Greetings! I thought it was time for a first post (to satisfy the red words at the top of the page bugging me to make a first post )

 

The problem: in my 87 GL wagon when idling at a light with the heater on I get a strong fuel smell coming through the heater vents. It doesn't seem to happen while the car is moving but only when stopped and idling. The smell is strong enough to cause my wife to roll down the window and not want to ride in the car at all.

 

My mechanic noticed that I had a hole in my exhaust near the front of the car and theorized that maybe when idling the smell was coming up between the motor and heater intake? causing the smell. I had the exhaust fixed but the smell remains.

 

The guy who fixed the hole in my exhaust noticed some oil had leaked on the exhaust near the motor and theorized that it (the oil) was causing the smell. Can't say yes or no to that one since I haven't cleaned off the oil. I am a bit skeptical since the smell is more like fuel than burning oil.

 

I searched USMB and found a similar thread (http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9781&highlight=heater+smell) However, since I wasn't sure of forum etiquette regarding resurrecting old threads I decided to start a new one.

 

Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Or, if anyone else is having the same issue feel free to share your expertise. Not using the heater comes to mind, but it gets a bit cold in the car .

 

Peace . . .

this happened on my wagon. it ended up being a cracked fuel line right next to one of the clamps. start the car, get it hot and start wigglin fuel lines.. you should see it spray out somewhere.

 

if its SPFI, be careful because there is 60 PSI of fuel pressure in the lines.

 

 

hope this helps.

Thanks so much for the reply. I'll check it out.

just on a side note, does this only happen when the heater is on?

 

While listening to cartalk a month ago they had someone who was experiencing the saem thing and could not track it down, turned out it was their heater motor melting its casing, which is what generated the smell.

 

Good luck finding the problem and fast,

 

Alex