For about three days I'm experiencing a persistent gasoline smell inside the car. The weird thing is that outside the car it doesn't smell at all. It's a 1991 245. For all I checked until now, it doesn't leak anywhere. The engine compartment is clean, there are no leaks around the fuel pressure regulator, the ramp, the injectors. I also checked under the car, the fuel tank isn't leaking, the lines are OK, the pump and the filter are also clean and without leaking signs. I also lifted the right lateral panel in the trunk, where the fuel pipe is going to the tank, and there looks to be nothing wrong... Help, I need new ideas where to look for leaks or holes... Is there any venting that comes from the fuel tank and goes in the car? Do you have acces to the fuel tank from inside the car? I think it should have a visiting hatch but I don't know where it is.
If anyone can help....
THX

wow lots of good ideas, mine was the vent/overflow?? something, small hose behind the access panel on the inside, reattached it and no more smell
Bret
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rust free in west Texas

All the posts shown are good. You might want to check this one.

On my car 1983 240T, it was (twice) the fuel filler pipe itself. The opening gets out of round and the filler cap will leak (vent) gas back into the car.

I replaced just about everything.

1. Bung nut and rubber gasket(the dealer does not call this part a bung nut). They thought I was crazy until I showed them a picture of it. I believe it is called a locking ring.
2. Fuel return line.
3. Fuel lines (two) from in-tank pump
4. Fuel line from main pump to fuel filter including fittings.
5. Fuel cap
6. In-Tank pre-pump including new rubber line connected to pump and filter sock.
7. Fuel Filter and finally,
8. Fuel Filler pipe and new rubber seals. (no more smell).

I created all new curse words.

Check your filler pipe. See if it is out of round. Take the rubber gasket off your fuel cap and see if it covers the filler pipe opening exactly. If not, there it is. I actually dropped the tank (not hard) and removed the filler pipe. Put the fuel cap on and blew (while blocking the fuel vent line opening from the bottom. Air was escaping from the fuel cap. When I replaced the filler pipe and did this again. I got not air escaping at all.

I should have thought of this first.

Have fun.

Lawren

We had a gas smell in the car caused by a split in the vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator. When this happens, the regulator sets the fuel rail pressure to maximum and the engine runs very rich. Also the regulator could be bad. Check the vacuum line for looseness or splits, then pull it off the regulator and smell the line for gas smell. you shouldn't have gas in the vacuum line.

My 81 242 has a gas smell when the tank is full or nearly so. I discovered it has a leaky seal at the bung nut where you access the in-tank fuel transfer pump. On the sedan it's in the trunk near the back seat on the driver's side. I ordered a new seal. Good luck.
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Thanks to everyone for the help, Doug C. 81 242 Brick Off Blocks, stock, M46; 86 240, 130K

When the fuel filler cap failed on my '91 245, I smelled it only when I walked near the fuel filler door outside the car.

As I recall, the fuel neck and vent line are visible from under the interior panel on the passenger side of the cargo area. Check for a crack or failed hose there.

Also, I think that I remember seeing the hatch where the fuel level indicator goes into the fuel tank when I had the floor up putting in the 3rd seat a decade ago. If you don't have a book to confirm, pull up the deck and the metal plate in the floor behind the rear seat and see if my memory is correct on this. Don't be surprised if you find that the sheet metal screws are stripped out in their holes. Most of mine were stripped, so I put in larger screws when I put the plate back. (If that is indicative of the assembly line work, no wonder the car has rattles!)

A damaged fuel filler cap can do that, especially in a 245.

Boy does this sound familar,

I have the same problem with my 86 245DL Wagon when I over fill the tank. If the shut off on the pump does not work as it should and I spill fuel, the next few days the car smells like gas. I have made sure that there was not fuel inside the car because the smell was so strong. It has happened to me two times in the last couple of months. If I make sure that there is no overfill, no problem with smell.

The last time this happened while I was checking my oil level the the stupid pump was spilling about a gallon of gas on the ground. The gas was level with the top of the neck when I got it stopped. The car smelled like gas was inside the car, but there was none I could locate and a good search was done.

I will be staying by the handle from now on.

Good Bricking