rhp454

I have a gas smell coming from my 66 442 each morning when I go out in the garage. I replaced the gas tank and vent lines along with rebuilding the carb. I ordered a new gas line from front to back yesterday and will be putting it in. I can see no visible signs of gas leaking any where. I have a new vent free gas cap as well. It appears to do it when the tank is half full or more. Suggestions?

rjohnson442

Have a hole in the tank possibly if you only smell it when its almost full? Have any other gas stored inside the garage?

wmlewis

Way back when.. 1968 to be exact, I had the same problem. Turns out the little umbrella needle/seat in the quadrajet had a small hole in it and when shut off a little gas leaked
out onto the intake manifold. Pull the air cleaner and see if there is some dried fuel residue
left behind. It got so bad that after driving to work it was so bad I pulled off the air cleaner
and fuel was boiling off the hot manifold... Scared the bejesus out of me, fortunately no fire...
Bill

drjr56

Fuel drys up pretty fast but the smell might linger...Are you letting it run outside then checking for a leak. My issue was my fuel pump.The eight little screws holding it together came loose.Also had a leaking gas tank that leaked when the tank was 1/2 full or more.But the tank was not new.

66luvr

A few years back I had the same problem with the blue 66 in my avatar (my Son's car). Smelled gas when over 1/2 tank of fuel. I looked and looked, changed the rubber lines at both ends. Still when over 1/2 tank smelled gas. I finally got it up on stands all around, got my magnifying glasses and my light and went under there determined to find it. I examined every visible inch of the line(s) and found nothing. So I am lying under there frustrated just looking. I notice some dirt, like brown dirt, on the fuel pickup/gauge thing. So I get some brake clean and squirt it, wipe it, can't really see anything. So I crammed my head as close to the area as I could and saw the problem. The fuel line goes through the metal circle/body of the thing and continues to the tank bottom where the sock fits. Where the line passes through gas was seeping and evaporating immediately, creating the smell but never dripping. Removed the fuel, removed the whole pickup, took it to my local radiator shop where it was re-soldered, never had another problem. It may take time but you can find it. Look for a dirt deposit (dust attached to a minute amount of fluid), or a dark spot on the line, then examine that area very closely. A minor amount of fuel will evaporate so quick it will never drip.
Of course I later changed to a 3/8 pickup and new line so now my fuel gauge doesn't go all the way to full. Not a problem but is an aggravation.


Good luck,

hookem horns

I had a bad seal on the sending unit on top of the tank. Only sloshed out a little when the tank was pretty full and usually evaporated before runnig down the side.

RandyS

Hmm, your comment has me curious. What would the size of the fuel line have to do with the gauges accuracy? Could it possibly be that the arm on the sending unit needs to be bent down a little, as it may not be reaching the top of it's travel when the tank is full?

66luvr

Nothing at all, not much of a writer I guess, didn't make the point clear. The old one worked perfectly through the years and being removed and re-installed more than once. The new one, which was a GM part I bought many years back when they were cheap, does not work correctly.


Sorry,