3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Hey guys - Well 225K on my trusty 92 Wagon and the Fuel Filler Neck finnally rusted through, so I grabbed a replacment online for $60 and had my local mechanic put it in.. I was gonna do it, but don't have a left and the bolts were uber rusty etc...
Anyway, they put the new filler neck in, but now I'm getting a gas smell anytime I drive the car, especially noticable when I'm driving with higher RPMS (Ie not idling) - I don't see any gas leaking, but there has to be fumes from somewhere... Any thoughts? if I release gas gap, sometimes there appears to be a lot of pressure and hissing - I opened the gas cap this afternoon and A LOT of fumes came out... strong smell and vapor...
Possible something got left loose or not venting correctly?
If you are sure your fuel filler neck was the source of the original gas smell (were you absolutely sure, or made a good judgement?), and if the mechanic installed your new one properly, then one would have to assume the replacement process caused a new failure, and the mechanic should have to correct it. If this is the situation, I would take it right back to the mechanic and let him know he/she caused a new problem that they are responsible to correct.
If the original source of the gas smell was not the fuel filler neck, then the problem hasn't yet been fixed, and may have been aggrivated during the work on the tank, and you are getting a worse fuel odor than before.
I just don't know if the gas smell was absolutely pinpointed to the fuel filler neck to be of much help to you.
So you smell it while you're driving at-speed? If so, I'd probably check the lines going to the charcoal canister (in the engine compartment), and the line from the canister up to the purge valve, and from the purge valve to the intake plenum
You also could have a very small liquid fuel leak in one of the fuel hoses, fuel filter, fuel rail, or injectors. On a warm/hot engine, a very small liquid fuel leak will vaporize very fast, so you many not see a liquid fuel leak. Look at all the fuel line hoses & fittings and injectors to make sure this can be ruled out.
To answer your questions, this problem started only after I replaced the filler neck. The old Neck was rusted, and when you filled up the tank it would leak from where it bent back up to the gas gap... I smelled no gas inside the car at this point, but could see a drip outside...
So the filler neck is in, no leaks, but there is definately now a gas smell inside the car.. it's not strong, but it's there. I can still smell quite a bit of gas (more than usual I think) by the gas cap.. As mentioned, when I relased the gas cap, it seem to let out a lot of vapor...
My sense would be the problem in the engine compartment, but that wouldn't seem to have anything to do with the new filler neck. Is it possible the new filler neck isn't venting right and somehow causing back pressure in the engine compartment, in the canister etc?
The filler neck was a not a toyota OEM part, but taht shouldn't matter... or should it?
In my opinion (and I have a 90, 91 & 93 Celica with what I think are similar EVAP systems to your 92 Camry), the fact that you are getting a pressure release from the fuel tank when you remove the gas cap is a very good thing. It means your fuel system, on the vapor side, is sealed, at least pretty well. The purpose of a sealed system is to prevent venting of fuel vapor to the atmosphere (which it sounds like your system is doing very well).
It doesn't mean you don't have a liquid fuel leak somewhere though. Especially if you notice it while driving. Most often a fuel leak under the car from the firewall on back to the fuel tank won't be noticed inside the cabin while driving. You said you do notice it while driving. That almost has to point to the engine compartment, where your cabin intake air source is coming from. Given you vapor side seems sealed, I highly doubt that you have a charcoal canister or EVAP system leak. But I would look very closely at your liquid fuel lines, fuel filter, fuel rail, fuel injectors, etc. Unless you are hypersensitive to fuel vapor odor, I think you will find the source somewhere in the engine compartment.
^
I'm sort of thinking along the lines of 93celicaconv -- the new fuel filler neck has sealed the vapor leak (good) so your tank is now holding pressure (good). I was thinking that now that you've got pressure, maybe now you could have a break in the vapor bleed-off path (which comes from the tank area into the engine compartment where is goes into the charcoal canister, and then from the canister to the purge valve, and from the purge valve into the intake plenum. If there is a break or disconnected hose, the now higher-pressure vapor could be venting into the engine compartment.
I suppose you could be getting an honest-to-God fuel leak, but I'm not sure how a tank repair could effect the fuel lines to the engine compartment -- they would've been under just as much pressure before the repair.
Right, Hill8570. The fuel filler neck repair wouldn't cause a liquid fuel leak to develop under the hood, nor would the work at the fuel tank possible contribute to this kind of new failure. I was just thinking maybe it was always there, but that maybe smileymatthew contribute a previously noticed fuel odor to the rusted filler neck, and was expecting it.
But like you said, the pressure that now properly exists in the fuel tank may be contributing to a relatively tiny vapor leak in the components you just mentioned. If fact, it probably is more likely in the area that you said than where I was going. Best to check it all, but start in the areas you are thinking first.
Just as a follow up, both me and my mechanic buddy went over everything from fuel tank on up to the front of the car and can't find anything... UGH! Next step maybe to take it in somewhere where they have an emissions tester to see if they can track it down? It's Minor, but I can smell it still, and it seems to come and go... Is it possible a plugged fuel filter could be the cause? I've never changed it on this 92 Wagon...
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