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Second of two issues I need to dive into this week. Hoping to be steered in the most promising direction.
My 1978 XJ12L, 40k miles, original and mostly stock, gets an interior fuel smell when you open the windows. No smell if the windows stay closed, whether you run the HVAC or not.
I assume that opening the windows is creating some vacuum in the interior that is sucking in the fuel smell from somewhere. What's interesting to me is that the boot/trunk does not smell of gas at all, and neither does the engine compartment. Of course, the engine compartment smells hot and oily and so on, but not of gas.
I haven't noticed a gas smell outside of the car.
Should I start with the run of fuel vent hoses under the rear parcel shelf and up the inside of the left C pillar? Any other ideas?
I found some sheet rubber I had, thinner than the original, and sat at the dining table to quickly cut out some new fuel cap "O" seals to replace the old ones. Popped them on and just got back from a refreshingly fume-less summer night drive, windows open, pleasant evening air whistling through the cabin.
Be sure to check for an overflowing evap canister under the front fender, even if it's not dripping fuel out the overflow it could be full of fuel (driving a molotov cocktail). This symptom sometimes coincides with smelly c pillar. I have seen personally, c pillar lines with raw fuel in them, ditto the evap canister. Symptomatic of sticking return or changeover valve, which can operate but not close completely, sometimes caused by fine trash from the fuel tanks.
Bill
XJ12 S2 fuel smell
