We Smell Gas

[Max Capacity]

Why is that clamp faced down any way?

 

The manifold is assembled upside down.

 

so if I understand correct, the complaint is gas fumes in the passenger compartment? do you smell all the time or does it go away

 

Yes once the car warms up for the day. Next cold morning, same smell.

[Dergara]

Why is that clamp faced down any way?

 

I presume the fuel lines all go on partially assembled at the factory. Before the manifold.

[PhilT]

My wife had this issue on her '02 Legacy. Fuel was dripping from the passenger side hose clamp, i tightened it up along with all the other hose clamps, they were hardly tight at all.

 

This should be addressed by Subaru as it really is a safety issue, but we know they wont do anything. There must be thousands of owners who are not "hands on" and will take the car to the dealer. Easy money for the stealerships, replace hoses, labour, that will be $500 sir !!!

[Dergara]

The hoses once warm will stop leaking if they are small leaks. It's the cold snaps that bring out the bad.

[c-lo]

The manifold is assembled upside down.

 

 

 

Yes once the car warms up for the day. Next cold morning, same smell.

 

 

ok. don't think I've got the same problem. periodically when I start the car and go I'll smell exhaust fumes in the compartment. I'll air out and within a few minutes the smell is gone. sometimes I'll get the smell, sometimes I won't

[PhilT]

The hoses once warm will stop leaking if they are small leaks. It's the cold snaps that bring out the bad.

 

Any leak at any temperature is unacceptable. Only when someone gets killed will it be taken seriously by Subaru.

[Brprs]

Mine does it regardless of temperature. Wot yields more of a stench.

[ripemeat]

the smooth fuel line clamps suck, use worm gear clamps and make sure it doesn't dig into the hose.

[DAP]

I appologize for the formatting, the forum is stripping out all my newlines. Add me to the list of those who've had the gas leak. I think those trying to get a recall are going about this the wrong way. I think they should instead get the EPA involved. Subaru won't think this is a safety issue until someone gets hurt, or cars start burnig, but it already is an emmissions issue, and should be covered by the emmission control system warantee. If you ask youself, "What does the emmissions system do", the answer is keep unburned gas vapors from getting into the atmosphere. If your car is dumping gasoline onto the ground, its emmisions systems have failed to do their job.

[ragman]

It's beginning to smell a lot like winter again! Today I looked close and I can see gas all over that metal to rubber gas line with the upside down clamp on the drivers side under manifold. I really need to deal with this soon.

[chato]

yup, mine started today

[legacy360]

Two morning startups this week below freezing, and welcomed the smell of fuel inside the cabin.

[BX77]

just put a zip tie around the end of the hose that leaking. that's what I did last year haven't smelled gas since

[ragman]

I think I will try the zip tie and needle nose attempt at tightening the upside down clamp's bolt before pulling the damn intake manifold.

[BX77]

I think I will try the zip tie and needle nose attempt at tightening the upside down clamp's bolt before pulling the damn intake manifold.

 

Just get it snug against the clamp. small hands help, but doable with large hands a needle nose pliers

[__raj]

My wife LGT owner got driven crazy by this smell(7 months pregnant).

 

It turned out to be 3hrs labor($180) + $15 in parts to replace clamps and hoses. The mechanic removed the alternator, ac compressor and something else to access all this under the manifold.

[chato]

I now see a perfectly good reason to TGV delete.

[ragman]

I was able to get a few good turns on the clamps screw, and zipp tied the hose end. Time will tell if it was a success.

[Max Capacity]

Here's a picture of the underside of the intake manifold, you can see the clamps on the fuel lines. I think I took this after I rotated the clamp by #2 injector.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x40/92Si/DSCN4749.jpg

 

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x40/92Si/DSCN4749.jpg

[url=http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x40/92Si/DSCN4749.jpg][/url]

[__raj]

My mechanic(25yr experienced Subie tech) took it further and replaced the line between where you guys are clamping. It that a more permanent repair to this? He said it was extremely difficult getting it on and accessing it.

 

My wife has 161,000miles on our LGT 5mt wagon and wants to get another 5yrs/100k out of it.

[kbohip]

My wife pulled her '05 LGT wagon in the garage tonight and as soon as I opened the door from the house noticed the smell of gas. Her previous car, a 1991 Nissan Maxima had the EXACT same problem! It's the L shaped hose on the driver's side and I can see that the lower clamp is much looser than the upper one. These are the same stupid clamps that the Maxima had. Nice to know Subaru was still using them 14 years later!

 

Oh and I ended up replacing the hoses on the Maxima. That was only a few years ago though so they made it a decent amount of time. I had to pull the IM off for that one too. I'm going to try tightening this clamp first to see if it will fix it. If not I'll try the zip tie.