side of the intake manifold near the power steering pump... might be worth a quick inspection to see if yours is intact and in good shape.

Post by **jblackburn** » 06 Jun 2014, 07:17

P0455 may definitely be related - however, I think the charcoal canister is at the rear-end of a 1999. It's possible that one of the hoses/elbows leading up to the purge valve is cracked, though.

Sniff around the fuel rail for this one. The air intake vents are right above the motor, and pick up burning oil and fuel smells quite well.