my 350 TPI always smells like it is running rich. i tried to free up some airflow by getting some k&n hoping that it would lean it out a bit but every time i am getting on it and slow down at a light or something i can smell fuel. i have checked to make sure that there are no fuel leaks and everything checked out good. i also put in a mallory ignition box to try and get a hotter spark but that didnt help much either. just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem

 

Could it be your Charcoal canister? If it's not working right it can smell like a refinery.

 

O2, they read lean when they fail and dump in extra fuel trying to correct,


what year?

 

Also, did you recently remove the cat? A bit more of a stretch there I know, but when my Z had the cat hollowed (and the charcoal can disconnected) the car did constantly smell like Channel eau de Octane 87.

 

I to have a very bad fuel smell in my 88 305 TPI when im on it then slow down and i can really smell it when i shut the car off and exit the car, but as for me i have located the problem and it is coming from some sort of breather valve that is attached under the car on the driver side just in front of the rear axle and just inboard of the wheel well and it has a rubber hose that attaches to one of the lines going to the fuel tank. I never had the smell untill i replaced the fuel pump and forgot to disconect the breather and broke it. I someone knows what this little component is called and where to find it, it would greatly help me and possably camaroluvr05.

 

TTT since my car is running rich too....

 

ON THese cars there are alot of things to check. For one the charcoal canister, also check to see if your gas cap hisses badly when you fill up, there may be a stuck valve or clog that isnt allowing the tank to vent excess pressure. Bad catalytic converters and failing O2 sensors are another common culprit with smelly cars. I have the same problem - as my car will not pass emissions i am sure i have a bad O2 sensor or failing cat.

 

I find most cars I tune, the O2's aren't accurate for various reasons, and if I do any custom tuning meaning not my standard performace chip I designed,
I get them to put a new ACDELCO O2 in or if they got headers they got to go heated,too much of a headache trying to get fuel in the right area with out a correct O2 to go off of

O2's are so sensative, I replace mine at least once a year