Could it be the seal of the fuel sender on top of the fuel tank went bad?
That area has very little air going thru and the chance of smelling fuel is
very likely because the vapor has nowhere to go except up.

On Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 2:45 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> You need to check the vapor recovery lines and the 2 expansion tanks for
> the fuel tank. This is a very common failure point. Besides taking
> everything down and replacing what fails inspection a shop should be able
> to do a "Smoke Test" to locate the leaks. Keep in mind that if fuel and
> vapor can leak out then there is also the ability for rain and road dirt to
> get sucked in. Repairs should be done promptly.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> On Behalf Of David
> OKC ????
> Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 11:40 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Gasoline aroma
>
> Good morning!
>
> Although I’ve rarely posted over the years, I’m certainly thankful for
> this list and the excellent tips and advice I’ve gleaned.
>
> I’m not that mechanically inclined, so I usually have professionals work
> on my ’91 Carat (with automatic tranny) for me.  But I’ve run into an issue
> that has so far defied diagnosis.
>
> When I drive around city streets with either my driver side or driver and
> passenger side windows rolled down, I experience a light to moderate aroma
> of gasoline. Both I and my mechanics have inspected all the fuel lines and
> found no leaks whatsoever. The gas cap is an original, locking gas cap,
> which seems to fit tightly.
>
> I’m baffled.  Thanks in advance for any wisdom and advice my fellow
> Vanagon list members might provide.
>
> David Stell, Oklahoma City
>
>
>