Raw Fuel Smell Log

[Achilles38WRX]

mine seems alright so far. it should be bitter cold when i start it up to goto work tomorrow, so i will report a final verdict sometime early this week.

everyone else seems to have a problem with these same four clamps.

mark

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[scaryfastskier]

I am guessing tommorow will be nice and cold here too because my garage is too cold to even poke and prode around the engine! If it happens tommorow again, i think will have to go in. goodluck!
grant

[Redline8k]

Yea mark I got this problem last night leaving work. The car sat outside for most of the day and I started her up almost right-a-way the car smelled like gas. I drove it home and it went away. I went to nicks house and no smell, went to get some food and on the way back sitting at a stop light it just hit. All 4 people in the car rolled down the windows at the same time. I got it home and no luck. I think Im going to take it into the dealer. You brought it to SOS right? Please get back to me soon.... If you want to talk about it and what the dealer said, please check your PMs I sent you my cell #.

I hope they know what the problem is, if not I hit them with a big stick or something....

[Terrywrxxtc]

I have the raw fuel smell as well my girlfriend was driving behind me about 100 feet and could smell it.

[Logan]

Just some quick questions, because I live in Wisconsin and if it only happens in the cold I've gotta be preped.

First, do you all park in garages? When you first noticed the smell, at what mileage were you at? Finally, do you think adding some mods has something to do with it? Cuz I noticed many who have the smell also have mods.

-Logan

[bbrewer]

I just had the problem yesterday. First time but it was the first really cold day I have driven the car. Loosing alot of fuel based on the odor level. No garage, still to cold in Chi to check it out.

[Achilles38WRX]

logan,
i'm in a garge, but when its real cold, that ddint make much of a difference.
i was around 13,000 i think when i noticed it, cant be sure its been so long ago.
mods have nothing to do with it, its a pair of leaky fuel hoses under the intake manifold, as shown in sube151's post on this topic.

update on my car, its been bitter cold the last few days here in chicago, and i have not fuel smell after my dealer tightened up the 4 clamps that have been discussed in this topic. I hope if enough of us goto the dealer we can get SOA's attention about this.

Mark

[PunksWRX]

I have developed this problem too. My WRX is a first allocation car and has 13,500 miles on it. It seems to happen only when it is very cold outside. Unfortunately one of the clamps in question (the front most) is upside down and I see no way of tightening it without removing the intake manifold. I have tried twisting it with a long screwdriver (as Sube151 recommended) but it's tight enough it won't rotate. This sucks.

Punk

[sube151]

Punkswrxs,

Keep trying! You have to be rough with it. Make sure you have a really long driver. It will take a little work, but you can nudge it to a position that you can use a phillips to tighten it.

It will take you longer to remove the intake hose. Its connected to the turbo and has a t that runs to the BOV. The clamp for that is upside down too.

Subaru assembles this stuff before they put it in the cars. They dont take in mind that it "might" have to come off later.


If you cant do it, have the dealer do it.
-V

[Achilles38WRX]

just to keep everyone updated, the dealer tightened down those 4 clamps and for a week after that we had bitter cold temps, no gas smell! Its about freakin time!

New problemo: Oil Smell! This one looks easy though, looks like a leaky pcv line is spraying on to the turbo (lower half of turbo covered in black dust!) gonna take care of this one saturday i hope (myself!)

Mark

[sc00by71]

Just found this sticky. Had my car fixed two weeks ago. -17 below out fuel running down under manifold drove it straight to dealer(not far away) They went so far as to replace the two hoses and clamps. No problems since. Fixed right first time !

Achilles, I too am noticing an oil smell and see residue on the lower part of the turbo heat shield. I will check around also, maybe it is the pcv.

Car info: Allocation? picked up April 1, 2001
15200 miles

Shawn

[pooponford]

I had hear of the fuel smell problem when the vehicle is cold but never had it happen to me, until last night. I left the local bar late at night. Approximate temp was a touch below freezing. I drove the vehicle home approx. 1 and 1/2 miles. The whole way I smelled gas and when I put the vehicle in the garage with the door shut, it smelled the whole garage up. I plan on removing my factory air intake this weekend so I will get a closer look and let you guys know any helpful hints.

-Jim

[Stealthbmbr]

D.O.M.- 01/01
2.5 TS wagon with 23,500 miles
homemade intake from stock airbox to fender

I started my car this morning and backed out of the driveway, it was a tick under 32 deg. I had a very strong smell of gas for about 5 miles inside the car, than it went away. This is the first time I've had this happen so far. Just checked under the hood and no appearent reason for the smell. No leaks anywhere and no stains or wet spots on any hoses or injectors. I'll see if it happens again. I'm glad I did a search instead of just posting a question. Any other 2.5's with this problem? It seams only wrx owners posted.

-Tom

[pooponford]

Well I was messing around with my intake over the weeekend. I installed a boost gauge and removed my stock air silencer. Anyway, I did tighten the fuel pressure regulator fuel line clamp (it's painted pink) which I might add was finger tight, and it seems the fuel smell is gone. The down side is that you do have to remove the stock rubber flex pipe between the air box and turbo inlet pipe (two hose clamps). I will continue to update but at this time it seems the problem is fixed.

-Jim

[RMHWRX]

Bulid date: 03/01
Km's: 20000 (12500Mi)

About 2 weeks ago I had the same fuel leak problem that everyone else is reporting. Dripping from a rubber hose that connects to a steel pipe under the intake manifold. Creating a horrible smell in the cabin and under the hood. At the time when it happened I could actually see it dripping from the rubber hose and pooling on the block, it was about -10C (about 12F)

The next day I took the car to the dealer and showed the service manager where it was leaking from. Go figure it was a warmer day and the damn thing wasn't leaking. The dealership checked it out and tightened the clamps. The service manager told me that they had one other WRX in with the same problem. He said that he was going to talk the SOC service rep and let him know.

I have not noticed it leaking since being at the dealership. The last 3 days the dealership has left me messages to call them asap. Today I called and the service manager said that "the company (SOC) is very concerned about the fuel leak". He went on to say that I must get my car in right away. Then he said that they are going to put on all new hoses on, and change my intake manifold. My old hoses and manifold are to be sent to Japan for investigation.

Thats all for now, hopefully this might help you guys win the fight with SOA.

RMHWRX

[optimalrage]

I have had my wrx for three weeks now. Brand new car 1600 miles on it. I say this because yesterday when I was driving the inside of my car started to smell like gas. It lasted all day long.
From what I just read everybody who has tihs problem is in cold weather. I live in Las Vegas and yesterday it was 107 degrees.
Maybe I have the same problem as everyone else. What do you guys think??

[pace]

Well I've had a similar problem for a while. After about 45 minutes of driving in very hot weather, I will get a strong 'solvent' smell in the car if I open any windows. The smell is very overwhelming indeed; yesterday I actually thought I would have to stop or I would vomit. I had to close the windows and turn the air-conditioning on full to get rid of the smell.

It's hard to tell where the odor is emanating from, but from 'sniffing' around the car I found the exact same smell coming from the black box underneath the car next to the gas tank (passenger side), which I assume is some sort of evaporation canister?

I said 'solvent' smell because it is not exactly like gasoline, although very similar. For a while I wondered if I had a refrigerant leak.

I have not taken it to the dealership because I'm thinking they will blame my aftermarket fuel pump.

Has anyone else had problems with odor from that area? Or similar problems after fitting a bigger fuel pump?

-Pace

[fluffybunny]

pace: as far as i know, none of the people reporting the problem had done anything to the stock fuel pump. since the fuel pump sits right by/in the gas tank, and the tank is under the rear seat on the passenger side (well, it's more in the trunk, but you get at it from just behind the rear bench...), i would guess that there might be a problem with the fuel pump or maybe something's loose from reassembly?

there's also the very slight possibility that you have an exhaust leak, and you're running very very rich, due to the aftermarket fuel pump. if it's not a gasoline smell, but similar, it might be fuel rich exhaust...put i dont' know exactly what your'e smelling.

i really don't know what to tell you. hope you get it sorted out soon. let us know what you find out.

optimalrage: it is possible that's the same problem. maybe try to tighten the clamps on the lines that are mentioned at the beginning of the thread.

if the hoses expand at different rates in very cold weather, it wouldn't be that strange that they would do the same at high temps...but the underhood temps on WRX's is pretty insane sometimes, although i will admit, i haven't had my car out in standing temps that high.

if you find anything new out let us know.

the bunny

[wrxcolorado]

Pace -

I am experiencing the same symptoms that you are only I have a stock fuel pump. I too would classify the smell as more like a 'solvent' than gasoline smell. My problem has occurred during hot weather and using the Air Conditioner. Maybe the altitude has something to do with it, I see you live in Colorado also. Anyone else have the 'solvent' smell problem in hot weather?

Thanks,

wrxcolorado

[BIGSKYWRX]

Well cold weather is here and my wife reported a strong odor of fuel in the cabin.

Build date 02/01
mileage-25,000
condtions- cold

Cause- it appears it is one of the two fuel lines (both hardened lines w/ short rubber sections) underneath the turbo inlet hose, I can see a yellow staining on the manifold where the fuel must be puddling. I took off the snorkle and accodian section of intake to get a better look. Unfortunately it does not appear to be possible to tighten the clamps on the rubber hoses (save one which you can get from above), w/o removing the turbo inlet pipe. As far as I know the only way to remove the turbo inlet pipe (w/o breaking off pieces) is to remove the intake manifold. Looks like the dealer can take care of this one.

Big Sky

[George71]

Build date: 3/01
Mileage: 33,700
Mods: removed intake silencer
Conditions: cold weather

Initially they didn't want to cover it under warranty because of my mods. I convinced them otherwise. The service guy said it took 12 hours to fix, though I can’t find that figure in the service log. He said it was a short rubber coupling between two metal fuel lines. I tried to tell him this days earlier but he kept interrupting with “oh no, my guys have 20 years of experience and are on top of it”. Eventually he implied that yes, I had accurate knowledge of the problem, but said something like, “but what’s funny is that there hasn’t been any bulletin about this from Subaru.”

[Edited out big rant about bad experience with the dealership. Car is running better than ever and has no more clutch shudder. Could they have fixed this for me without my request? Doubtful but miracles do happen.]

-George

[skyhigh420]

02 WRX Very cold weather\car at idle standng still smell of feul. sems worse when heat is on. smell appears to be coming from engine bay. no previous problems. Mods include EGT, Boost and Oil Pre guages, STi muffler, k&n filter. Car at dealer now, they smell gas and say they cannot find the probelm and need to call SOA, i have not given them any of the info on here yet. I will update when more info is obtained. can't check production date yet car is at dealer.

[BIGSKYWRX]

Sounds like they ought to have a service bulletin out by now . I'll be getting mine in shortly.

Big Sky

[Bigpants]

My car is going in for this problem today, I will post what the dealer says and does ASAP.
Dana

[skyhigh420]

Well i picked up my car tonight, just at closing and the smell is still there a little but they did find the same loose clamp all the other posts reference and they fixed it under warranty. Yeah, we will see when the smell is gone but at leat the leak is stopped. However on the way home in noticed than any time i hit a bump the car would almost shut off. Big time electircal problem. SHut door hard and ABS light goes off, any bump to car and it is like there is a short circut somewhere and it shuts off. Dirve 20mph and hit brakes cars shuts off and alarm goes off. I was looking over my bill and noticed an entry for a "main fuse" they charged me for(3.95). Wonder what happened as i noticed my radar detector no longer seems to work(it was hard wired) and now it will not even work with the plug for the lighter. They definitely blew something and now i have mega problems. Lets see if they once again blame this on my guages (ha) which i have disconnected and the problem still occurs. More posts to follow but at least the fule line hose clamp is fixed(so they say anyway).