The inside of the car smells of gasoline: we are looking for and fixing a leak
Content
Every responsible car owner, while driving his own car, immediately notices them when certain problems arise. One of these is the smell of gasoline in the cabin. There can be many reasons for this phenomenon, but all of them lead to the fact that people in the car can be poisoned by gasoline vapors. Therefore, the serviceability of the main systems and components of the car must be periodically monitored and eliminated the problems that have arisen.
The smell of gasoline in the cabin
Regardless of the brand and model of the car, during its operation, you can encounter various problems. The smell of gasoline in the cabin is not only a source of discomfort, but also a threat to the life of the driver and passengers. Therefore, the search for and elimination of the causes of this phenomenon should be dealt with as quickly as possible.
Causes of appearance
An unpleasant smell can appear for a number of reasons. It is sometimes quite difficult to determine the source, especially if the smell appears under certain conditions, for example, when the car is fully loaded or the car is tilted to the side while driving. But still, there are several most obvious places where the smell of fuel can come from:
- Fuel tank. As the car is used, a microcrack may appear in the tank, through which fuel begins to leak, and its vapors penetrate into the passenger compartment. The reasons can be both in the damaged fastening of the tank, as a result of which it moves, and in violation of the tightness of the welds. To fix the problem, you will need to dismantle and restore the tightness of the container or replace it.
If the fuel tank is damaged, an unpleasant odor may appear in the cabin - Fuel cap. There are times when the filler cap is the cause of the unpleasant odor. The design of the cover provides for a gasket and a valve, through which excess pressure is released when the fuel expands. Over time, the seal may crack, and the valve may fail, which will lead to the described consequences. In this case, the problem is fixed by replacing the cover.
- Fuel system, pipes and hoses. Through these elements, gasoline from the tank enters the power unit. The junctions of the pipes and hoses can weaken over time, resulting in a fuel leak and the problem under consideration.Fuel leakage is possible anywhere in the fuel line, for example, at the gas tank fitting
- Fuel pump. In the event of a breakdown or blockage of this mechanism, an unpleasant smell in the cabin is also possible. Since the pump is located in the tank on a car with an injection engine, if the gasket is damaged, the smell of gasoline inside the car will be guaranteed. To fix the problem, you will need to replace the sealing element, after dismantling the pump itself.
- Fuel filter. This device can become clogged over time, which will lead to an increase in pressure in the line and leakage of gasoline at the junctions of the pipes. In this case, you just need to replace the filter with a new one.With a strong blockage of the fuel filters, the pressure in the line increases and gasoline leaks at the junctions of the nozzles
- Carburetor. If this unit is not adjusted correctly, then the fuel will be supplied in larger quantities, i.e. the mixture will be enriched, fumes will form under the hood, which are a source of an unpleasant odor. To fix the problem, you will need to properly adjust the carburetor.
- Penetration of smells from the street. The smell of gasoline can also enter the cabin through the air intake system from oncoming or passing vehicles.
Video: gasoline leak in the fuel line
What is dangerous
Since gasoline is a flammable substance, its smell is dangerous and can cause a fire or explosion in the vehicle. In addition, gasoline vapors are harmful to human health and can cause poisoning. Therefore, when the problem under consideration appears, it is necessary to find out the cause and eliminate the breakdown as soon as possible.
Gasoline vapor poisoning is accompanied by dizziness, nausea and headache.
How to eliminate this smell
After eliminating the cause of the unpleasant odor, measures must be taken to remove it from the cabin. There are many options for the struggle, so it is worth considering the most common of them, which are used by car owners:
- flavors. With the help of these products, you can freshen the air in the car. However, it should be borne in mind that they can only suppress, but not eliminate the problem. Mixing the smell of gasoline and any other leads to the appearance of a third, which makes being in a car unbearable;Air flavorings only suppress, but do not eliminate the smell of gasoline
- dry cleaning. The most effective and expensive way is the use of chemicals. The procedure is carried out in car services using specialized equipment. It consists in cleaning the interior with a vacuum cleaner, processing with special means, applying and removing foam, drying and care with an air conditioner for plastic and leather;Dry cleaning of the interior, although an expensive event, allows you to get rid of unpleasant odors in the car interior.
- ozone cleaning. For processing, an ozone generator is used, as a result of which ozone atoms break down almost any unpleasant odors. Such cleaning allows you to fight mold, bacteria and various microbes;
- car shampoo wash. Often, if an unpleasant smell occurs in the car interior, you can overcome them with car shampoo or soap products at a car wash. If there are fuel stains in the cabin, then simply apply shampoo to them, clean them and rinse with water;
- soda. You can also get rid of the smell of gasoline with this product. The spots are sprinkled with soda and left for a while (no more than a day), after which they are vacuumed;One inexpensive way to get rid of the smell of gasoline is baking soda.
- vinegar. The substance allows not only to overcome the smell of gasoline in the cabin, but also to disinfect. If the fuel gets on the mats, then they are taken out into the street and treated with a solution of vinegar and water in a ratio of 1: 2. If the elements inside the cabin are cleaned, then after the procedure the doors are opened for ventilation;
- coffee. To eliminate the unpleasant odor, it is enough to cover the stain with ground coffee for a while.
Video: eliminating the smell of fuel in the cabin
The smell of gasoline from the exhaust pipe
The smell of gasoline from the muffler is not only a nuisance. With such symptoms, fuel consumption also increases. Therefore, if such a problem occurs, it is first recommended to inspect the engine compartment and the fuel line to the gas tank.
Diagnostics should be subjected to all connections of pipes and nozzles. You may need to tighten the clamps.
Sometimes on carbureted cars, the nut of the gasoline supply fitting to the carburetor loosens, and the cooling fan blows the vapors to the rear of the car. On domestic cars, there are cases when, after 3-4 years of operation, the gas tank turns into a sieve. If the examination did not give any result, you should proceed to a more detailed identification of the cause.
Motor problems
If you smell gasoline from the exhaust pipe, unscrew the spark plugs and find out in which cylinder the fuel does not burn completely. A wet or oily spark plug will indicate a malfunction in a particular cylinder.
Sometimes situations arise when the working surface of the exhaust valve burns, which leads to leakage of the combustible mixture into the exhaust system. You can fix the problem only after disassembling the cylinder head. Depending on the situation, it may also be necessary to replace the piston rings, the failed valve, and possibly the pistons themselves.
The appearance of the smell of gasoline from the muffler does not always indicate serious problems. It happens that one of the spark plugs simply has a bad wire or it is out of order. This leads to interruptions in the work of the candle, as a result of which gasoline enters the exhaust manifold. If you have a modern car and you smell gasoline, then the reason may lie in the valve that regulates the discharge of fuel into the tank or in problems with the air mixture sensor. To eliminate the problem in question, it is necessary to determine its source. If the malfunction is simple, for example, the failure of the lambda probe, then you can fix it yourself. In the event of a breakdown of the exhaust valve, not everyone can repair it, so you have to contact a car service.
What is the danger
Although the smell of gasoline comes out of the muffler, usually located at the rear of the car, exhaust gases can be blown into the passenger compartment while driving. As a result, not only the car is impregnated with an unpleasant odor, but also the passengers and the driver himself breathe, which can also lead to poisoning.
If you suspect that your car has a fuel leak, it is not recommended to continue operating the vehicle, as there is a high probability of fire. You can find and eliminate the cause of this phenomenon on your own or contact a specialized service.
