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Gassy smell

Discussion in '308/328' started by Irishman, Apr 12, 2010.

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  1. Irishman

    Irishman F1 Rookie

    Oct 13, 2005
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    #1 Irishman, Apr 12, 2010
    I have a 78 carb 308 GTS. I had a pleasant drive a few weeks ago on Saturday. That evening, the garage had a strong smell of gas. My motorcycle (carb) and the 308 do tend to fill the garage with combustion based smells but this was noticeably stronger. It was definitely the 308 however. With an impending trip out of town I searched for the source in vain, then punted by draining all the gas out of the thing.

    Fast forward to yesterday where I spent hours, literally, just making a catalog and taking pictures of all the fuel related lines in preparation for replacing said lines. Along this journey I found no wet gas leak. I discovered only two obvious issues.

    First, the large hose venting at the bottom of the airbox had come loose.
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    Second, the little hose coming out the top of the air pump valve was cut practically in two by a loose coil pack bracket (electromotive upgrade). At the other end of this switch is a hose that travels to the right side of the car where it enters yet another electrical switch which is also a junction into a myriad of vent hoses.
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    So, the question in this thread is could either of these hoses being disconnected fill a two-car garage with the smell of gas?
     
  2. decardona

    decardona Formula 3

    Apr 23, 2005
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    Dennis Cardona
    #2 decardona, Apr 12, 2010
    I have had the same problem. Check your air/fuel mixture and your screw settings on your carbs. It's probably just running WAY too rich.
     
  3. cavallo_nero

    cavallo_nero Formula 3

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    Giovanni Pasquale
    #3 cavallo_nero, Apr 12, 2010
    my vent hose at the air box came off once and that was the source of my garage smelling like fuel. 78 308 GTS. it was the breather hose for venting the heads - crankcase pressure.
     
  4. don_xvi

    don_xvi F1 Rookie

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    Don the 16th
    #4 don_xvi, Apr 12, 2010
    Did you fill up on that drive? Maybe the infamous filler hose, it's hard to see. I just discovered that I have a stretch of it available for cheap if you need some.

    You can refer to another fuel line thread here in the 308 section right now, it's got a collection of people's inventories of what's required. I think the title involves an '81.

    You can also go the Cadillac route and have an upgraded hose kit delivered for you from Scuderia Rampante, here's the parts site: http://www.scuderiarampanteinnovations.com/
    It's spendy, but supposed to be the best stuff available and ready for oxygenated fuels (ethanol). Expect $350 for the fuel line kit, $150 for the evap hoses kit & $100 for the blowby hose kit.
     
  5. Irishman

    Irishman F1 Rookie

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    #5 Irishman, Apr 12, 2010
    Thanks. I already have the fuel filler neck hose and the two crossover hoses on hand. I also have a bunch of 5/16" on hand.

    What I wasn't prepared for was the sheer amount of vapor line on this car. That was something I missed in threads posted here. Even looking at my car itself it is clear that someone replaced *some* of the fuel/vapor lines but by no means all.

    So, are most folks just replacing the lines that carry liquid fuel?
     
  6. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Mitchell Le
    #6 yelcab, Apr 12, 2010
    When I had a GT4 with carbs, it used to fill up the garage with gas smell. Changing the filler hose solved it. I also changed every other hose after that as well.
     
  7. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 BigTex, Apr 12, 2010
    No, you should really do them all.........that device in the RH fender is a one way valve or something and it DOES have most of the tank vent lines routed to it.....(I'm working from memory here)...

    The other odd size line is the Fuel Return off the carbs back to the RH tank, it's slightly smaller than the typical 5/16" (or metric) size but being a liquid line should definately be fuel rated, and replaced with all the rest!!
     
  8. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #8 BigTex, Apr 12, 2010
    Then you have the odd clear plastic line, conecting the tank vents to each other, that runs across the fire wall......
     
  9. Irishman

    Irishman F1 Rookie

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    #9 Irishman, Apr 12, 2010
    Yes... what is the deal with that???

    There are two of them. And they appear to be different sizes. They must be clear for a reason but why?

    Given I have no idea where to source that hose and considering their shiftless duty I had decided to let them ride. Oh well, there goes my "replace all hoses" initiative :):).

    Though, I do intend to replace all the other "serious" venting hoses.

    Someone here posted a great thread about what matters and what doesn't. Anyone have that link before I post twenty questions? I have some inoperable stuff related to the air pump I would like to clean up.

    I would prefer to search before posting twenty questions.
     
  10. robertgarven

    robertgarven F1 Veteran
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    Feb 24, 2002
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    Robert Garven
    #10 robertgarven, Apr 12, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  11. 2dinos

    2dinos F1 Rookie

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    #11 2dinos, Apr 12, 2010
    Another vote for do them ALL. I did a major and changed almost all of them. Not a week later, I had a smell from one of the ones I didn't change. Those greenish PVC ones get hard as a rock. Also, there's some small short hoses (3 of them) that run condensed vapors back to the tank. Change them too. Another point on the 3 short hoses - A very talented Ferrari Mech told me to carefully cut them off the tank as the aluminum tubes are delicate. Good advice!

    Who set up that cool hose kit?
     
    Andreas Engesvik likes this.
  12. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 BigTex, Apr 13, 2010
    That's the Dave Helms kit.....the modern fuels are tough on even the most current "general use" lines.....his are a 'cut above".......
     
  13. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
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    #13 miketuason, Apr 13, 2010
    Last time me and my wife smell something gassy in my 308 and just to find out my wife just ate something bad that day:D
     

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