84 240 sedan. When I add gas to the tank or fill to at least half tank I smell gasoline in the cabin when driving. In the garage I can smell gas as well but I do not see gas dripping onto the roadway or garage floor. Any tips as to where to check. I will go under tomorrow for a look around. Is there any tank access in the trunk area?

Thanks for all the excellent answers/tips. A lot more than I would have thought of. I also wondered if we may have pin hole leaks at the top of the tank. Will check that one first as the smell is worse when filling.

Having had this issue with my 90 244 years ago, I would start by checking the filler pipe vent hose first. Make sure it is connected then trail it back checking for damage.

As previously mentioned, I would check your fuel hoses where they connect at the fuel sender on the top of the tank. I needed to replace the in-tank fuel pump. Once I accessed the fuel tank I discovered that the fuel return hose (rubber) was shot. Unfortunately for me, I also discovered that the fuel sender pipes underneath the hoses were rusted. Turned out to be a much more expensive job than I originally planned. In-tank fuel pump, return hose and (gulp) fuel sender...

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Current - 95 855 GLT Sportwagon 255k, Formerly - 90 244 DL 300k

hi sages- these are all very good possibilities for the fuel smell. i add this. when i got my 92 245 back in early 11, it ran fine but no fuel gage activity and i always had a slight fuel smell in the cabin. couldnt find any leaks anywhere or worn out hoses. got tired of risking running out of gas at 2am on tobacco road in stinking creek, md so i under took the sender, intank pump job. this is a moderate job in a wagon since you have to remove the 3d seat apparatus making this a 2F job on the 5 F scale. should be easier(at the most 1F job ) in a sedan since the access is in the trunk under the carpet. dont start this job until you have all the parts(sender , pump, o ring and bung nut socket(from ipd). be especially careful to make sure you have the correct short pump to nozzle hose which is on the unit. this hose is special since it lives submerged in gasoline so the inside and outside of the hose has to be gas resistant. think its 30R7 gates. the gas smell was emanating from a deteriorated o ring and a flow hose which looked like it was original on a B 17. replaced the in tank pump which only worked intermittently, sending unit, etc. no more gas smell and the gas gage has worked ever since. what think you? regards oldduke

Olduke: "...a flow hose which looked like it was original on a B 17."

I've had a long interest in the B17 and B24 as my dad flew both in WW2. He was shot down over Leipzig, spent 8 months in prison camp and was liberated by the Russians.

Sorry, but that hose is OEM B24 ;-)

Tatra Mike
Seattle, Washington

1985 244 "Alfsen" (wife's car - the good one)
1984 245 "Buster" (the kid's car, now sold)
1985 245 "Cosmo" (parts car, sold off for move to WA)
1985 245 "Daisy" (back seat down, full of tools, the work truck)
1985 245 "Earl (CA vehicle 'retirement' program)
1985 244 "Junker 1" (Bought for parts, currently being dismantled)

Can you tell I prefer the 1985 model 240? Better headlights than the plastic 1986+ and nicer belt adjustments than the 1984s and earlier!

All of the suggestions mentioned are possibilities. I'd just like to add a couple more. I owned a 265 that had pinholes in the top of the tank--but that didn't leak till the tank was filled. Volvosenior mentioned possible leaks at the connection between the main pump and filter - even if you haven't changed the filter recently that location is still a source of possible leakage - the connecting "banjo" fitting is prone to rust, developing tiny holes which can leak just enough to detect a smell without actually dripping. If you blow dry the area look for a thin layer of gas spreading from the source - just enough to discolor the metal and then evaporate before enough gathers to drip. -- Dave

Do the easy stuff first--inspect the connections at the external fuel pump and fuel filter per the suggestions above. Then find the hatch to get to the top of the fuel pump sender. Look at those hoses. There is also a 3rd port that in my car (1990 240) had a rubber plug. My source of my gas smell was a split rubber plug.

Hi BobK,

"Any tips as to where to check"

Check also for failed charcoal canister purge valve in the engine bay. Usually the valve itself is OK but there might be loose or split vacuum hoses (2 hoses - 1 small and 1 big) from the throttle body to the valve. This might cause the collected fumes from the gas tank vent out to atmosphere via the drain hose underneath the canister (instead of sucked into engine and burned). When these sucked into the AC/heater air intake thus the fumes in your cabin.

Regards,
Amarin.

hello,
have you recently changed the fuel filters? if so, then the smell could be from a very small leak in the connectors, w/o any visible signs of fluid on the floor surfaces.
Also, you may want to check the hoses in the rear tank area. I believe there is an access plate under the carpet in the trunk that provides a way to get to the top of the tank. Held down by four 10mm bolts.
The hoses go bad after awhile and will leak gas fumes.
Make sure that the vent hose is secure and well connected, along with the fill hose connectors.

volvosenior.
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89-740 GLE_91-940 Sedan _98-V90 Wagon_2001Mazda626