Fuel fill issue, fuel smell, extreme fuel consumption

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Heathw

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Hello everyone! 99 Pontiac Grand am se 2.4. Recent head gasket replacement car has been running great every since but my fuel economy has gotten extremely bad. I have had problems with filling tank I have to put it in slowly or it kicks the pump off. I have noticed a strong fuel smell when I exit the car. I have noticed fuel drips on garage floor but can't tell for sure where it is coming from. I'm wondering if all the issues are connected. Before I drop the fuel tank I was hoping to get some advice on what could be causing this issue! Thanks Heath Also does anyone know of a aftermarket company that makes door panels for Grand am
 
you should find where the fuel leak is coming from before dropping the tank.
the fuel pump at the gas station shutting off indicates a problem with the venting system of the EVAP control
do you have a check engine light on?
you will need a salvage yard for the door panel
 
Fuel is running down from were the fill tube connects to the tank. I do have a check engine light but it has been on since I did the head. The code was due to the o2 sensor being disconnected. I am having new exhaust system installed I don't have a port to screw o2 sensor into. Can the faulty venting system cause fuel to be pushed out of the tank?
 
So you could have additional codes at this point concerning the EVAP system but you are assuming it's related to the O2 sensor?
Why wouldnt you have a port to attach the O2 sensor and which one are you referring to before the catalytic converter or after the converter?
Do you hear a sound when you open the gas cap indicating pressure is building up?
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It is the secondary o2 after converter. When I had the misfire issue it got so hot the o2 pipe broke I ordered the parts on line had a friend pick up for me it didn't have o2 port I needed car next day so put it together with what I had. No pressure release from fuel cap. Tank is wet with fuel on back side and bottom. New codes are possible haven't had access to scanner.
 
you or a professional have to determine if you need a new tank, cannt tell you on the internet, The codes can be checked by any autozone store for free and may point to a problem with the evap system. You must realize a gas leak near the exhaust system is dangerous.
 
Finally got the codes. Two codes were set 0140 0141 do to the o2 sensor being disconnected. I'm going to drop the tank and try and determine the source of the leak. I can definitely tell the fuel is coming from were the fill tube connects to the tank. I also have noticed that my fuel gauge has been inconsistent. It will be on half then drop down to just above the quarter then slowly rise back. Anyway I will make sure and post as soon as I find out the problem!
 
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The part that is outlined in red i believe is the same as the one in my picture. This car has lived on rock roads its whole life! So needless to say the top of the tank is covered in dried mud except that connection you see in my pic. Im guessing this is the fuel line out from pump. Im sure this is where my leak is because it is the only thing that is clean and also it was wet with fuel. My question is should any of the threads be showing? Is it possible it has unthreaded do to all the years of vibrating down the gravel roads? Is this something i should try to tighten or do you think i should go ahead and drop the tank to check other parts also? Thanks Heath
 
that looks like a spot where gasoline has washed away the mud but with all that mud there it is hard to say. is there anyway you can hose off all that mud and get a better view? You can try tightening it but be prepared if it breaks for the gas tank to dump all it's gas out.
 
I will pull it out of my garage and fire up the power washer. I will post some new pics after I clean it up.
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melsg5 said:
that looks like a spot where gasoline has washed away the mud but with all that mud there it is hard to say. is there anyway you can hose off all that mud and get a better view? You can try tightening it but be prepared if it breaks for the gas tank to dump all it's gas out.
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Ok I dropped the tank and checked the fitting where the fuel lines connect and was able to turn it by hand! Tightened that up and cleaned the tank really well. Reinstalled tank no fuel drips on garage floor. Now from what I've read I'm going to replace the Vapor solenoid to see if that solves the issue of slow fill at the pump.
 
I would think with all that mud you had any vent that is part of the EVAP system in the back would be clogged giving you the fill problem. Glad to hear it was only a loose fitting.
 
melsg5 said:
I would think with all that mud you had any vent that is part of the EVAP system in the back would be clogged giving you the fill problem. Glad to hear it was only a loose fitting.
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There was what looked like a vent hose coming from the tank it was OK. Is there a filter on these vents that can be cleaned? I'm completely unfamiliar with the evap systems. I would rather clean a filter if possible hate to by new part if not needed. Thanks Heath
 
melsg5 said:
any venting would be done by the evap solenoid. Look at number 4 in the diagram

http://www.tonkinonlineparts.com/sh...odel=15777&modelYear=1999&ukey_category=22490
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OK I replaced the vent solenoid and it was packed full of dirt! I will fill it up in morning to see how it does. I ran into another problem I wanted to ask about. Let me know if I need to start a new thread. This I'm sure is a issue I caused during the head gasket replacement. There is a mix of oil and water in the air outlet and in the rubber hose that connects to the bottom of the air outlet. I am a little low on oil but seem to be holding steady on antifreeze. Could this be a intake gasket issue or possibly a bad pvc valve?
 
I'm not clear on what part you are referring to, air outlet? Any chance you can post a picture?
 
s-l1600.jpg Ok here is a pic. Sorry i was tired when i posted i have no idea why i called a air outlet. Anyway the hose i mentioned attaches to bottom of air intake box and is also attached to air oil seperator down on the block. It had a oil water mix in it. Oil dipstick has no water just clean oil. I did notice a couple places on exhaust where i didnt get Ubolt tight enough had water on the pipe not dripping just wet around the seam. my antifreeze level doesnt look to be dropping if it is it is a very minute amount. Engine idle does seem to be effected rpms are lower than normal still runs ok but a little sluggish when first accelerating but picks up nicely. Also had oil in air box and i did notice a bit of oil on the front of engine but cant tell where it is coming from. Thanks and let me know any other info i can give ya.
 
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