Wicked 97TA

Well I don't know which forum to put this in so hopefully here will find me some help. I just got me yet another Trans Am, this one being a 1994. It defineatly needs a lot of TLC. The car has just been driven in the ground the past few years like any other Ford Escort on the road.

Anyway, one of it's many problems that has me completly baffled. After you drive the car from say point A to point B and come back and get in it, it has an awful gasoline smell in it. So strong it almost smells like someone just poured gas in the back seat or somehting. I can hear a small exhaust leak when I'm driving but I don't see where that could account for the stregth of this smell.

Can anyone help me out here!?!?

IROC-T

Lift the carpet that's over the fuel tank and look for holes (ie. screw holes, patch/hatch type), someone may have changed the fuel pump, or had something mounted putting a hole in the tank.

Wicked 97TA

I did a search and found that it could be a few different things:

1. rotted lines coming from the fuel pump vent hoses
2. a problem with the EVAP canister
3. a failing fuel pump

Can anyone elaborate on these and tell me if you think one or more of these is the problem?

michigan2500hd

I looked in the repair manual and it said probably a bad evap canister. Good luck...dont smoke in that thing,lol

IROC-T

The evap canister would be first choise to check, but you said the smell was comming from the back. The canister is in the far front, I guess it could seep in through the vents and just seem like it's comming from the back.

Dave89IROC

canister in a 94 would be in the left rear

I agree that the very first thing to do is to lift the carpet behind thje seat and see if there was a hole cut for fuel pump r&r

Z28Vert19

definitely check the evap. I have a 94 Z and i had the exact same thing happen to me. its behind the drivers side rear wheel. you have to pull the plastic down to see it. they tend to fall off alot if you dont put them up there securely. Chevy thought that a 1 small spot weld would hold it on the bracket. I just drilled a screw through it and I havent had a problem since.

IROC-T

My bad, did not know that, you learn something new every day on this forum.

Z28Vert19

by the way what part of VA is forest in? Im in Quantico. If you need help let me know. especially if you need a place to work on your car, IE need a Lift or a cheap alignment. Im a Marine and we have a Auto hobby shop with all the tools you would need. as well as like 30$ 4 wheel alignments. That goes for anybody in VA that would want to use the facility. just let me know and i can get you on base.

Wicked 97TA

Thanks for the help guys. I'm gonna go to my local salvage yard and grab me another EVAP canister from a lower milage car and try it out.

Z28vert19, I appreciate the invite on the help. Forest is located right outside of Lynchburg if you know where that is.

Tanya's Z

My vacuum hose going to the canister was replaced... that fixed it in a hurry... then the engine light came on...purge valve solenoid needed replaced...still pretty easy access compared to a fuel pump replacement