Raw fuel smell? LOG HERE!

[sirbOOm]

North Shore Subaru wants to charge me $700!!!!!!!!!!!! to fix this because they have to take off the intake manifold. I'm baffled as to why this isn't a recall as result of it being an environmental, health, and safety hazard. Gasoline should NEVER be leaking from anywhere! I intend to speak with a lawyer if I am not fully compensated by Subaru or my extended warranty.

[oli]

North Shore Subaru wants to charge me $700!!!!!!!!!!!! to fix this because they have to take off the intake manifold. I'm baffled as to why this isn't a recall as result of it being an environmental, health, and safety hazard. Gasoline should NEVER be leaking from anywhere! I intend to speak with a lawyer if I am not fully compensated by Subaru or my extended warranty.

 

Why would they recall thousands of cars if only a few have the problem? Not to mention it's a 2005. If $700 is too rich for your blood don't go to the dealer, or get a second opinion.

[Pondrat]

This is not just a problem with a few cars. I was driving back from Vermont last year in the cold, getting high on gas fumes (my wife and two kids too, they love'd it), and we had Car Talk on. Some lady from Minnesota was calling in. Here's how the call went:

 

Tom - "Hello, you're on Car Talk."

Lady - "Hi this is Suzy from St. Cloud. I have a gas smell in my car on cold mornings."

Ray (the smaht cah talk guy) - "And what model Subaru do you have!?"

 

He knew before she even said it - LOTS of Subarus of every year and model have this issue. It needs to be a recall. In the meantime, I'm going to try tightening fuel lines before I get even dumber than I already am.

[Arcteryx]

Looks like I've got this issue on my 2006 LGT. I'm surprised this problem still exists, given that my '02 WRX had the same problem and a TSB was issued within a year or so.

 

I guess I'll just be tightening the clamps, unless someone knows of a similar TSB for the Legacy to fix it.

[westy66]

LOL I had it bad in my 02 wrx and now on my 05 lgt. Rediculous.

[SpooksRex]

I started my 05 LGT Wagon (62K) the other day when it was ~5*F outside so that it could warm up before I left. I came out and smelled the wonderful fumes that I immediately remembered from my 02 WRX (140K). I immediately started checking the fuel rails remembering the recall work I had done on my WRX.

 

On the driver side fuel rails that snake around the bottom of the intake as it wraps back around to feed the injectors. Where it goes from hard-line to rubber fuel line for 6in & then back to metal fuel rail, the fuel was seeping from where the rubber met the metal fuel rails.

 

Nothing says: "Damn it's cold out!" like a fuel leak in a Subaru. I just went to Autozone to get a new fuel hose & clamps costing me $2.50.

[Max Capacity]

Here's a look at the clamps your up against.

 

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x40/92Si/DSCN4748.jpg

 

Mine was the top one on the right side in the pic. that was leaking.

[tomoguisuru]

So I check all my fuel lines and found where it was leaking. Problem is that I can't get to the screw to tighten it. Anyone have a secrete they'd like to teach me on getting to it? I tried to rotate it but it's proving quite difficult

 

You can see where it is here:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/104208360017875875990/albums/5834911594894861121

[CombatCQB]

I'm curious if anyone knows if the hose clamps are loosening or just over time the hoses take on the clamp shape and hence don't seal as well? For the first one, I'd consider better clamps if possible. But for the second, it'll just be a reminder to replace hoses maybe after 150k.

 

Also any thoughts on the idea of some rubber treatment to swell the hoses in places that the clamps can be seen but a tool can't reach?

[quick4dr]

Just fixed this problem. The line just under the drivers side intake manifold was leaking pretty good. I took that line out and just ran a new line from the lower fitting up to where the fuel comes through firewall. Instead of braking my hands trying to get a new hose and clamps in a small area with fat hands.

 

Temporary anyway because I'm doing Perrin Fuel Rails in the spring.

 

Pictures posted in a few

Edited January 23, 2013 by quick4dr

[quick4dr]

Pic of new line, new line runs underneath intercooler piping in-between manifold runners, and down to the hard line fitting that goes to the injectors. approx 18in of 3/8in fuel line, minimal knuckle scraping.

Edited January 23, 2013 by quick4dr

[LeGreatOne]

My 2005 Legacy has begun stinking of gas in cold weather, as well, but it is coming from the REAR of the car, near the gas tank, and it is particularly bad after filling the tank. The smell permeates the cabin, and that air out side of the rear of the car! I'm wondering if the fuel filler spout is bolted onto the tank, and whether a gasket has loosened where it may be connected at the tank. In any event, after reading a BUNCH of posts regarding the phenomenom, I'm going to go outdoors and tighten every fuel line that I can find, and crawl under the car to check out the gas tank. Thanks a bunch for posting your experience. The ODD thing is that I don't seem to be using more fuel, and there have been no apparent drips from the tank area.

[ctgt89]

Having the same exact problem as LeGreatOne. Only smell fuel when tank is full. Let me know if all the tightening helps at all.

[LeGreatOne]

I'm waiting to hear from the shop. I had other service to be done, and its freezing outdoors, so I let them check it out. They suspect a loose fuel pump gasket at the tank, similar to what I thought may be the problem. I did check the overflow hose connections, and found nothing loose there (not tightenable, either.) I did tighten several clamps on fuel lines in the engine bay, but found no leaks.

[bfritzlibrary]

I too am having trouble with gas fumes in my 2004 Outback Sedan. It only happens during very cold weather. We've had quite a bit of that lately in PA. Makes me mad that this isn't something the company has issued a recall for. Seems dangerous to me. Gas fumes under the hood! Can we say kaboom?

[Max Capacity]

I too am having trouble with gas fumes in my 2004 Outback Sedan. It only happens during very cold weather. We've had quite a bit of that lately in PA. Makes me mad that this isn't something the company has issued a recall for. Seems dangerous to me. Gas fumes under the hood! Can we say kaboom?

 

Not yet, no one has had fire...

 

Just lock wire them like I did.

 

Since the new short block, I tightened all the clamps when the intake was off, I have not had the gas smell this winter. I drivethe car every day pretty much.

[JJBerk]

We had the same problem with our '04 FXT. Took it to the dealer every December for 3-4 years. Never really fixed it. Finally traded it in on a '11 Forester.

[Roscoe22]

I'm in Tahoe right now where it's cold snowing 20 degree F and I smelled the same raw fuel smell in the cabin of my 2005 Subaru LGT Wagon. I want to take a look under and tighten the clamps but it's too cold outside and doesn't want to stop snowing.

[evil03mustang]

My '06 LGT is having the stink.

 

My old '96 Impreza did this also.

 

Annoying.

[07wrxstage2]

I have the smell of fuel as well comming from the exhaust/rear of car. 05 lgt.

[evil03mustang]

I discovered the source of my fuel odor, then shut the hood and said "meh."

[McVicker]

I have a fairly strong fuel smell coming from the right rear of the car, may even be leaking from somewhere. Has anyone found the cause of this issue? I don't think it's the clamps under the hood.

[OBPLGT721]

I have a fairly strong fuel smell coming from the right rear of the car, may even be leaking from somewhere. Has anyone found the cause of this issue? I don't think it's the clamps under the hood.

 

Best way to find out where a fuel leak is located is by using a smoke machine. The fuel leaks on lgt's are usually in the engine bay, however, that doesn't mean there couldn't be a leak from a fuel line under the car or the tank. . If anything, it is quite annoying. I had to deal with a fuel leak on the same line twice in my lgt . I will be replacing that line and clamps for it in the spring/summer. If anything, have your local mechanic check it out. They have the equipment to locate it, because fuel leaks are one of the things that should be found and repaired quickly.

[muddy02]

now i have this. Are there notoriously offending locations? Or we just gotta check em all?

[Wagonation]

I have fuel now visibly leaking from the right rear of the car after fill-up. Been smelling it for about a year off and on. Suspected fuel tank/nipple, fill tube, or pump gasket/plastic housing issue. Going to have the mechanic check it again at some point. He checked the lines and fuel system thoroughly (what he could get to) but didn’t find it, however it wasn’t a full tank or visibly dripping at the time. Took it in at ¾ full at his recommendation. So now with it approaching winter I guess this is just going to get worse. Sigh.