Gas smell after driving. No error codes. No visible leaks.

[Manta-LR4]

Went to the local LR dealer and got the new flange, installed it and it is all good now. The person at the parts department there said it happens a lot (cracked flanges). I noticed that the Flange I got today has a stiffening rib running horizontally right across where the crack is, seems like a revised design. It might crack again but not likely at that place.

toddjb122, if you suspect the problem is coming from the top of the tank and you want to convince the shop tech, have them look under the car at side marked in orange on pic below, in my case the whole tank was dusty/dirty and there was a witness/flow mark (cleaner, darker) in that area as the fuel slowly cascaded down that path, that is also where the smell is the strongest. Also try to have them look at it when engine (fuel pump) running or just right after stopping it, so leaked fuel does not have time to fully evaporate.

 

[toddjb122]

Went to the local LR dealer and got the new flange, installed it and it is all good now. The person at the parts department there said it happens a lot (cracked flanges). I noticed that the Flange I got today has a stiffening rib running horizontally right across where the crack is, seems like a revised design. It might crack again but not likely at that place.

toddjb122, if you suspect the problem is coming from the top of the tank and you want to convince the shop tech, have them look under the car at side marked in orange on pic below, in my case the whole tank was dusty/dirty and there was a witness/flow mark (cleaner, darker) in that area as the fuel slowly cascaded down that path, that is also where the smell is the strongest. Also try to have them look at it when engine (fuel pump) running or just right after stopping it, so leaked fuel does not have time to fully evaporate.

Manta, wow, thanks for following up!

Were you NOT getting an error code either?
What is the part called? Wasn't sure if it is just known as a gas tank flange (sounds vague), but I want to make sure they check that next week.

I'm going to have to tell the dealer "You won't see error codes, you probably won't see a leak, don't give me the truck back and say you can't find a problem. Drop the tank. There's a problem."

 

[Manta-LR4]

No, no error codes at all and no visible leaks, it was just a mist and when car is on and moving it's probably evaporating quickly, you can only get some accumulation w/ parked car and engine idling for a while and still not be enough to see a leak.

P/N is LR043420 and it's called "Access Cover" on IPL and "Top Flange Assembly" on shop manual.

 

[toddjb122]

Pasted all of your good info into one page to share with the mechanic. Thanks much.

Had I known this when it was with an independent mechanic, I may haven been able to convince him to drop the tank! Seems to be an over reliance on computer error codes to diagnose problems. I guess they've been down the road before of investing a lot of time and not finding the problem...

 

[Manta-LR4]

No problem, glad to help. Whatever it turns out to be, let us know please. Good luck!

 

[toddjb122]

Finally! After the 4th request to a mechanic somebody listened to me and dropped the tank. I don't have it back yet, but the dealership is telling me "cracked apart fuel tank flange gasket."

Here's a photo. I think you are supposed to see the white flange extending evenly under the black ring, but it's all cracked apart/uneven on mine. That's an odd failure, but is an obvious one once a tech was able to look at it.

 

[mikem]

Damn. Great job sticking with it and working through it! Seems that it's getting resolved, finally.

 

[Waterndirt]

Nice work! Anyone capable of cross referencing fuel tank parts numbers to see if 2014's and later have the same parts installed?

 

[Manta-LR4]

Waterndirt, I use this site to view/order p/n's but there are many similar ones. It will allow you make the cross references you are looking for. At least the flange we are taking about here is the same p/n for the 2014 MY.

 

[Waterndirt]

Right on Manta-LR4! Will bookmark this site. Thank you!