Hi
just bought my first Subaru, a 2001 wrx.
Unfortunatley there seems to be a smell of petrol, possibly around the drivers side of the engine bay? The smell comes into the car but is only noticable when the car is started and run for a short distance, the smell then seems to go away. I can't see any obvious signs of a leak, but don't know where the fuel pipes run, or could it be something else?

 

The fuel press reg is attached to the driver's side fuel rail, at the end nearest the turbo - could be a loose connection to it or the rail etc. Check the other rail too etc.

Check the fuel filter connections on the passenger side too - the black-painted large cup-with-a-lid-like thing.


Get someone to crank the engine while you check the rails/filter/FPR - I think any loose connection should show itself immediately with fuel being ejected.

Harder to sus would be a failed o-ring on an injector.. or a badly fitted injector etc...


Defo investigate. The last thing you want is for a hose to pop fully off and lose pressure when hooning!

 

Hi, On your age car the rubber fuel hoses under the inlet manifold shrink with age and the fuel will start to weep and smell. Usually only in cold weather
There was a service note from subaru to replace the hoses and hard pipes.
You could go have a chat with a dealer or fix them yourself?

 

its the rubber hoses they need replacing i havnt bothered with mine costly job 300 quid at subaru as you have to remove inlet manifold

 

I second (well third then) this as well, its more than likely the rubber hoses under/connecting the fuel rails, It was fairly common from 2001-2002ish from what i could gather, found loads of info about it on another impreza forum including a Technical Service Bulletin from subaru admitting to the problem , I had this on my 2002 bugeye wrx, only ever smelt on a cold morning for about 15-20 minuites but soon as spring came it went away till the next autumn but when I could smell it, it was really really strong.

Mick

 

Hi
are the fuel hoses available elsewhere other than subaru? Can they be replaced using readily available high pressure fuel hose?
many thanks For the replies

 

Yeah, odds are that it's the hoses. They get all hard and brittle and can easily split/tear/crack when around the 10 year point. They basically get sloooooow-baked, what with all the turbo/engine heat LOL

 

yes they can but your looking at over 2 hours labour plus parts

 

Depending on your mods I would also recommend checking the back end of your turbo where it joins the downpipe... Tend to crack along the weld.

It does depend on your mods!

I had a terrible smell of petrol and some awesome flames coming out my exhaust the other day there. Source? Split spark lead and slightly cracked exhaust... Weird how the engine wasn't running like a bag of spanners considering there was absolutely NO chance that the cylinder was getting a spark!

 

Take a look at this thread - contains the actual bulletin from Subaru:
Fuel smell - South East Scoobies

 

I had the Same prob on my 01 Bugeye, It was the rubber fuel hose's that had perished. Fuel hose cost about me about 6 quid from halfords then followed a post on here about how to get the manifold of. The gaskets were about 15 quid i think from local auto factors...took me about 4 hours i think from start to finish...had a few Drama's along the way!!

 

Hi
i've had a look (switched the ignition onto pos. 2, to prime the fuel system) and the fuel is leaking from the 4" long rubber fuel hose on the driver's side, under the air intake/manifold.
Is it possible to get to it by removing the rigid air intake tube joining the turbo to the air filter, if that would come out from under the inlet manifold the job would be much quicker? anyone tried?

 

You're unlikely to be able to remove the inatke pipe without damaging it in someway. i think some of the oil breather nipples tend to break off, as it has to be wrestled out!

Can't you get to the hose from underneath the car - if you put it on axle stands?

 

No chance - it's a manifold off job, sorry - good time to get some tumbler deletes (oh I have some for sale) and a silicone inlet plus ditch the std inlet and get a samco.

 

Yeah, and do the IM spacer/insulator mod too. Gives you some much needed extra height for future inatke removal, as well as insulating the IM from the hot block...

 

Exactly what I did apart from I went for a Spec C inlet and Perrin fuel rails as well!

 

May not be the pipes on the rails at all. Maybe?

Check the injectors as the seals may have gone. They are only rubber and could have perished leaving them slopping holding the injector in.

Had the same on mine. Thought it was the rail and no, it was a sloppy injector seal.

Worth a try.

Steve