Fuel vapor smell

'98 Taco w/ 3.4 just developed fuel smell w/i engine bay, sucked into cab w/ outside air vent open. No visible leaks. Injector O-rings 4 yrs. old. Gas cap 2 yrs. old. Need general guideline of things to check. I have FSM, but not familiar w/ fuel issues.
Also, do I need to get adapters and gauge to check fuel pressure? Never checked it before for bad Regulator. My '05 Lexus GX 470 never checked before too.
As always, greatly appreciate guidance as do all my own work.
Thanks! Jim

 

Are you getting a check engine light?

 

could be a bad fuel pressure regulator seeping fuel into the air box

 

never heard of the flexplate falling off...... I was going to chalk it up as a bad alternator that couldn't power the motor after the battery was so dead it wouldn't power/start the engine.

 

No check engine light. I will pull any codes tomorrow. I know, should have done that first, will let you know.
I was going to get a fuel pressure testing adapter and gauge online, but won't ship to Calif. Assume CARB doesn't want us messing w/ raw fuel spillage. Have to do more research.
Was also going to check charcoal Canister and EVAP valves.
Any other suggestions? Any guidance appreciated, smell very strong and worrisome. Won't drive 'til diagnosed and fixed.

 

Sorry to hear about that. I guess it's time consuming, but I'd go through the whole fuel system looking for cracks / breaks in the lines and sniff the whole way along it.

Aside, I see you're from Walnut Creek - I had a friend from Alamo when I was living in San Luis Obispo - you're in a nice place.

 

Thanks Logger, CodeSeven and Dalandser for assistance, much appreciated! Will go over everything and "sniff" it out, as it were. Found an old CPAP headset and hose to use for locating source of leak.
Always being approached to buy the Taco, but can't/won't part w/ it. Also have an '02 Ford F-350 Crewcab Lariat 4x4 Diesel w/ Banks that everyone wants to buy too.
Will keep you posted on diagnosis and solution.
Thanks again. Yikes, today's my 73rd B-Day. Never thought I'd make it this far. Go figure.
PS Grew up here in "Nut" town, but it's REALLY changed, not my kinda place anymore. Tiffany's, Neiman Marcus etc. just not us. Called Rodeo Drive of the north and that's sure not me. Love us the Four Corners area. Thought when kid's raised and gone would move but then grandkids happened and now greatgrandkids, well, it's all over for the move. Tough living in Calif., changed radically if you get my drift.

 

Interesting, Mine was doing this awhile back as well. I never wound up figuring out the issue and the smell just kind of, went away. It was producing a bit of drip from the exhaust at that time as well.
Sorry i can't be of any help but i hope you get it squared away. Interested to see what the cause is.

 

CPAP sniffer unit worked great. Banjo bolts at front fuel cross-over pipe were not snugged to req'd. torque of 25 ft-lbf, so tightened them ( 2 ) and all's good. I'd had these off 4 yrs. ago during major service, but pretty sure torqued them up and, of course, used new washers. No visible fuel and passes the CPAP sniffer test. 25 ft-lbf pretty good torque so hard to imagine heat
cycles and/or vibration loosening them up, but there you are. They were about 5 to 10ft-lbf torque. It had been 6K miles and 4 yrs since last work done.
Thanks again for all helpful input!

 

Up-date on fuel vapor smell issue. Took air chambers off and found leak at top of fuel injector at the fuel rail. Had changed all o-rings 4 yrs. ago so don't know what happened. Awaiting new seals and will do it again and see if I can determine cause. Will further up-date then.

 

Glad you found what was going on. Who installed the o-rings? Was he worth his hourly rate? (Joking, if it was you, know that job's high above my paygrade at the moment )