Hello everyone So im super enjoying my new speedster but when i park my car , my whole garage smells like gasoline.. the smell is so strong it travels inside the house...Has anyone experience this issue?
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First air the garage out and check for leaks, it doesn't take much of a leak to smell bad. Use a paper towel or brown paper bag and grab all the fuel connections to see it it is wet anywhere. If no leak more than likely it's either the fuel tank vent or fuel going past the carb seat this can be caused by a sticking needle valve or excessive much fuel pressure. Sometimes right after your turn off the ignition you may hear the carb percolate which is fuel pressure .
Thanks i will try that. Have a bless weekend.
It could also be a leaking seal on the underside of the gas tank cap.
We just saw that happen with someone else a week or two ago.
It's not unusual to have some gasoline smell even if everything is ok. The float chamber in Weber cars are open to the atmosphere and some vaporization is inevitable, particularly in warm weather. It shouldn't be overpowering, though.
Curious on the climate you have your car stored in. If it’s a very hot garage your gas tank will build pressure and vent. If not vented correctly it will push gas through the carbs due to the amount of pressure built up. Of course check for gasoline leaks. Check all line/ hose connections. At the fuel tank , fuel filter and at the carbs.
All cars I have build , I have performed a pressure leak test on the fuel systems. Gasoline and high external heat values don’t mix well.
Im going to take the speedster to my mechanic to check as you all mentioned. The smell is quite strong.
Be careful of accumulated gas fumes and spark if parked in a garage. Some have gas water heaters with a pilot light or spark ignition in their garages. Do buy and carry a good size fire extinguisher. Look at the BlazeCut fire suppression system too. All gaslines (unless AN fittings) should have a good hose clamp on them. In hot weather do not fill gas tank to the top - leave room for expansion.
Wolfgang . Funny you say . I do have a LEL meter in my shop. Low explosive level meter. It’s gone off twice in the last few years. Leaky snowblower gas tank that’s fixed now .I’ve got it wired to my shop furnace so if it trips it won’t let the furnace to start up.
35 years ago painting a beetle in my friends shop, just had wet down the floor and opened the garage door a few inches. first primer coat on with a heavy grey cloud hanging in the air when the furnace decided to come on....with a low muffled booom, the air instantly became clear and we, were lucky.
You seem to have led a charmed life there, Dr. Clock.
Yes. Thank you. I was thinking about that. And i always fill up the tank full. From now on i will leave some tank room. Might have to make some modifications to my water heater as well. Great advice Thank you.
Never doubt the effect of gas fumes or what can happen. Years ago, living in Denver, I experienced my first encounter with raking fallen leaves. After hours of raking I filled our "burn barrel" with the slightly damp leaves. At the time leaf burning was allowed and after failing to ignite the leaves I poured some gasoline over them; standing back I tossed a burning book of matches into the barrel.......whoomp the leaves shot out of the barrel like wasps from a fallen nest. Needless to say I had to spent the rest of my day raking slightly charred remnants of what were once leaves.
Gas tank venting: very important. Normal is to have a valve that lets air in as gas is used. A problem can arise with this if you store the car with partial fill, so there is air/vapor in the tank and the car cools down, like in winter. Air goes in. Then spring comes, and the car warms up. Air and vapor try to expand, but can't. Pressure builds and can push gas into the carb, past the float valve, down the throat, past an open intake valve and past the rings and into the crankcase. Can fill the crankcase. Then you start the engine, and the crankcase is full of liquid, some oil and lots of gas. This builds enormous pressure in the crank case, and that very thin mixture goes right back up past the rings and/or right up the crank vent which is often routed right into a carb or intake manifold. And then the mixture gets burned into a smoke cloud the likes of which you probably have never seen. You could ask me how I know this, but I just told you.
... and yes about the open float design of the Webers. On hot days, they are going to smell a little like gas after engine is turned off. Normal.