fuel odor

[flood]

first let me just say i love this forum you guys seem so knowledgeable i've just been reading for the last hour so i had to register because i feel someone will have the answer to my question....i have a 93 2wd 2.3 5 speed and mainly in second and third gear i smell a fuel odor....i don't really smell it in first, fourth, or fifth...if i come to a complete stop from fourth or fifth i don't smell it either...but if i never make it past third i do...i don't think it's leaking because i get out of the truck and i never see anything...and i'm still getting about 22mpg mostly stop and go driving....any help would greatly be appreciated...

 

[Mark_88]

I had the exact thing with my Tempo...never did figure it out though...not a drop anywhere to be found under the hood, on the ground, or anywhere. I took it to the Ford dealership (and got a seatbelt ticket because I thought it was going to explode on me and didn't want to be buckled in if that happed...and the cop didn't buy that story because he couldn't smell gas and thought if I was afraid I should have had it towed...) and they could not find anything wrong.

It passed at least one emission test like that without any problems. I thought it could be 'tank slosh' but that would happen in all gears, especially first...new gas cap did not help...

The only thing I would think that could cause this 'odor' is the inlet for the fresh air vent (in summer it's open more than winter usually so you'd smell it more in the warmer weather) as that is around the front of the engine compartment and if there is a mist of gas escaping it would be drawn into the passenger compartment with the vents open. There could be some sort of pressure release happening at some point that is allowing the gas to be vented somehow (although I've never heard of this myself).

Outside of that...I'd be very interested knowing what it was if you ever do find out because it had me baffled...and I drove that Tempo for 14 years without any other problems outside of regular maintenance...