My 81 all of a sudden has an intermittent gas smell under the hood, and the fuel pump is staying on all the time at idle instead of pulsing on and off.
As this is my first FI car, anybody have any ideas where to look first? I've traced the lines from the underhood fuel filter and the one off the high pressure pump and there's nothing obvious...
The fuel pump should be on all the time the engine is running (or cranking).
Assuming you have no external liquid leaks, start by looking at the charcoal canister, which is mounted under the left front fender. Check the hoses from there to intake manifold, and if you can see any liquid there, you'll probably need a new canister. Also injectors can drip with the engine off, and the smell makes its way out the air filter, although this is usually accompanied by hard starting when hot.
I know you say that the smell is coming from under the hood, but a common place for failure is the vent pipe on the top of the fuel sender in the gas tank. There's an inspection port in the trunk that can be removed for a quick look.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required