I have been smelling the raw gas smell coming from my airvents. At times its stong and other times i can not smell it at all. I read that a hose may be leaking. Has any one had this proble before, if so, what was the fix and how much did it set you back.

I'm look to upgrade the max and this may be the nudge i need to start looking if its pricey to fix.

Thanks!
Myke
199,320mi

 

well wait a good 680miles before the upgrade.

 

should be a leak. Check the fuel lines, try checking injectors if you can't find a line leak. Just search the bay for the smell.

 

I've had that smell for a long time myself. My dad told me it is prob the fuel pump and needs replacing. I dont know. It comes and goes. Usually smell it the most when the windows or sunroof is open for me.

 

I had this problem last winter and it was a fuel leak.. FIX IT ASAP..we dont want to see you on the 6 o'clock news..

 

Check fuel filter lines, it is on the fire wall, check for leaks around the Fuel Pressure Regulator. All those things are fairly easy to get to and if the problem stems from any of those parts the repair can be done in your driveway in an hour or so. Probably a dryrot fuel line that is leaking.

 

Deffinattly want to get that checked out asap.

 

You also might want to check the EVAP lines, it's just a small rubber hose that runs between the carbon canister (and gas tank) all the way up to the intake manifold. I had a simliar problem with an older car of mine. then again, the carbon canister was up front,

some one else want to confirm that he should check evap lines?

 

I had this exact same problem on my first Maxima - 95 auto.

Check the small rubber line that runs from each fuel rail. If you are standing infront of the radiator looking down into the radiator, you will see the front fuel rail. Follow it all the way to your left side (pass side of car) until it comes to an end, there will be a small (~6in) piece of rubber hose bent in a "U" shape, the other side of which goes back to the pass side of the rear fuel rail.

This rubber hose gets dry rotted and will leak after some time. Check this first - there shouldn't be much more under the hood of a your Maxima that should be leaking...

 

Open your hood, chuck a match in and wait. If your car explodes it is a fuel leak, if not, I don't know.

 

+1....just make sure you have full insurance coverage as well.....ahjahahhahaha

 

LMAO

 

I drove it this morning and the smell wasn't there, or at least i did'nt notice it. So it does seem to come and go, as some have said. Ill check it out my self and if i dont find anything i'll take to the slealership to get an oil change, seems like they always find some thing wrong when changing the oil.

 

Is anyone esle thinking intake plenum gasket?

BTW: do your own oil changes.

 

Mine has a small leak, but there is no fuel odor inside the cabin or under the hood.

BTW, anyone ever change the intake plenum gasket? I need to do this, but when I tried it wasn't as straight forward as I thought. Pics would be helpful too

 

It should be pretty straight forward; remove upper-intake, clean off old gasket/reinstall new gasket(very important step), replace upper intake manifold...

 

I have the smell too, I live in Wisconsin so it's F**king cold in winter and all of a sudden when I run outside to sart my car and let it warm up I come back about 15min later and I smell it. I turn my vents/heat up all the way. One time I notice that when I backed my car up their was a dark substance on the snow like the color of gray and I smelled it and it smelled like oil and gas or something like that. Someone told me that my fuel line was bad so I have gotta do somethin about that.

 

Do any of you have more than normal engine vibration

 

This is 100% the problem. THere is a little rubber hose that connects the fuel rails. I had this problem on my 94 dohc, and I just fixed it on my 95 GLE. It is more apparent in the colder weather. What happens is when the rubber is cold the fuel sprays a little and them as the car warms up you start to smell it as it evaporates off the block. I would also recommend putting new hose clamps on there when you replace the hose. Costs around $7 with 2 new hose clamps.

 

dude the 4th gen oil change is extremely easy. plus you dont want those jiffy lube places putting that **** oil in ur car or ****ing up anything else while they are down there. my mom got her oil changed at one of those places and they accidentally punctured the power steering reservoir and then REFUSED TO FIX IT.

-just turn the wheel all the way to the right and wiggle ur way under the passenger side front wheelwell. there is a black plastic shielding there you can bend out of the way - or remove by unscrewing if you have time. you dont even need to jack or lift the car. and dont tell me you are too big, im 6' 1'' 240 pounds.

-get a wrench and undo the oil plug and filter. let it drain. clean residue away.

-get ur new filter, put a layer of fresh oil on the ORing and reinstall it. 3/4 of a turn past flush.

-plug up the reservoir and put 4.25 quarts in the crankcase opening (the black cap on the top of the engine).

thats it !! takes 10 minutes
dont pay those ****** 30 bux to put 6 dollars of product into your baby. you are better off spending that 30 bux on high quality synthetic and a mobil1 m-105 oil filter.

 

With over 700 posts since 2003, ....if Myke hasn't done oil changes yet...he ain't gonna. Maybe he's got something going on that physically limits him from having the dexterity to do it. (Injury, disability, etc.) I'm not about to call him out on it again, lest I embarrass myself for what could be a real and physically preventive condition.

Anyway, I apologize for my "BTW" above. It was wrong. You're free to do as you please.

From the responses here...It does sound like there's fuel lines that should be looked at.

Good luck with that.

 

[quote=myke321;6130293]I have been smelling the raw gas smell coming from my airvents. At times its stong and other times i can not smell it at all. I read that a hose may be leaking. Has any one had this proble before, if so, what was the fix and how much did it set you back.

For the 4th Gen its normally a stuck (Evaporator Vent Control Valve) located under the rear driverside quarter panel. When I owned my 97 SE I smelled gas thru the vents and constantly when I left my car in the garage (not good).

My mechanic replaced the whole unit for $300+ dollars. Others here consider it a DIY job, but for me I'd rather pay and be back on the road in a day rather than spend a weekend fixing the problem.

 

I found where the fuel leak as coming from. From rubber hose that was worn out between the TB and injectors. The part in the middle of the picture is where the hose went. So far so good- no more smell!

 

I had this as well on my 2000 get fixed asap.

 

Just fixed mine TODAY ! In the same dam spot, this is very strange. I strongly believe that everyone should take the time ,even if not leaking to give the clamps on the ends of this hose a turn or two chances are it will leak soon!!!

 

That looks like the fuel supply line from the gas tank to the front row of injectors. If this rubber was leaking you better check the rest of the rubber in the fuel line circuit.

 

I see the line, but could you zoom out just a little because I have the same problem, but I don't see this hose.

 

wow this thread really has helped me to realize what I would have to look for because I too am having this problem.

 

You don't see it because it's not there! He removed it and only the hose nipple is showing.

 

I understand that lol. But it's just I'm not sure where in the engine bay it is.

 

wow i have this problem too....im gonna go check it out right now. can u buy this hose at autozone?.....there is no nissan dealer near me

 

anyone?

 

It's just fuel hose. Take the old one with you or write down the markings. No need to go to the dealer.

 

I just used a hose that was the same diamerter as the old one, cut it to size, and put the claps back on.

So you will want to keep the old hose to compare diameter size, unless it says it on the hose.

Also, With the old hose the way I figured out that it was leaking was when i pinched it and fuel came out the sides of it plus you can smell gas very stongly.

 

I believe the size is 3/4" don't quote me on it. It's cheap and sold by the ft at autozone, advanced, etc. If you have an old fuel filter or fpr take it with you, whatever fits on that.

 

If you're talking fuel lines it's 5/16"

 

Nice. My '96 does this. It appears to only be upon startup. Once I get going, the smell goes away.

I'll check my hoses today. I might not have put all the fuel hoses back right or tightened all the clamps when putting my SCed car back to N.A.

I understand the possibility of fuel lines leaking. But how does that equate to an in-cabin and/or through-the-vents fuel smell???

Thanks all for the helpful thread.

 

So there is zero confusion, the area circled is where the hose goes.

 

I checked all my hoses today. No leaks. But I still get the start-up fuel smell.

 

i know, i dont understand why it only smells on start up when the front defrost is on....its really odd....