I have a 1990 XJS V12 and there is a gasoline smell in the trunk when the car sits for a few days. I know that there is a lot of stuff in the trunk associated with the gas. Can anyone suggest a first place to look?

MiFoodie
Jag 1990 XJS V12

 

There's a whole section of Kirby Palm's book on this issue. Suggest starting there. It's free on the Jag-lovers forums.

 

If you really want to remove the smell, you must resign yourself to a full refurb of the system in the boot. As Jal says, the Great Palm is excellent on the matter. But FYI a full refurb means in outline:


Empty boot, empty tank, remove all hoses and label them so you know where they go back, remove tank and sump tank, check main tank for slight weeps/leaks underneath and fix, replace the rubber mat the tank sits on, replace any hose that seems iffy, clean out sump tank and replace sock filter, replace main filter, replace locking ring seals on sump tank and gauge sender, ensure the breather tube Rochester valve is operational, ensure filler tube rubber joint is 100% and replace if not sure, deblock filler cavity overflow tubes with compressed air/poke from underneath, replace everything.


Anything less than this will not guarantee to fix the problem, sadly. Once done it will be good for years. Welcome to XJS maintenance!
Greg

 

I would say to replace every hose there is. I had an Alfa Spider with two original rubber gas lines at the tank (all others replaced) that looked perfectly fine, no drips, no wetness-nothing. But it wasn't until I swapped those lines that my gas smell went away. I guess it was permeating through the rubber hose.

 

And don't forget the rivet that wears a hole in the tank. Also in "The Book".

 

Thanks for the thought on Kirby's book. I belong to that forum and will take a look.

 

I'll add that, even after fixing the source, the trunk carpeting will hold the odor for a long time.

I removed all the carpeting....some if it is glued down....and tossed it in a half-full bath tub with a generous splash of Simple Green to soak away the stink. I'm sure any mild household cleaner would be fine.

Cheers
DD

 

I thought it was supposed to smell like that!