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Gas smell at startup


k9sar
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This just started happenning over the past week or so. When I get into my Pathfinder and start it up, I smell gasoline. The smell does not seem to be there before I turn the key and it seems to go away fairly soon after it's been running but I will be paying much more attention over the next couple days. It runs fine and I get no engine warning (would expect one if I had a leaky injector). Any thoughts? For the record, it's a 95 4-door SE .

 

Thanks

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It could be a million and one things, leaking gas line, fuel tank, fuel rail... you will have to check it out more. The injector if it was leaking gas into the combustion chamber you would have a poor running truck nd lots of black smoke out the tail pipe, and if it was leaking where it attaches to the fuel rail you would have a lean condition and cause the idle to be higher than normal

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When you first turn your key, your pump comes on to pressurize your fuel system, so that's probably why you mostly smell it on start up. I'd check the obvious like connectors at areas where there's been repairs done and clamps added, fuel filter etc.

 

My friend had a Maxima that did this right before his sending unit let go. Due to a bad connection on the sending unit the pump was comming on and off and overpressurizing the fuel system. His car was cutting in and out though.

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this happened to a friend of my mq patrol. the simplist of things, the petrol filler cap was stuffed, fuel was coming back up the filler. obviously you will be able to see fuel. but on the mq it was just enough to be not easily visible but enough to sink the car out.

 

just something to very easily iliminate. (spelling????)

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Hi; This happened to me last year (when the cold weather hit) and I found the solution on the old Mr Jim's site. The fuel line between the two fuel injector racks was leaking. I just tightened the two hose fittings with a screw driver (the hose is very short and hard to see, it is right in front of the engine, at the top and buried under something) I just lifted the hood one morning when it was cold and started it up. I went to the front and looked down at the hose and I could see gas leaking out. For some strange reason it stops leaking after it runs for a while.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Brian A

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Thanks

 

It hasn't happened since my post but I have a few things to look at once the temp gets a little higher. Maintenance in the winter sucks! I have a garage but that's where I keep all my tools. :)

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Hi;  This happened to me last year (when the cold weather hit) and I found the solution on the old Mr Jim's site.  The fuel line between the two fuel injector racks was leaking.  I  just tightened the two hose fittings with a screw driver (the hose is very short and hard to see, it is right in front of the engine, at the top and buried under something)  I just lifted the hood one morning when it was cold and started it up.  I went to the front and looked down at the hose and I could see gas leaking out.  For some strange reason it stops leaking after it runs for a while.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Brian A

 

This is probably what it is. Another one of those "common Pathy problems"

 

Rears it's ugly head when it gets colder. You won't notice it to much in the warmer weather.

 

fuel_hose.jpg

 

As Brian said, just tighten the hose clamps. If this isn't it, on the old forum, there is some threads about the sending unit.

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  • 2 years later...

I noticed this happening when its below about 40-50 F...I havent had time to check it out yet but with this leaky clamp deal i smell gas until it gets warm like every1 reports but when i hit the gas the RPMs will drop (maybe 200-300) before going up which also goes away after the truck is warm

 

its suppossed to get back cold so i imagine i can check it out to see if its leaking but if not has any1 else had this problem and if so what was the culprit

 

this is on the 95 pathy i noticed it a couple times after i got it and noticed it again today

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I had the same gas smell once, I finally looked and the front of the fuel rail has a rubber conenctor hose connecting the two halves of the metal rail; anyway, this was wet, tightened the clamps, and problem solved, so, I'd say you have a bigger leak somewhere because of the performance symptom.

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Just turn the key to the on position (this causes the fuel pump to pressurize the rail, but leave the engine-off). The fuel rail should now be pressurized. Look for leaks/wet spots along the fuel rail.

Edited by Derrik
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got it taken care of it was really cold yest like 30 or so and when i cranked up i popped the hood and holy crap it was leakin from both ends of that rubber hose up front had gas everywhere so i busted out the leatherman and tightened it down and this morning i didnt smell nething so hopefully thats all....but it still does its goofy lil idle thing for the 1st 5 mins or so

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