Fuel Leak-Would it Show a Code? Where to Start?

1,418 Views | 16 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by Sweet Kitten Feet
Sweet Kitten Feet
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Wife noticed pretty strong gas smell in our 2011 toyota Sienna (98k) this morning. She brought it home and it was strong enough that she didn't want to drive it. I smell it pretty strongly in the engine compartment. I've got on stands in the garage right now trying to dry everything out so I can see better, but just running my hands along the bottom all I'm getting is water. No gas. Checked gas cap and it was fine. The smell is worse near the front driver's side. I don't notice any leaking around any of the injectors. hoping it will dry out and I can just turn it on and watch it. Anything else y'all would recommend I check?
Sweet Kitten Feet
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Update: found my computer and no code.

And at least the horn isn't blowing, yet, so I've got that going for me which is nice.
CanyonAg77
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No code that I can think of. Anything weird lately? Run over something, simple overfill of the gas tank?

Step one would simply be physical inspection of the engine compartment. Then park it outside in good light, even use a flashlight. Start it up and see if you see anything. If still nothing, you might start taking off intake hoses and other engine covers.

I've looked for leaks before by spreading clean poster board or butcher paper on the garage floor, then parking over it overnight.
Sweet Kitten Feet
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I have it in the garage because it's raining right now. I do have the floor lined with cardboard trying to catch anything if it's actually dripping down somewhere to try to pinpoin.

Yeah my wife drove over something a few weeks ago. Tore the splash shields off underneath. but we've put around 1000 miles on it since then with no issues. And I checked everything really well when that happened.

It was pretty cold this morning. I'm just wondering if a seal somewhere didn't like the cold and lost its elasticity or a quick connect somewhere. just can't locate it.
EMY92
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If it has an inline fuel filter, check there.
Sweet Kitten Feet
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Really wish I had access to a lift. This is a pain in the ass.
Sweet Kitten Feet
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Well dammit, if it has an inline filter I can't f'in find it. I can't find anything. I might have to take it to a shop. Recommendations in College Station?
Sweet Kitten Feet
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Well BLANKETY BLANK CUSS WORD OBSCENITY OBSCENITY!!! To Brazos Valley Automotive I go. I hereby surrender my man card.
scrimp
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Possible puncture in the gas tank? I'd bet that it has a plastic gas tank, and if she ran over something big enough to tear of the splash guards, it might have hit the tank and put a small hole in it.

Had something similar in the wife's vehicle a couple years back. Small hole on the upper half of the side of the gas tank. Strong smell when the gas tank was full, which almost completely disappeared when the tank was half or less. Of course, she didn't tell me about the gas odor or running over something until I noticed the smell a few days later and ask her about it......
Sweet Kitten Feet
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Checked that. And smell isn't coming from back end of car. Definitely engine compartment and drivers side. I checked the injector connections too to see if it was am oring there. Looked fine. I gave up.
TexAg1987
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Is there a connection at the fuel rails? I read a complaint that theirs was leaking where there was a soft hose connection to the hard rail.
Sweet Kitten Feet
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There is. I just can't find a leak. I feel pretty sure I checked all the easy stuff like fittings and connections.
TexAg1987
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He said he discovered it because the plastic fitting was discolored on the bottom, not necessarily because it was wet.

good luck. I hate the hunt and peck kind of diagnosing.
1agswitchin4lanes
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Not sure if your gen has it but many of the V6 'yota engines have an issue with the Fuel Pulsation Dampener, sometimes they leak and drip onto the intake manifold and the smell gets into the car when driving. Typically a tell tale sign is stains on the rail and intake area.

If you don't have one of these, I'd start looking backwards from the fuel rail. There's a quick disconnect close to the firewall, and that would be a suspect point. Look at the oil cap towards the rear, under the intake tube. That 'quick connect' there may leak.

The other thing could be the evap canister and hoses but that will eventually trigger a MIL. Does your wife do the 'one click and done' or does she keep pushing fuel into the tank?
dubi
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Ttt
Sweet Kitten Feet
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They say they were unable to locate a leak at all nor an odor/fumes. Ran the engine for awhile also and nothing. Could it have been the cold yesterday and something really minute? Could she have driven through a puddle of water with gas in it and splashed it up somewhere? She had waited in the dropoff line at school since it was raining so tons of cars.

But the odor was so strong and got stronger the longer the engine ran.
TexAg1987
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Maybe the car in front was running rich.

Sweet Kitten Feet
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Welp. Shop didn't find anything. Said if it does it again try to bring it by immediately and they'll look at it. Kinda makes me feel a little better that I didn't miss anything. Just hope it doesn't crop back up.
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