Gas Odor Inside!

Now this is a new one. My 05 LGT has had a fuel filling problem for over a year. Has something to do with the vent on the tank. Tried checking all of the lines as well as the vapor canister. No luck yet. Some have said a valve inside the tank may have failed. Several dealers I talked to have never heard of a tank failing. A shop I know very well checked on his online system, no luck. Just have to fill slowly, verrrry slowly. Runs fine with no CEL.

So now to the new issue. Recently went up to Reno, NV for a few day. Temperature on the way up went down into the teens. We stopped to wander through Cabelas and when we left the freeway and stopped to go in, we noticed a very heavy gas smell. Wasn't sure what was happening so we looked under the car and under the hood, no leaks or anything. Came back out, started car and smell came back instantly. We drove around slowly and the smell went away once we got moving, and on the freeway, nothing. For the few days we were in the cold, lows around 5 and highs around 25, we had the smell when moving in traffic or at stop signs/lights. Kept watching for leaks or anything unusual, found nothing, other than the smell. We came back Tuesday and on our way home, and back into warmer temps, around 40-45, we stopped for lunch. Got out, looked around, tried smelling under hood and in trunk, nothing. Been driving for last couple of days since we got home, smell is gone! Not even a slight odor of gas.

So my question, what the hell was going on?

Any help with this and/or my filling problem would be awesome! Thanks for listening to my long story. Just wanted to give a good description.

Hope someone out there has an idea, I sure don't!

Can you explain the filling problem a little more? The smell may have been the fuel pump gasket. I recently had to replace mine and what you are describing is exactly what I was experiencing. As rubber ages it gets brittle and loses flexibility, combine that with the cold temperatures that shrink plastics and rubber and it could very possibly have let some fumes escape. As you get up to speed the air pushes the smell behind you and drys the area around the pump. You'd never know unless you take out the back seat and watch/smell after a full fill up.

Very common problem on these cars when its cold out.
Its most likely the clamp is loose behind #2 injector and TGV.
Its by the oil fill tube.
Here's how I fixed mine.

You know whats strange is I had the same for a little while just before my recent turbo swap thrash.

I contemplated the mod max suggested but didn't do it.

Outcome is the old turbo out and a proper tune in the works this thing is clean now.

Best part is now I'm not gassing my 9 year old daughter out on the way to school. Even she noticed the smell. Now that it's too cold to run with the windows open I'm happy things turned around for the better on this front.

It only happens when the temps are in the low 20F.

Around where I live that's normal for the next few month's. Last night a 8PM is was 4F.

Originally Posted by Xplosivo1

Can you explain the filling problem a little more? The smell may have been the fuel pump gasket. I recently had to replace mine and what you are describing is exactly what I was experiencing. As rubber ages it gets brittle and loses flexibility, combine that with the cold temperatures that shrink plastics and rubber and it could very possibly have let some fumes escape. As you get up to speed the air pushes the smell behind you and drys the area around the pump. You'd never know unless you take out the back seat and watch/smell after a full fill up.

Here is the events that led to the fuel fill problem. Went on vacation July of 2012. The Legacy sat in the driveway for a week in hot (100 degree) weather. Was fine up to this point. When we returned, I went back to work driving the Subie. Went to fill up a few days later and the nozzle would click off immediately. Tried a few times and not luck. Put in about a gallon. Went to several different stations with same results. Ended up filling as slow as possible. No apparent problem, just would not fill quickly. Checked the vapor can, dry and seemed fine. Shut valve was changed (on fill tube) with no success. I checked as best I could all of the vent lines from tank to vapor can to atmosphere, appears clear. I continue to fill slowly. Getting to the tank is prohibitively expensive. Don't want to even look at changing the tank, $400 for tank and who knows how much for labor. Not something I want to do. I don't have the time to mess with that big of project. Any other ideas on what I could try?

As for fuel smell, I will look into both gasket and fuel line. Is it easy to get to the line that needs an extra clamp? Looks fairly accessible.

Been driving the car for a few days, filled tank, slllooooowwwwly yesterday, still no gas smell at any time. Geez, what next................

Originally Posted by Max Capacity

It only happens when the temps are in the low 20F.

Around where I live that's normal for the next few month's. Last night a 8PM is was 4F.

Thats whats interesting... To me at least. It's been pretty cold here in the valley but cold is relitave. We don't go below 20 for long if we do at all out here. When it was happening for me it was still early November and not below zero at all during the evening or day. So go figure.

Yep, temperature dropped lately and I'm getting a faint hint of the fuel smell again. Haven't had a chance to tackle it yet, but it's definitely from where Max has said. It was there last year too and I thought I fixed it.... must have loosened up again.

Originally Posted by Max Capacity

Very common problem on these cars when its cold out.
Its most likely the clamp is loose behind #2 injector and TGV.
Its by the oil fill tube.
Here's how I fixed mine.

Safety wire makes the world go round...

As for the very slow fuel fill, I too, have that same problem. Changed the charcoal canister with one from a wreck with 5K on it, no luck. Changed the shut valve also, no go. I can't find anything that seems to be the issue and it's beginning to really become a pain anytime I have to stop and fill the tank.

It appears that this is an issue with more than just our LGT for Subaru. If anyone has any ideas, any help is greatly appreciated.

I have read about Foresters as well as Outbacks having filling issues. Some have been the actual fuel filler neck corroding. Others have had vent lines plug up with spider webs. I have looked at both scenarios on my LGT and neither seems to have taken place. I did try pushing air into the fill spout using my compressor. Did not put a huge amount of pressure into tank. Sealed up blowgun with a towel and slowly released air. Never heard any air venting. When I stopped with the air and pulled out of spout, air pressure vented back out fill tube. Really seems like the tank vent has failed some how. Really sucks as it appears that the only way to pull tank is to remove the rear drive. Anyone have other thoughts or ideas on checking things out? Anyone ever changed a tank?

I experienced this problem on my 05 LGT wtih 90k. Thanks for the problem identification! I fixed mine for now by twisting the OEM clamp's bolt CCW to tighten it.

Originally Posted by mr_edly

I experienced this problem on my 05 LGT wtih 90k. Thanks for the problem identification! I fixed mine for now by twisting the OEM clamp's bolt CCW to tighten it.

I just did the same thing and my problem is now fixed. I actually used "safety wire" pliers to twist the bolt CCW. They were the only set of pliers I had that were small and long enough to get to the bolt.

I have not messed with the LGT's fuel tank or pump yet. I have however done many other makes fuel pumps. Twice I smashed the fuel tank vent hose when raising the fuel tank back into place and the slow fill up problem was the result. It also caused a pressure release when removing the gas cap. Not sure if there is some sort of pressure building up in your tank somehow.

I am definitely going outside to check when I go home, it has been bitter cold in MA lately, but I have never ever had the gas smell. I started the car with the car starter this morning, and when I opened the car up it was reeking with fuel like a cannister was left in there during the summer! Of course I immediately just took a 360 around the car for drips, took a few drags off my tail pipe and that was definitely not the smell.

I drove it down the driveway and stopped yet again to inspect underneath and in the hood with nothing to be found.. I don't have any wire handy, but zip ties might do the trick when I get back to the car to go home.

Originally Posted by KCwagon

I just did the same thing and my problem is now fixed. I actually used "safety wire" pliers to twist the bolt CCW. They were the only set of pliers I had that were small and long enough to get to the bolt.

This is a great idea.