Here's a funny question. Since I totalled my 4-banger, this is the first time that I've had an old-school ride that actually gets the privelege of being garaged.

I have noticed that when I go in the garage, sometimes it smells a little bit like fuel. Not like enough that I'm worried the water heater will blow the roof off or anything, but still...

I thought maybe it's cause there could be some evaporation of whatever is in the carb????

Is this a bad bad thing, or just bird farts? :p Checked for obvious leaks, replaced fuel line that was looking shabby. Nothing looks wrong.

Thanks to anyone who can offer some perspective.

If I pull mine directly into the garage after a hard run, I have to open a few windows and turn the garage fan on for an hour or so, otherwise the smell of hot gas and oil would permeate the garage.

Usually leave the baby outside for an hour prior to pulling her into the garage though. Can't explain it, there are no leaks or wet lines. I always assumed they all smelled after a good hot run.

Yep, that's the smell! I thought it was a rich exhaust smell at first, but then realized it was more like fresh fuel and something else... (Duh, oil.) :rolleyes:

Mine convertible had a similar smell, but I found that the rubber fuel lines at the gas tank were dry rotted and leaking. Be sure and check all your fuel lines just to be sure.

Tom

The gas caps on your tank should be a vented cap. Heat from the exhaust and air temperature will cause it to expand and vent out the cap. Barry.

I parked mine this morning after a 25 minute drive in to work (still wish I had heat!) and got out to the morning fresh smell of gas and oil. "Ah, that's the stuff." And that's parking it outside!

My car leaks a little bit of oil, so it doesn't surprise me. I think most old cars smell this way?

A friend of mine had a 2nd gen firebird (transam) and it had the side ports in the engine bay - well, he couldn't roll his windows down in the summertime b/c the fumes coming out of there would choke him. hahaha :p

Mine smells like yours Ashtray. It's called "Eau de Characteur." :p

Gee Smitty - the more I read about your car, the more I think they're twins!

My 01 Cadillac STS is a garage queen, and it makes an ever so slight burnt oil smell in the garage. The garage is in the house, but the ever so slight smell stays contained to the garage, and it disipates within an hour or so, only detectible when the car is still hot.

A typical Northstar engine, it eats a little oil, but it doesn't leak a drop. In fact, I took it to the Pontiac dealership and had the oil changed today. The technician, a guy about my age, who changed the oil said that the car was the cleanest, most immaculate car he had ever seen (67,8k on the clock). In additon to the overall flawless interior/exterior condition, the cradle area looked as if the car had never been driven, let alone driven for 67k.

I'm sure that some people wonder why I'm taking a Cadillac to a Pontiac dealership to have the oil changed and why am I taking my now-out-of warranty car to the dealership, or anywhere else to get the oil changed.

Well, during the warranty period, I changed the oil myself because I don't like anyone to even get close to the car, let alone have anyone work on it.

I had a warranty deal at the Cadillac house that was intermixed with a tire purchase. It involved a run-around, and ended up with me calling Cadillac, giving them my old Cadillac technician number, and asking then wtf are we going to do about the run around. They studdred a little, gave me a 50% refund, meaning half priced tires, and a boatload of free oil changes and tire rotations.

Rather than going back to the Cadillac house for the freebees, I thought I would give the Pontiac house a try. Oh yean, while waiting, I took yet another look at the goat. Sorry folks, not trying to be a trader, but the goat doesn't do a thing for me. I ought to test drive it, but if the car in its sitting position doesn't do anything for me, why bother to test drive it?

My bird stays in the garage and it always smells a little bit of gas....but the garage is always vented w a cracked window or door...
and as Amervo I have A caddy as daily driver, its older , a 94 eldorado, but only 84K on it(bought it 2 yrs ago w 54K) that Northstar did a little dripping but had my buddy replace all the hoses and gaskets recently...now no drips , and is clean w Mobil 1 in it...great running engine, getting close to 30 mpg on hwy at 70!But I can always smell a little burnt smell walking by the front of the car for a bit after driving, even outside..but not a drip from the engine...nice and dry.

But it stays outside while the bird smells up the garage some....I think its fairly "normal" w these old cars 'farting' some gas...the cap is vented and after a drive it seems to stay warm awhile...