Protege Smells like a Molotov Cocktail...

I guess the fleet is getting past its best before age...My 2002 Protege has been smelling like fuel for the last few months. Nothing leaking that I can see and I would expect the Check Wallet Light on the dash to come on if the integrity of the system was breached. (it comes on if the cap is loose)

So any ideas on what it might be? Any advice on how much fun it is going to be to change a tank? (1k quote from garage, so its going to scrapyard before it goes there!). I hate to scrap a car that runs well, has no rust and only about 70k miles.

Yeah, i wouldn't be scrapping that thing.

Tank isn't that bad. If it's anything like the older ones, there's just a bunch of metal shielding that you'll have to get out of the way. Think it might be a plastic tank.

if the wallet light comes on when the cap is loose, that sorta implies that the tank ain't leaking. Does it smell more under the hood or in the trunk? There are any number of hoses that if they haven't been replaced could be weeping fuel, but what I'd check first is the injector Orings. Just take a good close look at em while it's idling and see if there isn't some seepage.

Did you check the PCV valve and plumbing, likewise the Evap container and its lines?

Rog

For sure coming from the back of the car.

What I meant is that if the fuel cap is off,or loose, a light WILL come on. I would assume that if a tank had a hole in it the same principle would apply? I do not have a light on to indicate that there is a problem with the evaporative pollution controls.

Did a bit more research and it looks like I should be pulling the rear seat and looking at the fuel pump/filter where it goes in to the tank.

I had a gasket start leaking where the filler tube attached to the tank. No noticeable leak until I filled the tank on a slant with the filler tube on the lower side.

Once it got below the gasket level, I think I may have sloshed a bit on some hard turns (delivering pizza) and I could smell some inside and a strong smell as I exited the car. Still with no noticeable leaks.

Seeing as My car is a Ford Escort, I imagine the engineering is similar! Gas mileage was the same.

Bruce

before you scrap it for that... be sure to offer it for sale here