I smell gas...... no not that kind!

[97MarkJA]

I drove the Mark out to Denver Sunday and shortly after getting there the car didn't run very well ( slight stumble ) and I could smell gas. I stopped and searched everything under the hood but the smell was coming from the rear of the car... not the exhaust but maybe the evap tray? Most of the gas out there is the 10% ethanol and at first I thought maybe I got bad gas, she died on me twice in the hotel parkinglot.
I checked every under the car I could without pulling the tray and couldn't find a thing!
No gas and no broken or disconnected lines.
As I headed back to MN and came down from the high altitude the car ran better and stronger. And no gas smell. I rechecked everything today and can't find anything.
It could have been bad gas? But any thoughts on this would help, I'd like to avoid being stuck out on the road somewhere or worse yet a Car-B-Que.

 

[ford nut]

When you were getting gas were you topping it off?
These cars don't like that.
It might produce that gas smell in the evap tray.

My 93 used to give me a gas smell when it started to miss when a spark
plug wire was bad.....maybe you have a cop on the way out????

That thin air can cause problems.

 

[97MarkJA]

No, the tank was just under 3/4 when it started. The smell wasn't coming from the exhaust, it was that straight gas smell. Like someone poured it out on the ground. But nothing was wet, I even checked the top of the tank.... what I could feel anyway.

 

[97MarkJA]

early this spring I replaced all cop's and plugs, as well as the fuel pump. I've put about 6k miles on the car with 0 problems.

 

[NoLimit95]

My 94 would do the same thing but it turned out to be the small thin rubber gasket that goes on the pump to seal it on the top. If it has came out of it's little groove, it could be leaking there. I'm just about betting it's the rubber seal. A fast turn to the left with over a half a tank and I bet you'll smell gas. That's how mine was anyway. I put a new rubber seal on and it never leaked again. Well, it didn't leak after that was replaced.

Might also want to check the two small hoses that are held on with plastic clips. If leaking from that seal or one of those hoses, it should be on the passenger side front of tank. It could have dried before you checked for a leak.

 

[97MarkJA]

Are you talking about the seal on the top of the tank? Cover for the pump basket?

 

[Sapperfire]

Are you talking about the seal on the top of the tank? Cover for the pump basket?

That would be the one

 

[ford nut]

Did you put a fuel pump in?

It would be a good idea to drop that tank and look around.

 

[97MarkJA]

I put a pump in early this spring. I dropped the tank and everything looks good, almost a full tank and no leaks anywhere. All the connections look good and it doesn't look like its been wet anywhere.
No gas smell anymore, could have it been the altitude? I know they offered a high altitude package on some of the early marks but im unsure about the gen 2 and I know the package had something to do wither the evap system.