Okay all you mechanically-minded folks: My 89 Bronco II runs great, except for one minor flaw.
Whenever I drive for over 75 miles or so, gasoline fumes enter the inside of the car and get stronger as I continue driving. I have been to countless mechanics, and they don’t have a clue.
Any ideas?
Gas or exhaust?
Lets take the easy one. If it was an exhaust leak (which can smell like gas) you have a “leak” in your exhuast system somewhere between your exhaust manifold an muffler. Any good exhaust shop can examine this.
If its an actual gasoline smell?
Well, there is a thing called an evaporative canister that is part of the emmision control system. It either looks a soup can or sometimes a plastic ball. If memory serves, they are more or less a charcoal filter…and do wear out. When this happens, it is possible for fuel fumes to be noticed. Sometimes it is in the very front of the vehicle near the grill. If you find it, see if you notice a strong scent of gasoline there. If so, thats probably your culprit.
Another possibility is an actual fuel leak. I would imagine that scenario would have been checked out by your mechanics already though.
Just a couple of guesses.
I think you have a likely culprit. However, one thing…
The ones I have seen are typically cylindrical, and plastic. They have between 3 to 5 vacuum lines and fuel vapor lines connected to them. The thing that often looks like a large metal soup can or plastic ball is normally the vacuum canister.
I know exactly what your thinking of Anthracite, and you are correct.
I have seen a few evaporative canisters (please don’t ask which vehicles, I can’t remember) that looked like a can … in the sense they were small and cylindrical (as you mentioned). HOWEVER, you bring up a good point that they are not metal like some vacuum canisters, but are almost always (if not always) plastic. I forgot that and could have easily caused confusion… and caused the person to look at the wrong item.
Good correction / elaboration.