Petrol like smell in cabin

[Marzz]

Hi All,

Lately there has been a petrol like smell in the cabin. I sort of worked out if I give the car a bit of a flogging (and trust me, my boy racer days are well past me so my version of a flogging is pretty tame) the smell appears and hangs around for a couple of days. The smell gives me a headache after a while too.

I thought it may have been the air con, ya know gunk in the vents, etc. If I run the air it doesn't seem to get any worse. If I close the vents it still hangs around and gets worse. It smells like unburnt petrol, like when it's vaporizing on a hot object. Checked under the hood and the smell doesn't seem to be coming from there. Haven't had a chance (maybe tomorrow) to get under it to check for leaks yet.

Has anyone had this issue?
Does anyone have any theories?

Any help will be greatly appreciated,

Marz.

P.S. Oh, yer it's a 2005 Exec Wagon, no mods done to the intake or exhaust (yet!), oh sorry lied, has a VY HSV airbox.

[hsv_punk]

I've got the same problem in my VY sedan, did a bit of looking around the net and the only potential cause I could come up with is a problem with breather vents at the top of the tank. I haven't had a chance to drop the tank and have a look see yet.

Hopefully someone else has successfully solved this issue and can point us in the right direction.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I've had Fords do it when the charcoal canister needs cleaning.

[suppy]

I had a similar problem about 2 weeks ago, though it may have been the fuel i was using (ethanol blend) so i waited till empty and tried caltex - made no difference. Stuck my head under the car and the bonnet and couldn't see or smell any fuel so i took it for a flogging as well - still couldn't find the problem. it seems to have gone for now as its been a week with no smell.
Wish i could help explain the problem .....

[extremeaudiowa]

I just picked up my VZ sedan and had the same thing... Petrol smell. It was the Petrol cap was not on tight enough....

Tightened properly and bingo smell gone for days now

[tysonsvyss]

check your fuel line, may need to tighten hoseclamp (if they still connect this way)
my old car line got loose and under throttle would leak and could smell it in the cabin

[Marzz]

I just picked up my VZ sedan and had the same thing... Petrol smell. It was the Petrol cap was not on tight enough....

Tightened properly and bingo smell gone for days now

Yep! Just came back from the dealer and they said it was a common problem in that the cap would come loose!!!!!!!!!! He swapped mine over, felt a lot tighter. Will see how it goes over the next few days.

[gam]

I've had similar problems, in that after filling up there is a petrol smell. It lasts until the tank is about 1/3 remaining, then no more smell.

It's an SV6, 04 model. It occured about 18 months ago, then stopped. Again only upon filling up.
Not sure about the smell as it is very annoying. The fuel cap always feels tight, so I wouldn't direct my attention there but I'm open to any suggestions!

The smell is back now on all tank fills. I have been purposesly not filling all the way to the top, but again no difference.


Cheers

[Marzz]

Ok, gave the wagon a flogging today.... no smell, YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gam, it wasn't so much with how tight you can get the cap as it will only tighten up as far as the ratchet mechanism (that clicking sound you here) lets it. It's probably that the ratchet mechanism is too loose and wont allow you to tighten it any further.

I'm going to take a look around to see if I can find a cap with out the ratcheting mechanism, that way you call feel when it's tight. There also may be some way to mess with the current cap to lock it up, will have a look at it over the weekend.

[hsv_punk]

Interesting, I might head down and get a new cap to see if that helps. I'll post up how I go.
Cheers.

[Marzz]

Ok, it's been almost a week now and still no smell of petrol in the cabin.
It looks like the cap was the trouble maker.

Apparently what happens is. If the cap is loose, petrol and fumes make there way into the vent that is behind the bumper and get sucked into the cabin.

Anyway, problem solved.

[maxy0987]

mine does this same thing, their solution was to keep tightening the cap, bloody ****wits.

It works, but i shouldn't have to make the ratchet sound for 30seconds, it's stupid, in theory it shouldn't be doing up any tighter.

[Marzz]

mine does this same thing, their solution was to keep tightening the cap, bloody ****wits.

It works, but i shouldn't have to make the ratchet sound for 30seconds, it's stupid, in theory it shouldn't be doing up any tighter.

LOL!!!! Now there's some Dealer Logic eh!!!

Probably best to get a new cap maxy0987.. I haven't played around with one yet, but I reckon you could lock one up so it wouldn't ratchet. Then I may have a problem trying to unscrew it when filling up LOL!!!!