Hello,

I've got a fuel smell from my new chevrolet express 2500 2015 van I just bought used with 160 k miles on the ODO. The smell is usually only after running it, and it's usually near the rear barn hinge doors on the drives side. I pulled a line for the evap canister from the solenoid and looked to see if there were any charcoal pellets in there. None fell out, I could see the interior of the hose was grey with a powder though, no pellets. I sniffed around under neath but the smell never really got stronger. The smell is strongest near the rear of the fuel tank as you peer in through drivers side rear wheel from the outside looking towards the fuel tank.

I just passed smog, and I don't appear to have a fuel economy issue. 16.5 mpg highway is what i have been getting. The fuel lines are hard to find. I did see that there was some kind of line coming off the rear of the tank in that area, but that appears to be an evap line, not a fuel line.

I also want to note that the smell is NOT Strong at all and actually PO brought the smell to my attention when I went to buy it. If he hadn't of told me, I probably would've not thought about it. Also there is a huge divider underneath the van separating the fuel tank from the exhaust so I am not sure if this is a big deal. that divider would protect from fuel shooting over there. I am thinking it's the charcoal canister gone bad, because typically when you have an evap problem and no codes, usually it's the cannister clogged up. I would need a smoke machine to be certain of this however.

I would like to note, that this van had sat on a used car lot for a year and half. I actually did look at the car fax when I went to buy but didn't take the time to really study it. So I am hoping that the fuel lines didn't get destroyed. the PO told me that he bought it from the used car dealership, and they put on a cheap cat which didn't last long. I am guessing someone stole the cat and they didn't know what to do with the vehicle. It's also kind of a hard vehicle for people to drive because it didn't have a back up camera. I was and am still really hoping that is why it sat for so long. He put on a custom exhaust system (most of the exhaust system was replaced) so either the mechanic upsold him, or he wanted that done. So not sure if it's a lemon vehicle at this point and I am hoping I didn't get screwed. IT also just developed a coolant leak as well (seperate thread. ) just hoping the used car dealership at least idled it while on the lot, and they just couldn't get a new cat for it in 2022 and thats why it say for so long. It's barley been driven in the past 4 years, maybe 6 k miles.

sO I guess really I am wondering if maybe the exhaust system was improperly installed, or something of that nature. or are the fuel lines gummed up, or is the a gasket or something seeping somewhere. Everything is difficult to get access to on these vans.

 

A little update:

I was sniffing around underneath the van and put my nose up to the filler neck at the fuel tank. Gas smell is really strong right next to the filler line. It might be because my tank is 90% full. I noticed that there's two hose clamps on the tube and they are from home depot. Both clamps are different sizes. It seems a little sus to me, like someone was in there doing something. I tightened up the clamps and hope the fuel smell will go away. The area is completely dry, so the fuel isn't getting out unless it's a pin hole leak. But even still it's on the complete otherside of the exhaust so it would be fine anyways.



Well, any ways to know if this is the problem? should the fuel smell be pretty strong near the filler neck or is that abnormal? Pretty sure that's what I am smelling.

 

no it shouldnt be a strong smell, it should be pretty sealed up good just because it could blow up if you can smell it.

 

just a question, if the fuel system was clogged in some way from sitting, would that cause hesitation when accelerating up a big hill? I mean that the engine sometimes feels like has some hesitation. But not sure if that's normal or not. would a clogged injector or clogged fuel component in any way cause a FUEL Smell on the van ? like I said the smell is strongest in the rear area.