Fumes (1 Viewer)

[Espalda]

Team,

I have a 2003 Lexus truck that has a fume problem. Gas fumes are present all the time but are especially bad when you fill the tank to capacity. Very little fumes in the cabin, only outside.

Any ideas / suggestions on how to trouble shoot this? Wife wants to throw the damn thing away… your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Mike NXP]

I think the charcoal canister / evap stuff is up under the rear by the spare tire on a 2003. Maybe for a quick check you could pop the lines off and see if your symptoms change?

I don't have a lot of experience diagnosing the 100 series but that's usually a good place to start.

Is the issue made worse when outside temperatures / vehicle is hot or does it happen in the cold too?

 

[Espalda]

It is definitely worse when the weather is hot but happens all the time

 

[Mike NXP]

Here is 46+ pages on what people have tried if you are up against the same issue.
Gas tank building excessive pressure & fuel smell. Dangerous for sure! Why does this happen? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/gas-tank-building-excessive-pressure-fuel-smell-dangerous-for-sure-why-does-this-happen.1214321/page-33


In a nutshell when everything is not dialed in / kept maintained, stuff can get too hot and it can make the fuel pressure build. Some people at higher elevations have even seen it bubbling back out of the cap. The charcoal canister / evap setup can also be an issue here.

Can you monitor engine coolant temperatures ? I'd be good to know what your engine is running at to make sure getting too hot isn't an issue.

 

[Sean9421]

If fumes are present all the time, and especially when the tank is full, I would start by checking out the filler neck/ fuel tank. If the fumes are only present after running the truck, but go away when it's off, then start with the canister. Chances are, there's a leak somewhere on top of the tank that you can't see, and isn't leaving a puddle on the ground, but present when the tank is full and it's sloshing around.

 

[mmbirtcher]

On my 2004 LX I replaced the charcoal canister assembly and that cured the problem. I think you can rebuild them also if you want to save $$.