Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => Drive train, fuel, suspension, steering & brakes => Topic started by: 71Beige280SL on December 19, 2012, 15:40:53

Title: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: 71Beige280SL on December 19, 2012, 15:40:53: All,

A little family dilemma. My wife and I enjoy taking the 280SL for drives however, she complains about the smell of gasoline when we return the car to the garage. Does anyone else have this problem? Any view on cause and associated remedies? My gas tank was cleaned and "rebuilt" as part of the restoration. Filler tube? Normal for a 41 year old car? The smell dissipates after 30 minutes or so.

Thanks!
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: Bonnyboy on December 19, 2012, 17:13:57: I would start with the cork seal around the fuel tank sending unit.
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: 71Beige280SL on December 19, 2012, 18:46:55: Thanks Bonnyboy. I have a brand new lockable gas cap with a fresh cork seal.
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: Bonnyboy on December 19, 2012, 20:09:03: I was thinking of the seal around the fuel sender unit that is located under the plastic plug in the middle of your trunk floor. Pull that up and you may smell fuel.
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: 71Beige280SL on December 19, 2012, 21:38:13: Got it! I will check.
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: mdsalemi on December 20, 2012, 13:02:43: My car's gas odor got really bad late this summer, and then to the point where I said "something's wrong" when I stored it in November.

Culprit is the crimp on the supply hose that attaches the fuel pump to the fuel supply line. The gas smell this summer was a "developing leak" (no dripping, just vapors) at this crimp between rubber and metal; the "something's wrong" in November was the crimp getting so bad that I could then spot a leak! Once the leak was spotted, the solution became obvious.

New hose in now in hand (OEM, thank you Dave Gallon), will be dealt with in the spring. This is the hose I'm talking about; notice the crimp:

Part number 1134760926

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=l4gfvaravo1br4efzbhtbhud&makeid=800016@Mercedes&modelid=1193486@280SL&year=1969&cid=22@Fuel%20%26%20Air%20System&gid=6352@Fuel%20Hose/Line

Just one other possibility for you to check out!!
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: 71Beige280SL on December 20, 2012, 13:25:48: Many thanks Michael.
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: Peter van Es on December 20, 2012, 13:29:48: I've had those hoses fail on me regularly also. Thy typically last for less than 2 years... could it be ethanol in the fuel?

Peter
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: mdsalemi on December 20, 2012, 16:56:56: Quote from: Peter van Es on December 20, 2012, 13:29:48
They typically last for less than 2 years... could it be ethanol in the fuel?

Well THAT is discouraging! It could very well be ethanol, or just a bad crimp. I used to either build/or have built, hoses for my car wash all the time and a crimp joint is always a potential failure point, where the metal transitions to rubber. As for ethanol, it isn't new, and it is NOT going away--so I would like to believe that the [hose, part, car] manufacturers would figure that out and make everything ethanol-proof.

Meanwhile, I contemplate that hose change come April or May...
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: Jonny B on December 20, 2012, 17:38:15: One other item to check is the small vent hose and connections for the gas tank venting system. These are located on either side of the fuel filler neck on the gas tank and connect to the funnel shaped vent thing on the early cars, and to the vapor return tank on the later cars, which is what you most likely have on your late model 113. It would appear from the thread of conversation that the fuel line is the most likely candidate, but this is one more thing you can look at.
Note, these two vent connections are under the protective cover for the fuel filler neck you see from the inside of the trunk, held in place by sheet metal screws.
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: Flyair on December 20, 2012, 20:58:20: Before you figure out which hose is sending nasty vapors, her its a more immediate solution:

Light version: Try one rose laid on the seat each time your wife joins you in a tour….
Full mounty: For more demanding cases, an expensive perfume should do miracles…. but please avoid the make Diesel ;D
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: 71Beige280SL on December 21, 2012, 14:37:02: I will check all the recommendations. The rose and perfume are great ideas in the meantime!
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: 71Beige280SL on March 04, 2013, 02:29:38: To close out this post...I took my 280SL for a drive the other day. The fuel smell was finally too much. Took a spin by the MB dealer and we put it up on the rack. My fuel tank was a complete mess. See first attached photo. I don't understand the orange patch and the goop around the filler neck...not to mention the rust around the equator. A poor attempt at a restoration from where I bought the car. I replaced the tank. See the second photo...pristine and zero smell of fuel.

Good news in all of this...my wife now loves the car...er...uh...umm...that's good right?! :D

(http://www.sl113.org/imagebank/images/71beige280sl/img0317.jpg)
(http://www.sl113.org/imagebank/images/71beige280sl/img0314.jpg)
Title: Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
Post by: ja17 on March 04, 2013, 05:09:32: Looks like a bad attempt at a repair. Glad the problem is solved.

Happy Motoring!