Hi,

I own a 96 discovery, for the last month a strong raw gasoline smell comes out, abouth every other day I drive it, immediately the check engine light turn on for a while and then it turns off and so. Also, it been giving me very poor mileage lately.

I changed the spark plugs and wires and done a tune up, which help a little bit, but not much, still on 8.5 miles per gallon

I've taken it to two different places to be checked with the computer, and apparently nothing seems to be wrong, no errors come out.

I'm not a mechanic, and not sure what else to look for, please help!!!

Thanks all,

Yvonne67ht
Discovery 1996
142,800 miles
Automatic 4.0 V8 4X4

PS I forgot to mention another issue but this one with my brakes. Sometimes at the first drive of the day, the brakes will not function for a fraction of a minute, it makes a wear squeeze air noise, the haul light on dash turns green for half minute, then it turns off, and the brakes function totally normal for the rest of the day. No idea of what is cosing this ?????????????

 

You could very well have a leak in a fuel line. That could explain the raw gas smell and the bad mpg's / loss of fuel and the lack of codes / check engine light.

Check for (or have a mechanic you TRUST check for) loose fuel fittings between the tank and the fuel rail. Especially around the filter located inside the right, rear wheel well, on the frame, just forward of the shock.

and uh... no smokin'

 

Also look into O2 sensors as well as the coolant temp sensor.

 

Thank yooouuuu,

I will check both issues..... smoke free, thank God!

I know it carry s 4 sensors, any particular one I should be more concern?

Yvonne67

 

The two toward the front (upstream).

But you would most likely get a code if they were out of range...

 

Thanks again!

 

He said his CEL comes and goes, if it is off when the shop tried to trouble shoot they will not get a code correct?
However they can read the values of the O2's with the engine running.
They should be putting out .9 volts each if I remember right.

I do agree to check for leaks first, fill the tank and then look around for wetness with a flashlight starting at the fuel tank.

Ooo, ooo, Cosmic might be onto something, open the fuel pump access hatch and look for a rusted fuel line, you wont see that leak but you will smell it.
It is under the carpet in the cargo area.

 

I have a early 97 Discovery. One of the issues I had to deal with was severe corrosion of the fuel lines themselves. At every place where the lines sat in a clamp, they corroded to the clamps. The fuel filter itself also rusted to the clamp that holds it. That clamp had almost completely rusted away.

When I lifted the fuel lines out of the clamps while trying to get better access to the starter, the lines developed pinhole leaks all along the length of the vehicle. I lost several gallons of gas overnight directly onto the driveway.

I had to replace both lines completely from the fuel pump connections all the way to the engine bay.

You should get underneath the vehicle with a good light and see what you got just to be sure.

 

Good point Phil... I wish my CEL would go off when the fault disappears. silly '95.

the O2's will read as low as 0.01v (lean mix) all the way to 1.0v (rich mix...could give a gas smell). They should read about the same unless one side of the engine is running out of range. Also, that voltage reading will fluctuate but shouldn't stay high or low for long.

One good way to tell if the smell is outside or inside (like under the cargo area) is to keep windows closed and your recirculation switch for the A/C in the recirc / "closed to outside" mode. Pushed in with light on. if the smell weakens then it is most likely exhaust or forward of the filter. If it stays strong or gets stronger then it is probably the fuel tank fittings / lines.

 

Pull the cover off the fuel pump under the rear cargo mat and see what you got there.