Petrol/fumes Smell

[Guest anaso_nic]

Hi,

 

I'm a newbie to this site but I've had our second-hand '96 Galaxy since May '99.

It's a great car and has been very reliable. OK, so we've had two episodes of passenger footwell flooding with subsequent lack of central locking, etc. I'm impressed with how well the electronics module dries out. By the way, I've found that the flexible, glass-fibre rods that you get in modern kites are very handy for cleaning out the drain-holes.

 

Anyway, I babble on. My posting is about a smell of petrol and/or fumes that we get after about 5 minutes running. It only happens when we open a window, keep them all closed and all is well. She never used to do this, it all started after a service at the second-hand dealers (necessary for the extended maintenance). We have taken it in several times but they can find nothing wrong. Now it's out of extended maintenance we've taken it to a local garage who similarly can't find a problem. I have a feeling that something was left off during servicing but, without access to detailed parts diagrams, I don't know what I'm looking for or where.

 

During some Googling I found this site and I've searched the existing posts, I find entries about A/C smells but not this problem. Obviously lots of members have children so you can appreciate that this is no fun on holiday in warm/hot weather.

 

Any help will be much appreciated.

[Guest nimrod]

Check the pipes where they run to the carbon canister under the drivers wheel arch, you may have disturbed or peirced one while pokeing you glass fibre rod through the drain, the carbon canister is located over the drain exit!

you will need to remove the wheel arch liner to get at and check the pipes

[Guest anaso_nic]

Hi nimrod,

 

Thanks for the swift reply, from my brief tour of this site I had a feeling you would be able to give me a pointer.

 

Just to check, the wheel-arch liner is the black, plastic piece to stop all the road muck from sticking inside the arch, yes? Is it relatively easy to remove? No hidden gotchas?

 

And what is a carbon box? I used to do DIY repairs on previous vehicles but, as you probably guessed, not much on the Gal, but I've never heard of a carbon box.

 

Thanks again.

[Guest nimrod]

Yes the wheel arch liner is the black shaped thing in the wheel arch, the carbon canister is to do with the emmisions, the box takes the petrol vapour from the petrol tank, stores them and then they are drawn off into the inlet manifold when the purge valve is opened and burnt off by the engine

the purge valve only opens when the engine is up to full operating temp and is under load, its controlled by the engine managment system

[Guest anaso_nic]

Hi nimrod,

 

If it wasn't for the fact that I've promised my beloved that I'll finish the vegetable patch and I've also promised the 3 sprogs a bike outing, I'd be out there tomorrow, Gal jacked up, checking this out.

 

As soon as I can, I'll get some feedback on this. Meanwhile thanks very much for the prompt replies.

 

Cheers

[Guest nimrod]

this is another posible cause of the petrol smell......

 

http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/Forum/index.p...hl=petrol+fumes

 

IIRC another member had a similar problem and they traced it down to the hoses to the carbon canister being disconnected, also check the hoses to the purge valve, its located on the fire wall up on the drivers side

[Guest emjay]

I'd like to join in re: the Purge Valve, I think it's my 'purge' valve that chugs under the bonnet and I have now disconnected it because the noise was very concerning - it just didn't sound right. The valve seems to oscilate and pulse - is that normal??

[Guest nimrod]

Yes as far as I can gather it should pulse! well mine does!

[Guest anaso_nic]

Well, humble apologies, it's been a busy old time, sorry to be so late posting a reply.

 

My thanks to all who have contributed to this posting ... so far. If I'm any judge of a problem then I don't think this is the end of it!

 

Thanks nimrod, I finally got the driver's side wheel arch liner off and found the mysterious black box (in all this I've been assuming we're talking about a right-hand drive car).

After removing it from the bracket and inspecting it, I could find no damage to it or the two tubes to which it was connected. One tube issues from the bulkhead - I can't work out whether from the passenger or engine compartment - and the other travels along the top of the wheel arch to the front where it drops down to a hole in a cross-member ... and that's it, it just vents to air.

The only broken thing was the rubber flap on the water drain, it fell off and part of the top, where it attaches to the plastic drain, is missing so it can't be easily fixed.

 

Whilst browsing tonight, I've seen some mention of an engine pan. I've always had the feeling that this problem is down to something being removed and not replaced during a service, something that would not affect the overall running of the gal. Is this pan easy to identify? Has anyone got any tips or pictures that I could use to confirm its presence on my gal?

 

However, please be patient. I'm currently in the 2nd of a potential 6 to 12 week convalescence from an operation on both big toes, so I'm not very active. It might take me a while to confirm any information provided. But it would still be most welcome.

 

Cheers

[Ivor_E_Tower]

(tongue in cheek) I think Dave-G is the expert on "engine pans" and things not being re-fitted after servicing.....

[Topbloke]

the pan that they are refering to is also known as a s##t shield and is to stop road dirt etc entering the enginebay, neither pipe should vent to air, the pipes should go to the manifold and the fuel tank, due to eec regs fuel tanks are not allowed to vent to the atmosphere so they take fumes from the tank, gathered in the carbon cannister,then via the valve previously mentioned to the manifold,was the fuel filter changed is this leaking is the fuel tank leaking i still would suspect the carbon canister and associated pipeing as you may have disturbed something :o