Thursday, 11 June 2009
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Is there a gas leak in my car?
Guys are pretty much geniuses when it comes to cars. Right?
I bought a Jetta earlier this year. The car has been great, all except for this weird noise it makes when I crank it. Some guy told me that I probably have a hole in the muffler. Maybe so. But recently, it's been putting out this odd gasoline smell. I'm thinking there's a gas leak. Would I be wrong on this? I'm not exactly the smartest person when it comes to cars, so I decided that I'd bring to you. Don't let me down.
I'm thinking about taking it to the dealership and letting them check it out. I have a warranty after all.
Mancouch says: Yes, if your car smells like gasoline... there's a good chance it may explode. Bring it to your dealer ASAP! Agree/disagree?
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- From: eskeemo_kisses@xanga
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Stats: This Week All Time Posts: 0 1 Views: 0 636 Comments: 0 18 View all posts by eskeemo_kisses@xanga
Comments (18)
um why did u even bother asking! lol
go bring it to the dealer!It could be a ton of things - I'd need more info to figure this out. Get it to the dealer. It probably isn't going to explode but, it could catch on fire.
@dikdoktor@xanga - Sounds like a good prognosis, doktor dik.
@Zombies_Ate_My_Neighbors@xanga - Thanks. I've worked on many cars over the years. If I knew where the smell originated from, does it happen all the time or just when it's running, what area smells the worst, I could be a bit more specific. I love your Xanga name. Too cool.
Adios fer now,
Stevie T
which do you value more...
your life ended by an exploding car
or
short trip to the dealership
Hmm...
Uh, if it smells like "gas"... it could be an oil leak and your oil is burning... And, the only way it could explode, obviously, if there is a metal-to-metal contact that could ignite fire... But good thing you're not driving a Pinto, because that was the car that actually DID explode because Ford was too stupid to prevent explosions from happening... Yes, like everybody else is saying, have it checked out by a car fanatic or your dealer or a car shop!
@noree_n@xanga - LOL hahaha good response!
Actually, I should clarify -- it's very unlikely that your car would explode... but still, you should get it checked out .
Do you smell gasoline or something burning? Because those are two different things. If it is gas, you should really be worried about passing out from the fumes.
And what are you waiting around for? The time it took for you to go on xanga, you could have gone to your dealer!
i would have said a faulty belt when you said noise, but gas smell? you've got leakage coming from the exhaust system duh. and if you have warranty, then go bring it to the dealership. you should have gone anyway. i dont know why you'd bother posting if you have a warranty.Â
Check the gas tank for any cracks and check any hose lines that could be cracked as well. Check your oil to see if it needs to be changed because my uncle actually smelled something like gasoline a few months ago when all he needed was an oil change since the last 2 years maybe. You could even take a look at the timing control valve i think to see if any gas is still inside the cylinders.
you know, I have a Jetta as well and although it hasn't has any serious problems (knock on wood) I don't take odd ticks, sounds or smells for granted because that's what caused my last two cars (which weren't Jettas) to eventually die. If I don't know what it is I check it out. The VW place in my hometown has "owner apprecaite day" once a year where they do free 27-point inspections. If you do get it checked out, have them do a 27-point inspection too.
Good luck!
yeah why are you asking mancouch haha. bring it to an auto shop ASAP.
Just as a little tid bit information, I wrote this out last night at like 11..when the place is closed. I didn't realize when it might be posted, but I figured that I'd give it a shot.
Anyway, come to find out, there's not a leak. The fumes are coming from somewhere else.
I found that out when my car was at the dealership and it was still smelling like that. And the sound stopped for whatever reason.
@dikdoktor@xanga - @Duke6932@xanga - Thanks for the help.
@jazziegal97@xanga - I would've gone to the VW dealership, but I bought mine from Toyota. lol I haven't heard of any owner appreciation day.
there could be several things that are factors for your car having a bad gas smell or the noise in the car due to the age of the car, previous owners and how they handled the car, my best advice is to take the car into a dealership and have the dealership run a diagnosis on the car to find out what the problem really is. it's gonna cost you about $100 for them to diagnose your car and they'll be able to tell you what you need to do to fix it. after that, you can take it another mechanical shop if you don't want it repaired by the dealership because they are a little pricey. i tell this to my customers on the daily basis because i work in the car industry. one thing i've learned about all vw's is that they have a lot of electrical issues if you dont take care of the job and have maintenance done regularly.
First thing is don't climb under it using your lighter to look in those dark areas for leaks.Can you say BOOM? I knew you could.
First check your gas lines under the hood and make sure all the connections are good and tight.If they are tight,then inspect any rubber gas lines for cracks or pin holes.If in doubt,just change the damn line. A few feet of gas line is lots cheaper than having your car catch fire and burn to the ground.Still smell gas after all this?
Get a bunch of scrap cardboard and lay it out in the driveway or whereever you park it and cover an area larger than your car., then park it and have it running. Go inside and watch TV for about a half hour and then go back out to see if there are any leak spots on the cardboard.It needs to be running so the fuel pump is pressurizing the system.This also brings the rest of the systems up to pressure so if they leak,you can find them. You can find where it leaks gas,oil,tranny fluid or coolant this way.If you don't see anything right away,leave it sit overnight and even minor leaks will drip enough to see the next morning.Then fix the damn leaks.Way freaking cheaper than paying a garage 50 bucks an hour to tighten a clamp or replace 2 bucks worth of gas line.
Weird noises can be anything.You didn't say where it sounds like it's coming from. If it's only when you get on the beast,it might be a vac line has a pin hole and is whistling. It could be a belt making noise as it slips a bit at higher RPMs. Replacing belts or even hitting them up with some belt dresing is much cheaper than having it snap and mess up the motor.If it sounds like it's coming from a wheel, check your bearrings for being properly greased up and take a look at your brale pads.Brakes have a little piece that sticks out and when the pads start getting worn,this piece will rub and make noise to let you know.
Check the fuel pump or fuel filter connectors?
If it smells like gasoline, then I'd take it back to the dealer. And being a backyard mechanic, I would suggest they check the Catalytic Converter because when it goes bad, gasoline vapors build up inside it and can explode the converter. It could very possibly kill you, too, when it explodes. Don't take any chances, get it to the dealer ASAP!!