Potential Fire or Explosive Situation.looking for immediate advice

[ZUKEYPR]

I have a strong gasoline smell emitting from my garage now for two days. You know how hot our garages have been lately due to the outside temps. My wife smelled it yesterday and alerted me. I though that the source might have been the three gas cans that I had stored in the garage so I immediately moved them outdoors and opened the garage door for awhile and opened the only window that I have which has remained opened since yesterday. I did not notice any odor emitting from either vehicles hoods (05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited 120K and a 2012 Toyota Tacoma 20K). The Taco has been gone all day. I took the Jeep out for a 6 mile round trip only and parked it back in the garage with door down. All of a sudden I have the odor of gas again, not as strong as yesterday but still present. I smelled around the hood and opened the hood but smell nothing. I smelled around the gas cap and can vaguely smell an odor but never having done so before I only assume that it would be normal. I have no welding tanks or any other gas that I know of stored in my garage. I'm getting ready to go into the hospital for a day or two stay and really don't want my wife worrying about this let alone come home to no garage or worse case scenario.....I have a 3.5 year old Granddaughter to worry about as well so any suggestion, any idea, any thought please pass on because I'm stumped.

 

[moab_cj5]

If you park the vehicles outside, does the odor stay in the garage? Gasoline evaporates quickly, especially at the higher temps we have so looking for a puddle is tough unless it is a large leak. Do you store any other gas powered equipment in there, lawn mower, chain saw, etc? If yes, are there any cracks in the tanks on those? Did you leave the gas cans outside?

I hope your hospital stay goes well and you can determine the cause of the gas vaopr. If you want another set of eyes or another nose, pm me and I will see if I can head your way this evening.

I would also put a bax fan in the window blowing outward, then leave the garage door open a couple of inches to circulate some fresh air through the garage and eliminate the possibility of building fumes.

 

[ZUKEYPR]

If you park the vehicles outside, does the odor stay in the garage? Gasoline evaporates quickly, especially at the higher temps we have so looking for a puddle is tough unless it is a large leak. Do you store any other gas powered equipment in there, lawn mower, chain saw, etc? If yes, are there any cracks in the tanks on those? Did you leave the gas cans outside?

I hope your hospital stay goes well and you can determine the cause of the gas vaopr. If you want another set of eyes or another nose, pm me and I will see if I can head your way this evening.

All power equipment is stored in my outside shed. All gasoline and propane has been removed since yesterday. What could cause a strong odor on my Jeep that wouldn't leave a puddle of any sort?

 

[TRD270]

They aren't fracking by your house are they

 

[moab_cj5]

All power equipment is stored in my outside shed. All gasoline and propane has been removed since yesterday. What could cause a strong odor on my Jeep that wouldn't leave a puddle of any sort?

If there was a gas line with a slow leak the gas would evaporate before puddling, or an evaporation line with a leak off the tank would emit vapor with no puddle or liquid present. Are your charcol canisters intack? Do you have any check engine lights on in the vehicles?

 

[BCGPER]

How full is the gas tank? Filling a tank full of cold fuel from an underground tank will cause such an issue. Othewise, I'd guess it's something real simple like a disconnected hose on the carbon canister, or a faulty or loose fuel cap.

 

[rollover]

Quick thought.

Did you just fill up?
Could the vapor be from a bad charcoal canister not venting correctly?
Worn vapor line to/from canister?
Does your gas cap hiss when you open it after a drive?

Warm weather will often cause bad venting smells.

Just some thoughts

 

[rollover]

You beat me to it.

 

[ZUKEYPR]

P0701 - System to lean which I contributed to the fairly mangled exhaust tailpipe that I did a few weeks ago on Slater Ridge. I had the light come back on and figured that it was just that and didn't bother rechecking. I now have a second code of P0457 EVAP Emissions Control Leak Gas Cap loose or off which doesn't surprise me because my cap hasn't exactly been unlocking easily lately and it doesn't "click" like it's suppose to lately when you close it.

So that said is gas cap replacement vital now or can it wait for a few days?

No, gas tank is about 1/8th full

 

[ZUKEYPR]

BY the way where is the charcoal canister on this darn thing, oddly enough those few pages are missing from my shop manual.......not like I'm in the physical shape to work on it at the moment anyway, but still would like to know.

 

[moab_cj5]

BY the way where is the charcoal canister on this darn thing, oddly enough those few pages are missing from my shop manual.......not like I'm in the physical shape to work on it at the moment anyway, but still would like to know.

Depending on where you are located, I can get a cheap gas cap from autozone and get it to you or your wife. On an 1/8 of a tank, in hot weather, there is a lot of room for vapors in your tank. With a bad gas cap, they will escape into the air.

 

[ZUKEYPR]

Depending on where you are located, I can get a cheap gas cap from autozone and get it to you or your wife. On an 1/8 of a tank, in hot weather, there is a lot of room for vapors in your tank. With a bad gas cap, they will escape into the air.

Thanks for the offer but my neighbor just left for Autozone to pick up a cap.

 

[rollover]

The charcoal canister is the black round can and It has two fuel line hoses on top.

 

[moab_cj5]

The charcoal canister is the black round can and It has two fuel line hoses on top.

Generally it is located under the hood.

 

[ZUKEYPR]

Sorry I should of ga e more info. I know what they are and look like but for some reason Im not seeing it in the engine bay

 

[jeeper]

A bad fuel pressure regulator will leak and cause smell also

 

[moab_cj5]

Did the new gas cap help?

 

[ZUKEYPR]

Garage has been closed, minus the window, now for 4 hours and no smell. I'm still skeptical though that it was the fix. The fumes just seemed far to great to be simply a gas cap. Keeping my fingers crossed because I'm do at the hospital in 10 hours. Thanks for all the help.

 

[ZUKEYPR]

Due not do

 

[moab_cj5]

Due not do

I hope it was the fix you needed. Good luck tomorrow!