Fuel Smell - Running Rich. . .

[rtp03]

92 TSI - Small 16G, When driving down the road and the window is down I smell gas like there is no tomorrow. Can not see fuel leaks anywhere. In the morning when entering the car I smell fuel, but when driving down the road with the window up there is no smell.

Checked Timing - 5 degrees BTDC, goes to 3-4 Degrees BTDC after unhooking the ground. Should go to 8 degrees BTDC correct?

NO BOOST LEAKS - Car runs fast with no hesitation!!

Replaced O2 sensor about 8000 miles ago with bosch.

Could it be a bad temp sensor off the thermo housing?? But it still runs rich right away before it gets up to temp.

No data logger.

Any idea would be helpful!!!

 

[SpeedFreak03]

Hmm...if you have a brand new O2 sensor and you still smell gas, that would make me think it's a leak - but you say there are no leaks. If you let the car idle and rev it up a few times but let it sit in the same spot for a few minutes (like 5-10 minutes idling), do u see any leaks? Maybe it only leaks when the pump is running? So no smoke or anything? Check for carbon build-up in the tailpipe. If there's no carbon buildup, then that almost certainly means that excess fuel isn't being burnt, its leaking. Good luck though!

 

[rtp03]

Hmm...if you have a brand new O2 sensor and you still smell gas, that would make me think it's a leak - but you say there are no leaks. If you let the car idle and rev it up a few times but let it sit in the same spot for a few minutes (like 5-10 minutes idling), do u see any leaks? Maybe it only leaks when the pump is running? So no smoke or anything? Check for carbon build-up in the tailpipe. If there's no carbon buildup, then that almost certainly means that excess fuel isn't being burnt, its leaking. Good luck though!

The exhaust smells rich and there is carbon buildup. When driving down the road it smells like fuel really bad. Still don't see any leaks. I put a brand new O2 sensor in but it didn't change anything. I am running at 13 lbs of boost.

 

[tsiawd98]

It's just a guess but it could also be your hatcback seal has gone bad and needs to be replaced. the exhaust might be leaking into your car from the worn out seal. Ive already seen cases like this before. But its just a guess? if your really running rich hook up a air fuel guage and see whats it running. and i would check your fuel pressure maybe your fuel regulator has gone bad and it could be dumping extra fuel in or whatevere theres a lot of combinations that could have it run rich.

 

[SpeedFreak03]

Maybe it's the seal, BUT it still shouldn't smell (too) rich, and there really shouldn't be much carbon buildup at all. But since you have those two things, then it definetly wasn't a leak, I was under the impression that the engine was getting a fine A/F mix. Your not venting your BOV by any chance are you? Is your MAS in good shape, and have you removed any honeycombs (free mods)? If so I'd suggest putting them back in and trying that. Do you know when it started running rich/smelling like gas (like after a certain mod or something)? Well write back and answer these questions and we'll go from there.

 

[flinguist]

Do you have a larger than stock fuel pump, or injectors? That would make you run rich.

 

[rtp03]

I do have the honeycombs out of the MAS. I have an extra MAS unhacked I'll put in. I have stock injectors and fuel pump. Sometimes it does not idle when its warm and sitting parked for awhile. When I start it up it seems flooded. But once I strart driving the idle is back to normal. Also I am not venting the BOV.

 

[SpeedFreak03]

In that case, I'm 99% sure that putting the honeycombs back in will solve your problem! That "mod" only works on some cars, just like how venting a BOV only negatively affects some cars (well, noticeably I mean). On other cars it will make them run rich. Also, you are only supposed to remove the bottom (or is it the upper) honeycomb. So swap in the unhacked MAS and let me know how it works.