I am reviving this thread from last year. Update:

The car was looked at a number of times last winter but nothing was found. The symptoms remain the same -- strong gasoline smell on a cold start in cold weather. The smell dissipates within a minute or two. There are no driveability issues. I ran the car all last winter and through the rest of the year without problems. No fuel consumption/mpg problems.

I noticed the gas smell again this season. I had codes pulled a few days ago and there were no codes. I left the car with a dealer last night. They called me this morning and advised that the fuel sending unit needs to be replaced -- that it's leaking. I told the service person I spoke with that the smell seems to come from the front of the car and he said - "it's the fuel sending unit." I said the fuel sending unit is in the tank, right? He said yes. I asked if they saw a leak and he said yes.

I have not seen the car since they've had it. The dealer is a long way from where I am and I can't get there to look at it with my own eyes today. So I have these questions:

Wouldn't a leaking fuel sending unit throw a code?
Would a leak from the fuel sending unit be visible from outside the tank? without draining and opening the tank?

He quoted me $700 to replace the item -- and the car shouldn't be driven till fixed. I'd appreciate comments on this scenario. Thanks.

 

" Wouldn't a leaking fuel sending unit throw a code?" - no

" Would a leak from the fuel sending unit be visible from outside the tank? " yes - either through the gasket that it is sealed with on the top of the tank, or through the electrical connection point on the top plate

"without draining and opening the tank?" yes

Had you noticed any gas "rainbows" on your driveway or roadway during rains? That is how I noticed I had a miniscule leak at the fuel filter on one of my other cars.

 

Thanks for the response. No rainbows on the pavement - I've been looking for the past year - nothing to see at all. I'm renting a car and going down to the dealer this afternoon. I want see what they see.

 

Have them check the fuel lines for leakage, we had a member recently with a fuel line that had corroded through from the outside.

There are a couple of mud/snow traps under HHR's that coincide with where the fuel lines are routed.

 

Gonna be interesting to see what you find. One thing I always do when getting work done is ask to have all the old parts returned to me (they don't do it for warrantry repairs of course). It helps keep them honest, and I find it interesting to look at the old parts.

 

Aha! So you're an "old parts" collector too whopper.

It does keep dealers and techs honest, and I'm happy to say that only once in 30+ years have I been handed the "bad" part only to have it be a piece from an unrelated vehicle.

Needless to say, there was h*ll to pay when I got done with that dealership.

Back to On Topic, please do keep us in the loop miles.

 

I would have to ask the dealer more questions. If the fuel sending unit is leaking where it sealed to the tank then there would be a code for a least a small evap leak.
All cars built after 1995 have a federal IM240 system built into the car. Part of the IM240 system is a fuel evap pressure test. When all test parameters are met your car will close the vent valve and pump 1 psi of air pressure into the fuel tank then confirms that the system is air tight by monitoring a pressure sensor in the system.

The pressure test can set 3 codes. small leak,med leak and large leak. This is why you should not have you car running with the gas cap off.

If the leak is a raw fuel leak on the fuel supply side of the pump you may not get a evap code but you should be able to see it leaking.

 

My 08 will have a fuel type smell on start up when the outside temp is below 25 deg. At times. I believe it's just the normal cold start rich program in cold weather. It only lasts about a min or less. Here are some with the same smell as mine. https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/arch...hp/t-7209.html

 

Both excellent points Lucky, and bonus points for finding that thread before I did.

 

Oops I post it again. 883 can you fix that for me?