Question:

We have a 1994 Explorer (4.0 liter) with 102,600 miles. A couple weekends ago, we were pulling a 2,400 pound camper with the Explorer.  The outside temperature was about 90 and the AC was on.  The transmission was not in overdrive.  We had about 1/2 tank of gasoline. Our speed varied between 60 MPH and being stuck in Friday afternoon I-294 traffic for an hour. We began to smell something, like gasoline but not quite gasoline — more like something from Organic Chemistry labs from memory of decades ago.  Turned off the AC and opened windows for fresh air.  When we were able to stop, I isolated the source to the Fuel Vapor Canister; pulled off the vent caps and verified the source. The smell has now diminished and really only noticed if I remember to sniff for it. 1) Is this something that needs to be fixed?  (because it is toxic? because the engine will fail next emissions test?  because it smells bad?) 2) Is it the Fuel Vapor Canister or something else? 3) What might be cost of parts and difficulty of repair? Thanks, Bill.

Response:

A vapor canister just stores fuel vapor unitil it’s purged to the engine. So if there is a problem with an odor coming from it should smell like gasoline. Does the odor you notice smell like rotten eggs or burning sulfur, if so the catalytic converter can emit an odor like this under certain conditions like an extremely rich air/fuel mixture. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We have a 1994 Explorer (4.0 liter) with 102,600 miles. >A couple weekends ago, we were pulling a 2,400 pound camper with the >Explorer.  The outside temperature was about 90 and the AC was on.  The >transmission was not in overdrive.  We had about 1/2 tank of gasoline. >Our speed varied between 60 MPH and being stuck in Friday afternoon >I-294 traffic for an hour. >We began to smell something, like gasoline but not quite gasoline — >more like something from Organic Chemistry labs from memory of decades >ago.  Turned off the AC and opened windows for fresh air.  When we were >able to stop, I isolated the source to the Fuel Vapor Canister; pulled >off the vent caps and verified the source. >The smell has now diminished and really only noticed if I remember to >sniff for it. >1) Is this something that needs to be fixed?  (because it is toxic? >because the engine will fail next emissions test?  because it smells >bad?) >2) Is it the Fuel Vapor Canister or something else? >3) What might be cost of parts and difficulty of repair? >Thanks, >Bill.

Response: