1982 mercedes 280se european gas odor'
 

I was hoping i can get someone to give me a hint on what could be causing the gas smell inside the car when i cant find any gas leak anywhere. This vehicle was owned by my dad who passed away 7 months ago and could never figure out the problem. The car was passed on to me after his passing and i would like to keep the car in his memory and fix it if i can. Car also always idled too high he always played with the screw to idle it down or up. Now i have the screw closed all the way and it still idles high but the gas odor is my worst problem to be able to sit in it and able to drive it. I would be greatfull for any help from here by anyone. Thanks Alex'

I would start w/the rubber connections on the fuel lines first: between the tank and fuel pump and filter just in front of & below the tank. Then check any rubber connections at the metal lines connecting to the engine.

Check the interior drain from the gas filler door. when the rubber hose perishes it dumps any spillage into the trunk.

Tom W

There's also a vent system, from the bottom of the tank that should be checked for leaks. There may have been some additional plumbing added to this when the car was imported, and this should be checked as well.

Your idle problem is probably a tired auxiliary air valve, or cracks/leaks in the rubber air lines. Look around the lower left front of the engine block, and you will see them.

Fule smell and high idle in 1982 280se
 

Thanks for the responses, I was under that hood most of the day checked for fuel leak and vacume leak under the air filter assembly and anywhere else i can think of, dont see nothing.Me looking at this engine is like a deer looking in to a set of headlights. There is no fuel smell under the hood just sometimes in the car like it comes and goes. Idle has always been played with by my father before he passed and he could never figure it out, Now i am on a mission to figure this thing out. I have the scrw turned all the way in and still idles up to 20. I been turning the air on to bring the idle down before puting it in to gear. I will look in to those things sugested here. i am sure i will have more questions' Thanks Alex'

response to 82 280se european
 

[Your idle problem is probably a tired auxiliary air valve, = is that valve on the passenger side thats attached to the exhaust manifold witht he air line connected to it? Thanks Alex

No. The idle air valve is on the other side, under the intake manifold, near the distributor. You may be looking at the exhaust gas recirculation valve.

If you are getting 2K RPM idle with the adjustment screw all the way in, there is something really wrong. A normal setting even with the aux valve open should not give you more than 1300.

The first thing to check is the throttle linkage. It may be preventing the throttle valve from closing all the way. Unhook it at the last fitting, near the throttle plate, and see if that makes a difference. If it doesn't, look closely at throttle stop and make sure that there is no dirt or crud preventing it from closing all the way.

Now check all of the large rubber hoses that connect the idle air valve and the aux air valve to the intake. Be sure there are no tears, and that the clamps are tight.

Be sure that all vacuum lines are present and connected. There should be two at the front of the intake manifold. One goes to the distributor, one to the purge valve/charcoal cannister (this one is a prime suspect given the gas smell). There should be one to the warm-up regulator. There may be two others that go to two temp sensors.

gas odor
 

I had a similar smell in the BMW. It turned out to be a very small pinhole in the hose leading to the cold start injector. It is close enoough to the firewall that the odor gets sucked in to the climate controls and it is only under pressure when the car is running so it is hard to find. I would check all your gasoline hoses. Grab them and give them a good squeeze. If they don't feel 'right' replace them. Actually I would just replace them since they are probably over 20 years old.

For the fast idle I would also check the intake manifold gaskets and the cold start injector connection. If you are leaking air into the manifold, the idle adjustment cannot bring downthe idle. Again this is BMW experience, but the injection is the same...

gas odor and high idle 1982 mercedes 280se
 

Thanks for the info' at least i know more factors now that can cause this problem. Maybe i should of mentioned that the thermostat was taken out because dad thought it was running a litle too hot in the summer so he was worried about it so it ran cooler without it. I went to put it back in but it looked like it wont even fit or looks like it has to go in upside down and even that way looked like there is like a niple inside the area where it has to sit in and i was afraid to force it and screw something up, so i left it out. Could this also have something to do with the idle being high because the way i remember it idle was much lower in the summer and i was able to make adjustment with the screw then. Maybe i should have mentioned that right away. Thanks Alex'

Absolutely. The auxiliary air valve is bolted to the block. There is a hole that allows the back side of the valve to contact the coolant in the block. Until the coolant gets up to operating temp, the valve will add extra air, raising the idle. So with no thermostat ... (you get the picture).

Thanks Chuck' I take it the thermostat has to go back in and that might resolve 1 of my problems. So on these cars it goes in there upside down not like the american cars, the thermostat i mean?

Fuel odor
 

IRT your fuel odor; the cure for my similar problem was to replace the copper gaskets at the fuel pump - filter fitting. The leak at that point was only present while the engine was running and the fuel pump producing pressure. It is common for amateur mechanics to try to reuse those gaskets (copper washers) after changing the fuel filter thus resulting in a leak. They must be replaced.

Stick your head under the rear of the car while it isrunning and inspect the fuel fittings around the pump(s) and filter. Don't let anyone back over your head.

There are two metal strips on the thermostat that form a "V." Thats the side that goes up. There is also an o-ring that seals the housing.

Thats the way i tried to put the thermostat back in v side up, when i placed it in its place there is a small pin on the bottom of the thermostat housing the bottom one after removin the top piece. When i originaly placed it in there it would not go flush because of that pin thats in there, i was not sure if i tighten it down will that pin push down making the connection with the themostat? or if it dont it seems like it would bend ' this is why i stoped when i was trying to install it. Is that pin connected to a spring where it pushes down so i wont crack the housing? I am assuming thats the sensor that i am talking about. Alex'

gas odor 82 mercedes european
 

Stick your head under the rear of the car while it isrunning and inspect the fuel fittings around the pump(s) and filter. Don't let anyone back over your head'' = I stuck me head behind the car, pump looks good' removed the side panel by the trunk where the gas filler is, there is a litle bit of smell there' There is 2 smaller hoses there, 1 running to the back and comes out by the wheel well, other 1 goes somewhere behind the back seat and dont know where it goes to, cant follow it already had the back seat out once. thats the only area i can smell a litle gas. Maybe i need to have a smoke in the trunk to find the leak'