gas smell on van?
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gas smell on van?
we have a 95 merc villianger with 140,000 on it has the 6 in it.when it is cold and you crank it about 2min later you get a very strong gas smell,dealer could not find anything.any help!only thing done on it is new plugs and wires and oil changed ever 3,000.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Calgary, Canada
The only thing I can think of is that when it's cold, most computers run the engine quite rich until it warms up and it's probably just unburnt fuel you are smelling. Even carbed engines will run rich when cold, so long as the choke is working properly.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: So Cal
Could also be a faulty evaporative cannister system.
The evaporative cannister which is a box with essentially charcoal, gathers gas fumes that are inside the fuel system, ie the gas tank and stores them in the box. When the engine runs it sucks the fumes out of the cannister and burns them. This is to minimize emissions etc.
Sometimes the cannisters crack and leak or the hoses or checkvalves become defective and need replacing. If you fill the tank yourself and if you frequently fill it to the max after the automatic shutoff, then you might have flooded the cannister.
I would assume that a good dealer would know to check the system for problems so I would lean towards you running rich due to cold or other issues. An engine with 140K may be expected to not run as clean so maybe the dealer assumes the gas smell is normal for your car.
I am not sure where the cannister system is on your van. I assume under the hood and often under the battery. It is usually a black plastic box about the size of a kids lunch box.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
The evaporative cannister which is a box with essentially charcoal, gathers gas fumes that are inside the fuel system, ie the gas tank and stores them in the box. When the engine runs it sucks the fumes out of the cannister and burns them. This is to minimize emissions etc.
Sometimes the cannisters crack and leak or the hoses or checkvalves become defective and need replacing. If you fill the tank yourself and if you frequently fill it to the max after the automatic shutoff, then you might have flooded the cannister.
I would assume that a good dealer would know to check the system for problems so I would lean towards you running rich due to cold or other issues. An engine with 140K may be expected to not run as clean so maybe the dealer assumes the gas smell is normal for your car.
I am not sure where the cannister system is on your van. I assume under the hood and often under the battery. It is usually a black plastic box about the size of a kids lunch box.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
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