Parking my car in the garage, I continually can smell gasoline. There are NO physical fuel leaks at all. I did the following
1. Replace fuel cap with vented fuel cap
2. Removed blockage from the vent hoses near fuel tank
3. Replaced rubber return and supply hoses in engine compartment
4. Installed glass visual fuel filter
5. I found the supply rubber line into the fuel pump to be incorrectly clamped and mounted
6. Tighten bolts on fuel pump
7. Tighten mounting bolts on carburetor mating to intake manifold

After a drive, i can smell strong gas vapors from the air intake/air filter to the carburetor and also at the carburetor. I had a Quadra Jet in a 72 Cutlass and never got this vapor smell. I realize there is gas there...but i am at a total loss on my next step.

I am covering the barrels of the carb with towels and also the air intake. I have a vacuum exhaust system placed over the carburetor area now to evacuate the gas smell our of the garage.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I am desperate.

 

Why did you install a vented fuel cap? Do you still have the original fuel cap? If so, I would use it. Also, you mentioned that you replaced the fuel hose in the engine compartment. Did you replace the fuel hose under the car at the tank? Just some ideas...

 

That's how mine has been for 20+ years. Gas smell after driving, but it eventually goes away after some amount of time/the engine cools down.

 

Same thing with both my '68 and '69 4-4-2 convertibles. My wife complains continually about it! She says the odor gives her headaches. I just kind of got used to it and aired out the shop after I drove either or both of them. The odor is gone by the next morning.

Randy C.

 

My '68 does the same thing also, the 2 tank vent lines on the rt front corner of the tank just vent to the air. Like Olds64 said I'd put the stock non-vented cap back on. Just make sure the vent lines are in good shape & not kinked.

 

The float bowl of your 68 vents to atmosphere. That's kind of the way it was done in those pre-EPA days. I've found that the sensitivity to smells like this is very subjective. My wife, for example, would say a gasoline smell was too strong to bear when I could barely sense it. Your 72 had an evap system and a closed vent on the Qjet that went to the charcoal canister, thus the difference.

I'm not sure what a "vacuum exhaust system" is, but it better have an explosion proof motor or you risk a much bigger problem.

 

Sometimes I'm glad I'm single.

 

Thanks guys for the input. Definately not the answer i was hoping for.

So is there something i can "build" to capture the vapors that are being vented to atmosphere from the float bowl or does a product exist on the market?

Can i replace the carburetor with a newer QJet that will fit/work? I know i could put on a Holley or other but i really don't want that s**t on my car.

Would the mechanism on the 72 cutlass or other work?

This is probably not a good idea but based on comments what does anyone think about starving the fuel line to the carburetor with a shut off valve and just before she sputters with a lack of fuel, turn off the ignition.

This is huge for me because if i don't fix this the car will have to be stored (she can't take the smell) and that is a waste of money and i don't wanna call some jack wagon to get my car ready so i can cruise it. I would probably sell the car if it comes to that.

 

My bad...i put a non-vented fuel cap on. Also, the old one on there was not sealing very well and i eliminated the fuel odor from that area.

 

Excellent idea...I like how you think! So keep the car...get rid of her. After all i do call my 442 "The Other Woman" (that's a service marked phrase so no one else can use it without paying a royalty. Ok...just kidding...use it all ya want!!!). lol!

 

1. Make sure you don't have a fuel leak problem.
2. When the problem is corrected, proceed to step # 3.
3. Install Glade Plug ins as needed with "Apple Cinnamon" or "Hawaiian Breeze" fragrances.
.......Just my two cents worth

 

ASSUMING that you don't have a fuel leak somewhere, your only option is to retrofit the evap system from a 1970-72 Cutlass. That means changing the tank, the lines out of the tank, adding the vapor separator under the back seat, adding a vent line from the tank to the front of the car, adding the charcoal canister, and changing to an appropriate carb with a closed vent system.

 

 

Get rid of the glass filter, make sure choke is fully open, turn the idle mixture screws in 1/2 turn, run name brand premium fuel, mat throttle a couple times right before shut down. Just some suggestions, except fuel filter. Seen those crack and cause an engine fire.

 

lol...love it.

 

I have already done what you suggested. Carb is in good working order. Got exhaust fan and it definately helps. I bought 36" industrial fan that puts out over 11,000 cfm and run also throughout the week with the garage door open. Still...it smelsl like gas.

 

 

It sounds like you DO have a problem. You may have a leak in more than one place, also. Good luck.

 

Per Joe Pavadano..The float bowl of your 68 442 vents to atmosphere

 

You might also check your float level, too high and it will dump down the manifold and give an odor. But that odor usually will go away by the next day.

 

x3

 

I am going to have to disagree with some of the other answers. There were a bazillion cars made with carbs that vented to the atmosphere. Growing up we always had two of them parked in the garage at my parents house and I never remember smelling gas. I used to keep my 67 Camaro race car in the garage at my present house and it was most certainly vented to the atmosphere and I never had any type of raw gas smell.

A lot of people say that the ethanol blended fuel evaporates faster and could possibly be part of the problem but I don't really buy that either. When I was working on the Q-jet a few months ago trying to chase a problem I had the fuel bowl sitting on the bench half full of gas for almost a week and really did not get hardly any smell even from the open fuel bowl sitting there. That was at my shop at work but it really is not much different.

My feelings are if you are getting a raw fuel smell then something is wrong and needs to be fixed.

That's my opinion

 

I would suspect one or MORE fuel leaks. If the garage needs to be ventilated during the week without driving the car, there is definitely leaks. A carb vented to the atmosphere shouldn't cause high concentrations of fumes that are mentioned. Until the OP does some trouble shooting, we are just guessing what the problem is.

 

I tend to agree but with other comments and all the things i replaced...from original post

1. Replace fuel cap with non vented fuel cap
2. Removed blockage from the vent hoses near fuel tank
3. Replaced rubber return and supply hoses in engine compartment
4. Installed glass visual fuel filter
5. I found the supply rubber line into the fuel pump to be incorrectly clamped and mounted
6. Tighten bolts on fuel pump
7. Tighten mounting bolts on carburetor mating to intake manifold

. The underside of the hood does not have the insulation/? (not sure what to call it). I am wondering if that may help.

 

Have you checked the oil level? If more than normal on the stick, then diaphram in fuel pump has failed and is pumping the block full of fuel.

 

[QUOTE=umbertoc;1122813

. The underside of the hood does not have the insulation/? (not sure what to call it). I am wondering if that may help.[/QUOTE]

Having a hood blanket will not help for the smell of gas.
I am agreeing with others that there has to be a leak coming from somewhere. Try pressurizing your tank and see if you can detect where the leak is coming from...this might help out with the search process.

 

And........# 1 thru # 7 didn't solve the problem. The fuel system, fuel pump and fuel tank and suggestions are most likely what you need to focus on.

 

The problem is that none of us actually have smelled this car. The "severity" of the fuel smell is EXTREMELY subjective.

 

I agree with everything you said. Yes, the strength of a gasoline or any pungent odor is somewhat subjective, but if it's strong enough for someone to complain about, it's not normal.

To the OP, yes, you've replaced lots of parts, but have you actually tried to track down the leak? You probably have a small leak where the fuel oozes out onto an external surface and evaporates before enough accumulates to make a noticeable drip on the ground or even necessarily a noticeable dampness on a hose, fitting, or something. Gasoline is very pungent, and a small amount evaporating can make a strong smell. It could even be a pinhole leak in the fuel tank. I had this on a '64 Jetstar 88 I once owned. Patched it with a gas tank leak-fixing kit.

As far as the ethanol thing, that's a non-issue. If anything is evaporating "faster," it would be the ethanol portion of the fuel as that is the more volatile material. But the evaporating methanol would not drag gasoline molecules along with it when it evaporates. If the ethanol were evaporating, you would smell ethanol, not gasoline. The fact that the smell is of gasoline is because the gasoline portion is evaporating.

 

thanks...I'm really looking fwd to that. Any idea where i can get all of this? This site for sale?

 

Change the fuel pump esp if it has any age on it. Replace with one made for ethanol fuel. Seen several that developed almost invisible leaks, big enough to smell up the place but small enough that the fuel evaporated and you couldn't find it unless you noticed the fuel stain on the metal pump body.

 

I wanted to follow up with my post as i found the Venturi Ports missing a component (think this is an accurate description). This contributed to the evaporation of the fuel. Also, the carburetor is naturally aspirated which means it vents to atmosphere and not through a canister back to the fuel tank. Hope this helps someone it took me quite sometime to find the largest contributing factor.

 

As pointed out back in Post #6. I'm trying to figure out what, exactly, you are missing. The items you are pointing to in the photo are air bleeds for the primary main circuit. They are supposed to be open.

 

Have you replaced the rubber hoses from the tank to the steel supply and return line? I too don't know what your arrows are pointing to?

 

Sorry...see attached picture with the green arrows pointing out the air bleeds for emulsifiers.

 

The green arrows are pointing to the idle air bleeds (first diagram below). The orange arrows are pointing to the air bleeds at the tips of the main discharge nozzles (second diagram below). I'm still struggling to understand what you think is missing.

 

 

Left side air bleed is open while right side has screw.

Also, this is NOT the original carburetor. It is from a Chevy.

 

There are no "screws" in the air bleed holes. The first photo is what you see with the air horn off. The awl is pointing at the idle tube. The other tube is the main well restriction. The second photo identifies the holes in the air horn itself.

FYI, I'd rebuild that carb. Also FYI, do you even know if this carb is set up properly for your engine (ie, jetting)?

 

Thanks Joe and your time is very much appreciated. I stand corrected! I don't mind the gas smell but she does...so what can i do? Can live with them...pass the beer nuts! lol.

We started to disassemble the carb and I decided to buy a replacement. Rebuilds were near $600 online. I got a used Edelbrock "Thunder/Chromed" 700 or 750...don't remember for $250. Thought this was the best way to go.

I kept the original...I don't think it is worth the time and $ to rebuild especially getting a like new $500 carb for $250.