Author Topic: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!  (Read 8260 times)

71Beige280SL

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  • 1971 280 SL
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!
- 1971 280SL Beige/Cognac Leather
- 2024 Mercedes GLE 350
- 2024 AMG C43 Sedan

Bonnyboy

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2012, 17:13:57 »
I would start with the cork seal around the fuel tank sending unit. 
Ian
69 280SL
65 F-100
73 CB750K
75 MGB
78 FLH
82 CB750SC
83 VF 1100C
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71Beige280SL

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2012, 18:46:55 »
Thanks Bonnyboy. I have a brand new lockable gas cap with a fresh cork seal.
- 1971 280SL Beige/Cognac Leather
- 2024 Mercedes GLE 350
- 2024 AMG C43 Sedan

Bonnyboy

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #3 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.
Ian
69 280SL
65 F-100
73 CB750K
75 MGB
78 FLH
82 CB750SC
83 VF 1100C
94 FLHTCU
08 NPS50
12 Pro 4X

71Beige280SL

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2012, 21:38:13 »
Got it! I will check.
- 1971 280SL Beige/Cognac Leather
- 2024 Mercedes GLE 350
- 2024 AMG C43 Sedan

mdsalemi

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #5 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!!
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
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71Beige280SL

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2012, 13:25:48 »
Many thanks Michael.
- 1971 280SL Beige/Cognac Leather
- 2024 Mercedes GLE 350
- 2024 AMG C43 Sedan

Peter van Es

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #7 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
1970 280SL. System Admin of the site. Please do not mail or PM me questions on Pagoda's... I'm not likely to know the answer.  Please post on the forum instead!

mdsalemi

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2012, 16:56:56 »
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...
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
2023 Ford Escape Hybrid
2024 Ford Mustang Mach Ex PEV

Jonny B

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #9 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.
Jonny B
1967 250 SL Auto, DB 568
1970 280 SL Auto, DB 904
1966 Morris Mini Minor

Flyair

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #10 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
Stan
1971 280SL
2011 SL550 AMG
2011 GL
2015 GLA

71Beige280SL

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2012, 14:37:02 »
I will check all the recommendations. The rose and perfume are great ideas in the meantime!
- 1971 280SL Beige/Cognac Leather
- 2024 Mercedes GLE 350
- 2024 AMG C43 Sedan

71Beige280SL

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #12 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




- 1971 280SL Beige/Cognac Leather
- 2024 Mercedes GLE 350
- 2024 AMG C43 Sedan

ja17

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Re: I love the smell of gasoline in the morning...my wife doesn't!
« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2013, 05:09:32 »
Looks like a bad attempt at a repair. Glad the problem is solved.

Happy Motoring!
Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
1969 Dark Olive 280SL
2002 ML55 AMG (tow vehicle)
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