Strong exhaust smell, charcoal canister?

[subzero]

Hiya folks, I was hoping the knowledgeable denizens of this forum could help me out. I've been lurking for a long time, done a lot of searching and a lot of reading, but haven't read about anyone else dumb enough to do what I did.

First off, quick stats. 98 LC, 178K, owned for 2 years, a few problems but no showstoppers.

I recently had to replace the starter, which was no fun. In my haste to get it all back together after replacing the starter I got a little careless. I would take it for a ride around the block and it would die on deceleration. After noticing gas dripping out of the air box, I figured out I had somehow filled the charcoal canister with gasoline. I went back and got the lines right and gave the canister a day to dry out. After that, no more dying on stopping. I never got a check engine light.

After completing this maintenance, I've noticed a strong smell of exhaust inside the cabin once I'm up to operating temperature. It's bad enough that my wife has complained about the smell on my clothes when I get home, and that's after riding with the windows down.

I think I may have borked the charcoal canister beyond repair but I'm wondering if there's anything else that may be responsible for such a strong exhaust smell. What can I check to figure out whats going on? Is there a way to check the health of the charcoal canister? I hate to think I broke an $800 part trying to save money replacing a $100 part.

 

[PabloCruise]

Charcoal canister will you give you raw gas smell/fumes. Exhaust smell is something else completely...

 

[DirtDawg]

Possible exhaust leak into the cab? Or leak in the engine bay that's coming in through the AC? Maybe EGR. Are you sure it's exhaust?

 

[subzero]

Pretty sure it's exhaust. Might not be the charcoal canister, I was leaning that way since I had boogered it up right before this happened.

 

[DirtDawg]

Make sure all EGR equipment is in tact and functioning properly. Check exhaust for leaks, should be pretty noticeable.

 

[Mike6158]

The charcoal canister part of the Fuel / Emission Control system. In simplest terms it "scrubs" the vapor that comes from the fuel tank when fuel heats up and evaporates. It's path is through the evap line to the charcoal canister. From there the vapor goes to the intake manifold. Charcoal absorbs the fuel which should prevent liquid fuel from entering the air intake. The system is not particularly complicated but more than I care to describe any further so here's a page from the service manual

 

[SWUtah]

If it's fuel smell install a new PCV valve. Cheap and at your mileage consider it maintance.