I just picked up my 1994 xjs cov. Had the car brought down to bare metal painted and striped. Looks great only problem is the car intermittently stinks of gas in the cabin while I'm driving. It briefly goes away then comes back. I'm new to the site but have learned a lot from the wealth of expertise.

 

Sounds like a complete inspection of all the fuel lines and hoses are in order.

Since the problem is more likely to be a cracked hose, I'd examine the hoses in the engine compartment first. For the inlet and outlet hoses, try running your hands along the bottom of them. If you feel liquid or your hands end up smelling like gas, you've for the problem...or at least one problem...located.

For that matter, simply stick your head into the engine compartment. It shouldn't smell like gas at all if there is no leak in there.

If you stick your head in the boot (trunk) and smell gas, join the crowd :-), many of them do that.

Do you plan on working on this car yourself? If so, changing all the fuel hoses, including those on the fuel rail, is a very good idea. It's not difficult or expensive.

Let us know what you find.

Cheers,

John
1987 XJ-S V12
63,000 miles

 

Oh, just curious. What did it cost to get it down to bare metal and repainted?

Thanks,

John

 

Trunk and engine don't stink! Go figure! Paint job was a long story job should have cost about 6500.00 but guy owed me (don't ask long story!)

 

The metal tube fuel lines run the length of the car. Maybe consider capping them at one end, and running some compressed air (at a low pressure) through each one individually to see if you can hear a leak?

I'm putting mine on jacks today to do an oil change, I'll see how easy (hard) it is to examine those lines.

John

 

That would be great thanks I'm going to dink around with it this afternoon to locate those lines

 

The lines run under the car and are easy to inspect except for where they drop down out of the engine bay. So there is 18" or so of line that you cant put an eyeball on.

I don't have any more suggestions than running compressed air into the individual sections of the lines and seeing (or more likely hearing) the hiss that should indicate a leak. Of course if it's a hose that is seeping fuel it may not hiss, but I'd think you'd be able to feel the gasoline on the hose.

Can you marry up the smell with anything else...does it appear when you are at normal driving speed and go away when at idle...is it worse right after you put your foot into it...anything like that may be a clue.

Thanks,

John

 

did you mess with the exhaust tips?

 

I have a metal pipe coming out of the boot (trunk) into the right rear wheel well. Not able to look at car at mo. But from memory l think it either went back into the car or went underneath it. It was a bit rusty where it come out of the boot so l put some paint on it.... Anyone know what this pipe is, fuel ?

 

Assuming you have a V12 XJS, this is the high pressure fuel feed to the engine RHS. The pipe incorporates a flexible section and goes over the top of the rear axle cage to a compression fitting just in front of the cage, where it is joined to the steel line that runs under the RHS of the tunnel next to the brake line.

This over-axle pipe where it exits the boot compression fitting and goes up behind the wheel is very exposed and the steel eventually perforates from rust. New ones are still available, and if it is really rusty changing it is a good plan. The fuel return system is the mirror image on the LHS.

This pipe can be confused with the ECU vac pipe which is also in the region. The fuel pipe comes out of a brass 90° fitting set in a rubber grommet.

Greg

 

Is it a 6 or 12? The 6 has the fuel filter behind the driver's side inner wheel well, You might have a little leak there of in the evap canister in the same area. The fumes could then easily waft up into the cabin footwell.

 

Thanks, l will have a closer look when l get back to it. '92 v12