[greybeard]

For the last several days, whenever I drive my smart I smell gasoline. I've looked all over the engine, top to bottom as much as I can see and have not been able to see any wet spots or sign of leakage or seepage. However, as I was just finishing up under the car, I noticed that the smell seemed to be coming from the area forward of the engine, like right about where the tank is.... not good. . I have seen no evidence of gas leaking onto the garage floor, so I'm thinking not too big of a leak, or maybe I put too much in at my last fill-up..???
I'm wondering if anyone has had problems with gas leaks from the tank itself maybe, or filler spout, etc. Anyone know of a common problem maybe??

 

[jimvw57]

Have not seen anything posted about a gas leak (or smell) but on the front side of the motor, there is a breather for for the crankcase vent, which should be attached to the intake hoses. Maybe one of those came off or failed.Not an easy place to get to without a hoist.Otherwise it could be one of the vent hoses on the tank. Just a guess here..

 

[greybeard]

So I guess I'm looking at pulling the belly pan. I'm assuming that's the best access to the vent hoses & breather? You say on the front of the motor.. I have noticed that the smell has dissipated somewhat, at least in the garage where it was pretty strong yesterday. Anticipating another day under the car. (Wish it wasn't so hot here in Florida... but that's what I moved here for, right?)

 

[Smart Bob]

If you overfill the gas tank, you may have flooded the charcoal cannister. This will cause a strong gasoline odor that will dissipate as fuel is consumed. When the fuel nozzle clicks off, stop adding fuel to prevent this situation from occurring again. Also, place the nozzle on the slowest setting.

 

[toaster]

Anyone know of a common problem maybe??

Don't know if it is common, but there have been several other incidents:

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f4/fuel-leak-fuel-pump-77937/

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f353/fuel-leak-77546/

~toaster

 

[smark]

Defective fuel Evaporate canister.

 

[greybeard]

If you overfill the gas tank, you may have flooded the charcoal cannister. This will cause a strong gasoline odor that will dissipate as fuel is consumed. When the fuel nozzle clicks off, stop adding fuel to prevent this situation from occurring again. Also, place the nozzle on the slowest setting.

I'm hoping this - flooded charcoal canister - is the culprit. I spent most of yesterday's hot afternoon under the car. Had it jacked up & on stands as no access to a lift. Dropped the back half of the belly pan and still can't see anything, or feel any wetness. I've got to get it up a little higher.. In the mean time I'm going to drive around a bit to burn off some of the fuel. Seems like this started right after I filled the tank and the gauge is still showing full. ( Am I the only one here that wishes Mercedes had use a real fuel gauge? Analog or digital, but this bar thing sucks. IMO, 'cause you really never know how much is there)

 

[Smart Bob]

From what you describe, it looks like you over filled the tank & flooded the cannister. The gauge will not drop down a bar until you have traveled around 70+ miles & then it will drop more rapidly. It is reasonably accurate. Just drive the cars & leave the windows open to went the car. The odor will dissipate.

 

[greybeard]

Well. It's a leak. I put the front end up on ramps, and utilizing the trailer hitch I installed awhile back and a motorcycle jack, I lifted the rear end up & sat it on stands. Removed the belly pan and the stamped metal cross-member behind (or in front? I was upside down, so) the tank. Grabbed my little inspection mirror & a flash light. Still couldn't see anything. Started the motor, crawled back under, looked around. Didn't see much at first, thought I saw maybe a few drips, but even with the mirror it's hard to see up in there. Then...whoop! there it is!! While I'm looking around the rear of the tank, gas starts dripping off the front right corner..Glad the rear of the car was higher, I could have taken a bath.... dripping quite a bit, meaning it's getting worse as I hadn't seen any puddles before.
So I guess it's fairly safe to assume that it is the fuel pump..
Now I need to decide if I want to do it myself or pay someone else to do it... A local guy that specializes in European cars, including smarts, quoted me $391 for labor, but for 6 bolts I might's well give it a shot.

Auto Zone has Delphi fuel pumps for $289.99 (web page says in stock) and Spectra pumps for $221.99 by order.

Any experience with these brands? Or suggestion?

 

[Huronlad]

Hopefully you will determine if it is just a line leak before spending money on a pump you may not need.

 

[greybeard]

Anticipation.....

Hopefully you will determine if it is just a line leak before spending money on a pump you may not need.

Once I drop the tank I hope I'll be able to tell if it's a line leak or not... Hoping for something obvious. I'd really hate to drop the tank (a task in itself that I'm really anxious about) install a new pump, put it all back together only to find it still leaking. If that happens, at least I'll know how to do it next time.
I'll be back!

 

[greybeard]

Ok. I Chickened out. Car up on stands, about 13 inches to work under. Thought I could use my motorcycle jack to lower the tank but the car wasn't quite high enough to get it all the way under the tank, so I placed it under the heavy end. Started to loosen the bolts on the right side and the tank started to drop down. Pushing it up, I decided that it was going to be too heavy for me to pull by myself... oh I probably could have gotten it out but then I'd have to get it back up in there.... so, Hell! Because I really need the car next week -
Put the four screws back in and called the garage... I was going to drive it up the road, the garage is just a mile, but when I started the car to back it out of the garage, the drip, drip, drip leak had become a full on gushing leak.
Called AAA.
Garage called me the next morning and confirmed that I needed a fuel pump. Pump came in the next morning and around 2: pm it was done. He showed me the old pump. The leak, just as I've seen posted here before, was at the plastic (nylon?) port coming out of the top. Apparently, when I lowered the tank, I had stretched the fitting and made the leak much worse.
So... smartie is home, running good... I'm a tad poorer than I was a week ago, but considering that we've got 133,000 + miles on the odo, and this is the first time it's had to go to the shop - ( well, AC had to be fixed two yrs ago) - I can't complain..

 

[greybeard]

And, a follow -up: The car was returned to me with roughly 1/2 tank of gas. Drove it around Wednesday & thru the weekend. Monday morning, in anticipation of Tuesday's & Wednesday's trips to Orlando (80 mile round trip) I went to the gas station for a fill up. About 1/4 tank showing on the gauge, gas starts pumping in. lots o' gas going in.. What? As I'm thinking "why's it taking so much?" the pump trips off at 8.1 gallons! On top of a 1/4 tank? Gasoline pouring down onto the ground under the car.... son of a b....!! The garage I took it to, being an family owned independent business, is closed - vacation for the entire week! Made the two trips to Orlando in my Astro Van with it's whopping 15 miles/gallon.
Tuesday, this week (garage people didn't open Monday) Drove the smart back to the garage and told them the problem.
About 5 hrs later there's a knock on the door. It's the garage owner and his wife returning my smart. Seems that the seal under the top of the fuel pump didn't get seated properly. (seems like I've seen this posted on the forum somewhere) They re-aligned it, then topped the tank off to test it.. I had another trip to Orlando on Wednesday, Drove the smart. Everything's now OK, No leaks and maybe my imagination, but the car even seems to be running more smoothly than it has in awhile.
Oh. and 130 miles on the trip meter, still showing a full tank on the gauge. Either they really topped it off or (hopefully) my mileage has improved.
Moral of this story - If you do this job, Watch that top seal!

 

[hogdaddy]

I just had to replace my fuel pump yesterday because of the same aforementioned defect (crack) in the top of fuel pump where hose connects. The pump was $255.11 delivered to my door from genuinemercedesparts.com. I am proud to say I did this repair myself, It was fairly easy.

Here's a video I found of the problem.

 

[SmarterThanFiat]

Fuel smell in my 09

My '09 after filling yesterday started wreaking of gas fumes inside. Looks like I am probably looking at a pump or canister from what I am reading. Aggravating since I never pump more gas after the pump clicks off.