very strong gasoline smell inside car

[elim]

Car: 2000 Grand AM GT Sedan ~59,000 miles

Recent Changes to car:
1.) About a month ago, I had the lower intake manifold gasket, water pump, and serpentine belt replaced.

No gas smell.

2.) 1 1/2 weeks ago, I had rotors and pads changed, and my oil changed from regular to synthetic (Mobil 1 5w-30).

Now, when I run my heater, I can smell very strong gasoline vapors coming from the vents. This smell never happened until I got the oil replaced with Mobil 1. Also, the smell seems to go away if I'm moving, but if I sit still for about 2 minutes, the vapors come back. It is extremely strong in the mornings when I come back to my car after letting it heat up. I have to leave all 4 doors open for about 2 minutes for the vapor smell to get out.

Could this be a problem with switching over to Mobil 1? I've read a lot of people have switched to Mobil 1 and have had no problems, though. I have read about people smelling gas after having the lower intake manifold gasket replaced, but never have heard of a solution to the gas smell. i.e., http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25164&highlight=gas+smell

I'm also thinking that if this was a common problem for people that had their intake gaskets replaced, that a lot more people would be complaining of this problem, though.

Any help would be appreciated.

[tenspeed]

It's not the oil. Check the rubber hoses that run from the fuel lines on the firewall to the fuel lines on the engine.

[JASONFARIA]

i could be oil ur smelling and ur burning oil, thats what i get when i turn on my heater, but ditch the sythentic useless in ur car

[4kQuad]

Untill you know what it is, drive with at least one window cracked so you get frsh air.

Don't smoke......

I would look along the fuel rail where gas goes into the motor.

After drive a little ways leave the car running, in park. Get out and lay on the ground for a couple minutes watching for a leak.

Then shut it off and watch again if your didn't see a drip any where. The line will still be pressurized and the motor will not be sucking it in, so you might see a drip after you shut it off.

Sorry I'm not more help. Hope you find it soon.

[mtnagel]

The same thing happened when I had my LIM replaced. I think it was somethink like one of the heads wasn't put on right or something. Anyway, I only had it a couple days before I took it back and they fixed it for free, but I noticed it right after picking up the car.

Anyway, you can test if it's coming from the engine compartment by smelling the vents on the Max setting (which just recirculates the air in the car), then moving it to the lower setting for the vents (which takes the air from outside). Mine would smell on the lower one, but not on the Max setting.

Anyway, I'm suprised it would take you a month to notice it if it were due to the LIM replacement, but just thought I'd let you know what happened to me. I noticed it right away and so did passengers.

Matthew

[madmac9]

Lose the mobile 1. No point spending mucho $$$ to put mobile 1 in a car that has almost has 60,000 miles on it.

[rixGAphx]

Ditto what mtnagel and madmac9 said.

And, DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR!!!

Gas smell = raw gasoline!!!
There are numerous sources of ignition, specifically sparks in the heater fan motor, along with hot exhaust and other possible underhood sparks.

Get this fixed, now!!

elim, we want you to be around next week to ask more questions! :D

Have the work done by the mechanics that did the LIM. Chances are that they left a hose connector lose or some such.
The odor is NOT related to any work associated with a normal brake job or oil change.

Mobil 1, or any other synthetic, will have NO contact with the fuel system and will NOT result in any fuel leakage.
Maybe an oil seal leak, but not fuel.
And any competent nose should be able to distinguish between the odor of gas and that of oil.

The O-ring seals on fuel injectors fail occasionally, and can be damaged if the injectors are removed for cleaning. Was this done as a part of the lIM service?

BTW, now that you have a new serp belt, have the tensioner/idle pulley assembly replaced. It is prone to fail soon after a new belt has been installed, taking the new belt with it.
My tensioner failed at 62k, fortunately I noticed the noise before the damned thing blew apart.

Good luck, keep us posted.
-Rick

[elim]

Wow, thanks for the replies.

I took the car to the dealer where they did the LIM work. They could not reproduce the gasoline smell coming from the vents. They called me and told me this. So I came down at lunch and tried to get the gasoline smell, and could not do it.

BUT, it seems that whenever the car sits for a long time (as in overnight), the smell comes back. Like this morning, the smell was back when I started my car in the morning and left it running to heat up.

I am going to be leaving the car overnight with them tonight, so that they can start it up and HOPEFULLY smell the gasoline fumes tomorrow morning.

Any ideas as to why it would only smell after the car sits for a long time?

When I learn more, I'll pass on my information.