Strong smell of gas when it's hot outside

[mcgaskins]

It was about 95 degrees yesterday, and we drove the 200 to a wedding about an hour from home with the AC blasting. When we parked, there was a very strong odor of gasoline emanating from the truck. I opened the gas cap to relieve pressure, but there didn't seem to be any. We also noticed the smell in Moab when it was over 90 degrees, but this was odd since there was no stop and go or trail driving just pure freeway. I remember a couple other guys with 200s mentioning something similar in the past, but I can't find what the solution was. Now that summer seems to be here, I definitely want to address asap. Any ideas? Charcoal canister, evap system, others?

 

[Sandroad]

That's occasionally been a problem in the 100. Here's the results of a search in that section. May give you some ideas? (or not).

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threadloom/search?query=gas smell forum:"26"&tab=397

 

[kevinfoutch]

Not sure if a solution was reached, but @kreiten and others discussed at length last summer - you have any suggestions Ken?

 

[Markuson]

On two occasions, my 200's fuel has (what I call) "boiled"...and come bubbling out of the fill area while idling. This happened last summer in Moab when my rig sat idling on a steep upward incline (dealing with an obstacle). Fuel was actually dripping out, and when I opened the cover, it was bubbling.

 

[TonyP]

Same thing happened to me.
It seems to be more prevalent with drastic elevation changes.

 

[kreiten]

Not sure if a solution was reached, but @kreiten and others discussed at length last summer - you have any suggestions Ken?

Only time I've experienced it was during one day in Moab, it was hot and we were at altitude. We left the gas cap partially off to try to relieve pressure(we were later told by Slee to not do this and to just allow the system to work the way it was intended to work, gas cap on all the way). Long story short we found no resolution to the problem, the rig operated as normal it just had a def gas smell and you could hear the gas bubbling in the tank. From everything I've heard it just appears that when it's really hot and you are at altitude the system has a hard to keeping up with relieving the amount of pressure that is building up in the tank?!?!

 

[Markuson]

Only time I've experienced it was during one day in Moab, it was hot and we were at altitude. We left the gas cap partially off to try to relieve pressure(we were later told by Slee to not do this and to just allow the system to work the way it was intended to work, gas cap on all the way). Long story short we found no resolution to the problem, the rig operated as normal it just had a def gas smell and you could hear the gas bubbling in the tank. From everything I heard it just appears that when it's really hot and you are at altitude the system has a hard to keeping up with relieving the amount of pressure that is building up in the tank?!?!

Must be some weird Moab juju...because we all seem to have only experienced it in Moab! Interesting.

 

[mcgaskins]

I first noticed it in Moab, but yesterday I just drove from downtown Denver to a little bit past Boulder without any real change in elevation. It was easy freeway driving too which make it stranger because it shouldn't have gotten that hot even though ambient temps were in the mid 90s. My warranty just expired (of course), but I may take into the dealer since it should be hot this week. Annoying to say the least!

 

[blatant]

Fwiw. It's been over 100 here the last couple of days/week or two. A/c on. Stop and go. Top highway speed, General messing around, up to about 5k-6k ft at one point, at highway speed pulling large hills and a short trailer pull. Not a smell at all. Tank level from full to 1/2 to full.

 

[RobRed]

To my knowledge this issue has always been relevant to altitude and duty cycle. I've never experienced it in my 100 and the 200 is too new but I've been around it and it has always pointed to the evap canister having issues.

 

[Rigger]

My 200 gave off a strong fuel smell immediately after ascending Kenny's Climb, at Moab. Dissipated after about 30 minutes or so, I think.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Did any of you guys with this issue fill up at the City Market gas station in Moab, the grocery store one?

There has been a little bit of controversy of that fuel over the years. I remember people talking about it at a few Easter Jeep safaris, but figured it was a Jeep thing, and that I wouldn't understand.

 

[Markuson]

Did any of you guys with this issue fill up at the City Market gas station in Moab, the grocery store one?

Is that in town? If so...no.

 

[kreiten]

Did any of you guys with this issue fill up at the City Market gas station in Moab, the grocery store one?

There has been a little bit of controversy of that fuel over the years. I remember people talking about it at a few Easter Jeep safaris, but figured it was a Jeep thing, and that I wouldn't understand.

yep, we filled up at City Market that morning, hit the trail with a full tank! We had about half of the rigs experience this on the trail I think and we could not find any thing in common with the rigs that did, i.e. where we got fuel, how full our tanks were etc...

 

[kreiten]

Is that in town? If so...no.

yah it's right downtown, City Market is the same as Fred Meyer over here on the west coast!

 

[kreiten]

Did any of you guys with this issue fill up at the City Market gas station in Moab, the grocery store one?

There has been a little bit of controversy of that fuel over the years. I remember people talking about it at a few Easter Jeep safaris, but figured it was a Jeep thing, and that I wouldn't understand.

That's super weird, any theory behind the gas at that station? We def were rolling almost a full tank of that City Market gas when it happened to us. Our theory was just that when you take fuel and put it at altitude, shake it up and add heat you put it under pressure that the system may have a hard time keeping up with, thoughts on this Taco?

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

That's super weird, any theory behind the gas at that station? We def were rolling almost a full tank of that City Market gas when it happened to us. Our theory was just that when you take fuel and put it at altitude, shake it up and add heat you put it under pressure that the system may have a hard time keeping up with, thoughts on this Taco?

Well, the boiling point of gasoline can be very different across the board, but it is generally between 180-220 degrees F. Things that can bring it down a lot are things like water. Moab is only 4,000 feet above sea level, which really isn't very high. 90 degree F air temperatures aren't really that high either.

But I think when you have a little elevation, a little heat, and maybe some poor fuel quality, yea, the boiling point sure could be brought down to unacceptable temperatures.

One thing I've enjoyed fiddling around with in recent years is testing pump gasoline for ethanol and water levels, plus one of my old wheeling friends worked as a fuel station repair guy, and it's amazing how bad the underground tanks can be sometimes.

In Moab, I like to fill up at the Shell just outside town on the west, it has big above ground tanks, that way at least I know there aren't puncture in the tanks to regrade the fuel.

 

[kreiten]

Well, the boiling point of gasoline can be very different across the board, but it is generally between 180-220 degrees F. Things that can bring it down a lot are things like water. Moab is only 4,000 feet above sea level, which really isn't very high. 90 degree F air temperatures aren't really that high either.

But I think when you have a little elevation, a little heat, and maybe some poor fuel quality, yea, the boiling point sure could be brought down to unacceptable temperatures.

One thing I've enjoyed fiddling around with in recent years is testing pump gasoline for ethanol and water levels, plus one of my old wheeling friends worked as a fuel station repair guy, and it's amazing how bad the underground tanks can be sometimes.

In Moab, I like to fill up at the Shell just outside town on the west, it has big above ground tanks, that way at least I know there aren't puncture in the tanks to regrade the fuel.

That def makes sense, I'll grab my fuel at the shell station when I'm there in a couple months! Thanks for all the info you bring to this forum Taco!

 

[Atwalz]

I filled out a complaint form on NHTSA.gov and let's see what happens. We leaked gas and it was boiling on the trails in Moab. I get a check engine light due to the Evap canister issues and it disables the Trac off and 4 low. I would urge fellow mudder with a similar issue to do so. I hope NHTSA determines this as a recall and have Toyota fix this peculiar issue. I know of few members with this issue. @TonyP @Markuson @kreiten @BTUMAN @steenh @TexAZ ???? Any other I am missing or overstated?

 

[steenh]

I'll do that for sure. Why not, it certainly can't hurt.