Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Paul Adamson wrote:

My experience too, although I'm not sure that I'm ready to accept
it as "normal" yet Anyway I've been unable to completely
eliminate a slight gasoline smell in the boot, on three out of four
Elans that I've owned.

Could it be that any small leak in the vicinity of the glassfibre
results in some getting absorbed, explaining why it is so hard
to get rid of?

Regards,
Erik Berg
Los Angeles

My Elan also had a slight petrol smell, which seemed to come from
the passenger compartment. This puzzled me since the fuel lines
don't even flow through the passenger compartment.

It turns out that the leak was from the O-ring in the Stromberg
float bowl but the smell went all over and was very hard to
isolate (kinda like a squeak or rattle). I now have NO petrol
smell.

-Lawrence-
http://www.promobility.net/lawrence

Erik V. Berg wrote:

The answer is venting and, as the car salesmans says, "they all do that."

Paul

"Erik V. Berg" wrote:

Paul, when you wrote:

I assume you meant venting of the boot, as opposed to
venting of the tank?

Regards,
Erik Berg

Erik,

Both.

Paul

"Erik V. Berg" wrote:

I find the smell in mine is actually the boot seal leaking and allowing
exhaust gasses to creep into the boot
My elan does run rich.
jimbo 66 s3
----- Original Message -----
From: Erik V. Berg <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 1999 10:44 AM
Subject: [lotuselan] That gasoline / petrol smell in the trunk / boot

At 03:46 PM 7/8/99 -0700, you wrote:

The tank on the Elan is vented via the filler pipe and therefore should not end
up in the boot unless there is a leak in the rubber hose connecting the tank to
the filler pipe.
Rodney Stevens
Home Phone: 61 2 42942428
Email: [email protected]

Work Phone: 61 2 97106701
Work Fax: 61 2 97106789
Email: [email protected]

Elan SS s/e 45/7616
http://sites.netscape.net/rodjohnstevens/homepage

You can also get the smell when the large "fill" hose is going bad, or
even if you fill the tank to the point that the gas is up into the
fill hose. At least that's been my experience on several cars
including my Elan.

As a side point, some owners of Miatas have had similar fuel smells in
the trunk. The official factory "reason" is that the spare tire out
gasses and causes the smell. The service bulletin states to remove
(or "bag") spare to see if the smell goes away...

Tim Mullen
Chantilly, VA

72 Elan Sprint
94 Miata R pkg.