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I've had my '07 for 7 weeks. When driving with the top off, I noticed the smell of gasoline would drift in and out. When stopped, the smell is nowhere to be found - not the filler, under hood, exhaust pipe - it will magically disappear the second the car stops moving, and reappear when it starts rolling again. With the top on, no fumes.
Only takes 20 minutes of driving around town to give me a splitting headache. It even clings to my clothes.
Took two different gearhead buddies in the car, they agreed - gas. Wife, she can't tell. Took belly pan off, bottom of tank is sterile, no signs of drip, no smell. Drive car without pan and diffuser - no change.
Took it to the Dealer in Newport Beach two weeks ago. They did the fuel system smoke test, found the charcoal canister vent close valve was leaky and replaced - made no difference in the fumes. Took the mechanic for ride, "I smell nothing", of course, this guy has spent his life working with volatile solvents, probably no nerves alive in his nose anyway.
Now I'm tearing my hair out, I spent every dime I had to get this car and I hate to drive it.
Today I read the thread about the Cobra antenna wire mod and decided to do that. As soon as I removed the panel in the dash, GAS! Coming from inside the dashboard. Even my wife can smell it.
So, my theory is there is a tiny leak at top of the tank - too little for the smoke machine to find, or to amount to a drip, and the fumes are wafting through the side rails to the dash. When driving with the top off there is enough of a vacuum created in the cabin that the fumes are drawn out and in my face. Alternate theory is previous owner is a sadist who stuffed a gas soaked rag in the the dash to torture me.
Flaws in my theory? Alternate theories?
Thanks
Only takes 20 minutes of driving around town to give me a splitting headache. It even clings to my clothes.
Took two different gearhead buddies in the car, they agreed - gas. Wife, she can't tell. Took belly pan off, bottom of tank is sterile, no signs of drip, no smell. Drive car without pan and diffuser - no change.
Took it to the Dealer in Newport Beach two weeks ago. They did the fuel system smoke test, found the charcoal canister vent close valve was leaky and replaced - made no difference in the fumes. Took the mechanic for ride, "I smell nothing", of course, this guy has spent his life working with volatile solvents, probably no nerves alive in his nose anyway.
Now I'm tearing my hair out, I spent every dime I had to get this car and I hate to drive it.
Today I read the thread about the Cobra antenna wire mod and decided to do that. As soon as I removed the panel in the dash, GAS! Coming from inside the dashboard. Even my wife can smell it.
So, my theory is there is a tiny leak at top of the tank - too little for the smoke machine to find, or to amount to a drip, and the fumes are wafting through the side rails to the dash. When driving with the top off there is enough of a vacuum created in the cabin that the fumes are drawn out and in my face. Alternate theory is previous owner is a sadist who stuffed a gas soaked rag in the the dash to torture me.
Flaws in my theory? Alternate theories?
Thanks