[mrwood]

I have a strong gas smell inside my 1962 falcon 170 six. I have checked all lines, fuel pump, carb just about everything i can think of and i cant find where the smell is coming from. Even with the car just sitting in the garage and not running you can smell gas when you sit in the front seat. Need help on this one please.

[Kruser]

Well, considering the age of your car, remember that it won't have any emission controls that keeps the vapors from escaping to the atmosphere. Items like a vapor canister hadn't been invented yet. You also won't have a pressurized gas cap either, at least like the ones put on cars 40 years later.
With that being said, pay special attention to the hose between the filler tube and the tank, the short, rubber fuel lines that sit on top of the gas tank and also inspect the O-ring that fits between the fuel gauge sender and the gas tank. It's possible some or all of these have deteriorated.
Also smell the oil dipstick to make sure that the fuel pump is not leaking gas into the engine oil.

[mrwood]

Originally Posted by Kruser

Well, considering the age of your car, remember that it won't have any emission controls that keeps the vapors from escaping to the atmosphere. Items like a vapor canister hadn't been invented yet. You also won't have a pressurized gas cap either, at least like the ones put on cars 40 years later. With that being said, pay special attention to the hose between the filler tube and the tank, the short, rubber fuel lines that sit on top of the gas tank and also inspect the O-ring that fits between the fuel gauge sender and the gas tank. It's possible some or all of these have deteriorated. Also smell the oil dipstick to make sure that the fuel pump is not leaking gas into the engine oil.

I checked all you told me to, and cant find anything wrong. this car was just restored, and the only thing i can see is a small oil lleak at the back of the valvecover.. There is no smell in the trunk area, just in the front seat area. Anymore thoughts here. Thanks for your help.

[Pecos Slick]

The bottom of the trunk is the top of the gas tank. Check for pinhole rust spots there.

[819fva]

If you under the car do a visual inspection with that strong smell it should show up wet. The fuel line is not all steel certain sections are rubber and if they are original possible leaks, dry, cracks, check fuel pump, check the vent line of your filler tube. I am sure you have a non vented cap. Check the fuel line from your fuel pump back to the fuel tank. The fuel line is fastened to the frame rail.

[Dominick]

There is a gas tank vent grommet in the tank.
go to this site click on Falcon type in gas tank vent,
Hope this helps
http://www.classicautoparts.com/pdf/Fairlane.pdf

[mark v]

I agree if you find a wet spot you will find the smell.

My 1998 Windstar had a small pin hole in the fuel line, it was so small I looked over it many times to find the leak and source of my smell. I ended up letting the car run and jacked it up and followed the fuel lines till I found the leak and smell. The leak was so small it only was visible when the line was under pressure when the engine was running.

I don't advise jacking up a car and running it.

[Kruser]

Originally Posted by mark v

I agree if you find a wet spot you will find the smell. The [Windstar's] leak was so small it only was visible when the line was under pressure when the engine was running.

Good advice. With that being said, the OP must remember a couple of things:
The Windstar's fuel system will be totally pressurized, probably around 35-40 psi while the engine is running and even after it is shut off.
On the OP's Falcon, everything before the fuel pump will be under a slight vacuum while the engine is running.
Unless it's after the fuel pump, there won't be a pin hole leak on the Falcon while it is running.
I know that is obvious to most everybody, but I don't know the mechanical level of the Falcon owner.

[mrwood]

I have gone from one end to the other, and cant find a leak anywhere. I guess i will have to drop the tank and see if i have a problem there. Thanks for all your help.

[Kruser]

Originally Posted by mrwood

I have gone from one end to the other, and cant find a leak anywhere......

And the gas is fresh? In other words, this car hasn't been sitting for several years with old gas, has it? The reason I ask is that a couple of years ago I got a 1979 Lincoln Town Car running again that had sat since 1979. The owner had driven it a grand total of 122 miles from the dealer to his garage and simply parked it.....with the original gas still in the tank. After working on it, you couldn't scrub the stink out of your hands and you could still smell it in the laundry room after it had been washed out of the clothes.

[Dominick]

Just a thought
Are you useing a double action fuel pump?
One side for vacuum the other side for fuel.
The diaphragms have been know to leak!

[mrwood]

I think i found the problem, the bowl on the bottom of my fuel pump was loose and was leaking gas on the floor of my shop, so i think that was my problem. Now i have another problem. On top of my fuel pump are 2 what looks like a place to hook up some vacume lines. One has suction, and the other is blowing air out, does anyone know wwhere these go to, and can i just plug them off, i would like to keep everything original if i can. I cant find a vacume chart to see where the lines go, thanks for any help again.

[Kruser]

Originally Posted by mrwood

On top of my fuel pump are 2 what looks like a place to hook up some vacume lines. One has suction, and the other is blowing air out, does anyone know wwhere these go to, and can i just plug them off, i would like to keep everything original if i can. I cant find a vacume chart to see where the lines go, thanks for any help again.

That year had an option for vacuum or electric wipers. Those fittings go to your vacuum windshield wipers, or at least if you still have vacuum wipers. It's also possible that your car has electric wipers and somebody put a fuel pump on your car that was made for vacuum wipers. Or, somebody converted the vacuum wipers over to electric wipers.
So....do your wipers work?

[mrwood]

My vacume wipers run off the carb, but still dont know why one has air blowing out. I can plug the vacume side, but dont know what do with other one.

[Dominick]

You wipers were supposed to run off the fuel pump like I stated above
Just a thought
Are you useing a double action fuel pump?
One side for vacuum the other side for fuel.
The diaphragms have been known to leak!

[jwko]

The wipers are not supposed to run directly off the vacuum section of the fuel pump. The function of the vacuum section of the pump is to act as a booster to the intake manifold vacuum, thereby providing uniform operation of the windshield wiper at all engine speeds and loads.

**edit, I am wrong on this. One side of the vacuum pump connects to manifold vacuum and the other is connected to the wipers. Sorry about the confusion on my part.

[opsuper3]

One side of the pump 'blows' because it is exhausting the air that it pulled to create the vacuum. The 'blow' side is connected to the intake manifold to provide clean air and to use engine vacuum when available. Connecting the vacuum pump correctly will solve the "slow or stopped during acceleration, madly flailing during deceleration wiper actions."

Connected directly to the manifold, the wipers on my 57 Chevy would throw the cable off of the drive pulleys when coming off the freeway. Oldtimers know what I am talking about!

[Poppy]

Wow!... you guys are good!!!

I haven't seen vacuum wipers in so many years, I forgot they even existed! Here you are discussing how they are hooked up and how they work.

Impressive eh?