2000 Camry LE--smell of gas

Recently, my Camry has had its check engine light on, at the same time, whenever the car was just shut off, a strong smell of raw gas would be coming from the car. I had the light checked to find out it was P0401, Exhaust gas flow insufficient. I don't know if these problems are related or another problem persists. My gas mileage has plummeted from around 700 kms/tank to about 500 kms/tank. I don't smell gas befroe driving the car, just after. Checked for leaks, non to be found. ANy help is greatly appreciated.

Reply to
camryguy
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Reply to
hls

Ok, an update, ran the scanner, and addition to the P0401, I am now getting P0440 code. I was getting this code about a month ago, but was told a new gas cap would cure that problem. Well...it didn't. I checked under the car for any leaks and found non, but when investigating, noticed the odor up by the filler cap. I opened up the cap and noticed a fair bit of rust on the inside of the filler tube. Could the filler tube be bad enough that not even a new gas cap will keep a tight seal? I don't know...any help would be appreciated. On another note, thanks hls for the link, I do also agree and think that it is the VSV switch that is failing me, not the EGR valve itself.

Reply to
camryguy

Is there any chance that you have a rust hole in the gas tank? I've heard of this happening with a few Camrys. A rust hole high up in the tank could explain the lower mileage, the smell, and the P0440 code. If you are in an area were vehicle rust is a problem, I'd definitely look for a gas tank hole.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

Hi Ed, I am in an area where rust is a problem, Nova Scotia, Canada, but I do believe, if I'm not mistaken that my Camry has a plastic Gas tank. However, I will investigate just to be sure. Thanks for the reply!

Reply to
camryguy

I had a gas line go, I simply spliced in a rubber line, I cant see anyone using plastic, in an accident it will just crack

Reply to
ransley

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Epoxy could fix a leak

Reply to
ransley

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I don't think I have a leak, just not a tight fit on the gas cap. I bought a new gas cap about a month ago to no avail. I can't seem to find any leaks under the car. The only place where I can smell gas is up by the fuel door. I have been under the car checking all afternoon. The only thing I can think is that there is a small warp in the filler nozzle. There is rust forming on the inside of the filler neck. Oxygen is getting in somewhere, but where is beyond me. I may have to invest in a new filler neck. And a VSV switch. Love the car, hate the problems!

Reply to
camryguy

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Take a gas cap, drill a hole in it and glue in a fitting that fits a air hose, pressurise it to 10 lb with a tire filler and listen for the leak. The check engine light is from the leak. On mine the lines rusted under the plastic cover of the rocker panel, my lines were rusted the length of the car, the brake lines run the same area, if the lines are rusted and leaking there then the brake lines are NEXT to fail and need to be done before they Fail while driving, mine failed while driving and i had an accident, thats a bad situation you dont want.

Reply to
ransley

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ups.com...

? I've heard of

No, your right, that is something I don't want. I still have my old gas cap and will do the same. Thanks for the great reply!

Reply to
camryguy

'' The company I used to work for had a subsidiary that manufactured "plastic" gas tanks. They were, IIRC, highly profitable. These molded tanks could be easily fit into small areas in tight auto models, etc. We sold them when the company needed some new capital, and I dont know the final outcome of this endeavor but I do know that plastic tanks were not at all out of the question.

Reply to
hls

For saftey reasons is why I think cars have metal, think of the lawsuits from rear end accidents with plastic, metal will dent and give and make a small hole, plastic wont be as forgiving.

Reply to
ransley

With some investigating, I was able to determine that the filler neck has a hole in it close to the top by the gas cap. Has anyone ever done this before? What does a filler neck cost to replace? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Reply to
camryguy

Can you get some epoxy on the hole, im just guessing but the filler next might be welded to the tank and epoxy should do it.

Reply to
ransley

Some of the older cars had the filler necks removable from the fuel tank, but that was a long time ago. I am relatively sure that you would have to cut off this neck from the tank and weld it back on. Or weld a patch over the hole.

The downside is that this could not only be expensive, BUT you will likely destroy the corrosion resistance of this tank if it is a terneplate construction.

How did the hole get there in the first place? Corrosion or fretting? If is is corroded, then the whole tank may be worthless.

Ransley suggested you might try an epoxy fix. You could try it. I wouldnt, but that is just my personal idiosyncracy.

If I were you, I would think about this a bit before I jumped into something.

Reply to
hls

For saftey reasons is why I think cars have metal, think of the lawsuits from rear end accidents with plastic, metal will dent and give and make a small hole, plastic wont be as forgiving.

***** These tanks were engineered very well, and were quite robust. When we think of plastic, we think of cheap cracking pieces of junk, but these were not that way at all.

They had they advantage that they could be produced easily for available space in a car, did not corrode, and were tough

Our company also used to own a subsidiary that made plastic boats. Polyethylene. At first they werent very good, but as they improved the dye system and solved the oxidation and cracking problems, they were quite tough and long lasting.

Reply to
hls

No, the filler neck is not welded or permanently attached to the gas tank. There is a rubber flex hose attaching it to the gas tank, which seems to be in good shape. It is definitely corrosion. I'm not sure how the hole got there, but the hole filler neck looks to be in sad condition. I got a price for a new neck today at $198.00 cdn. Not cheap, but consider that I've spent almost $500.00 in gas over the past month and a half and you can see my dilemma.

Reply to
camryguy

500 in gas at 2.80 a gallon @ 22mpg drives my nearly 4000 miles, do you drive neraly 50,000 miles a year??? Call a junk yard, or take off the neck and use JB weld epoxy, if you can fix it in place that easier.
Reply to
ransley

No, the filler neck is not welded or permanently attached to the gas tank. There is a rubber flex hose attaching it to the gas tank, which seems to be in good shape. It is definitely corrosion. I'm not sure how the hole got there, but the hole filler neck looks to be in sad condition. I got a price for a new neck today at $198.00 cdn. Not cheap, but consider that I've spent almost $500.00 in gas over the past month and a half and you can see my dilemma.

***** Good gosh! Look for a good part at a wrecking yard, I would say. Still, it make me wonder what your tank looks like if you have that much corrosion on the filler neck.
Reply to
hls

I wonder how rusted the brake and fuel lines are, Mine rusted out the brake, fuel line, and Tank Straps, both of them, there is for all to die and hit the crusher, rust-car cancer does it free

Reply to
ransley

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