V-AMG

2005 E55 AMG, stock car with about 75K miles.

Recent history - I had the entire tank and the pumps replaced under MB warranty about 6 months ago. I doubled-checked the pumps and they are new and bone dry so no concerns there.

It was fairly warm a few days ago and i noticed a very strong gas odor. It was coming from the rear passenger wheel well. It was so strong that i couldn't keep the windows open as it was burning my eyes. I had to close the windows and run the AC to keep it out.

Living in the crazy northeast, the 80*F was short-lived and its been about 40*F last 2 days. No smell at all since the weather cooled off.

I did have a CEL light up 2 weeks ago on a warm 60*F day, P0456 "small evap leak" as well as P0505 "idle air control system". I reset them and its been 300 miles since and nothing.

I have to assume that the recent smell is related to the codes I saw a few weeks back. Oddly enough, no smell when the CEL was on and no CEL when this strong gas odor was present.

I priced up the purge valve, charcoal canister and shut-off valve which are nearly $500. Any ideas which it may be? I want to go buy them all when 2 are most likely unnecessary.

Thank you!

Plutoe

This is another case where the customer won't pay for the proper diagnostics that will eventually save him money by quickly identifying the faulty part---no rather guess at which part to replace----wada shame!!

V-AMG

If someone here has had the same problem, why spend the few hundred at the dealer unnecessarily?

I try to help people here as much as I can, so i come back here for help myself.

equitiesguy

P0456 is indicative of the gas cap leaking, almost exclusively. The CEL turns on for that code during the vacuum test of the gas tank when the cap seal fails, and if you fill your car regularly when it hits a 1/2 tank and open your cap during the middle of the test it will trigger regardless of whether there's an actual fault or not.

I notice you never mentioned ever replacing your cap. I would start by doing that. I would also like to know how full your tank was on this 80 degree day.

V-AMG

Thanks equitiesguy!

My tank was right around half. I started with almost a full tank that day, drove about 150 miles and was at about half when i got caught in traffic and the smell started. I sat in traffic for the next 2 hours with small stops to the restroom and for coffee during it. It smelled for the duration.

I smelled around the cap too and even though i smelled it, i just assumed it was coming up from the wheel well, because when i smelled around the wheel well, it was POTENT. I was getting light-headed as i stopped a few times to smell it and see what was going on.

Dublinoh

I have to agree. Not a customer either.

BoostedAero

Have you taken your drivers valve cover off lately???

Sounds like you have a vacuum leak more than likely related to the hose off the back of the supercharger... hard metal pipe that leads to the purge valve located behind the drivers side head light.

Check that line then report back before chucking money down a hole

You need to remove the surge tank to see if the metal pipe is inserted in the back of the supercharger

Honestly lots of this going on lately just search "p0505 solved" my p0456 was the hose behind the head light though

V-AMG

I should've mentioned, this line is the very first thing i checked. On my 2005, this line is actually secured to the valve cover so it cant move. I did unbolt it from the valve cover, pull it out and put it back. That definitely wasnt it...

BoostedAero

Yea my response didnt make sense to me in retrospect due to the gas smell

So there is a pressure sensor inside the tank, do you think it is possible the tank is not sealing all the way or that when the remove install happened of the tank it is possible they boogered something up while doing the work...?

I mean with the warranty I would just slap it right back to that dealer that did the work and tell them you smell gas again

When I had my p0456 it was right after they did my tank and they did and found that hose loose behind the head light. If its a gas smell I would take it back... maybe the hose from the gas fill point down into the tank.

Can you triage a little more with your sniffer and find the source? inside outside etc..?

V-AMG

Got my SDS out of storage and did a little more investigating today. I ran the fuel tank pressure test with SDS and results werent the best, looks like it failed by just a hair.

Allowed vacuum pressure loss within 60 seconds is 5.0 hPa and i lost 5.1 hPa. Not too bad but it was above the threshold. See attached photo.

What are your guys' thoughts? Could this be due to a gas cap or should i take it back to the dealer who did my tank?


[img]webkit-fake-url://34daf466-33f4-4e22-b87c-11a60bab81b0/imagejpeg[/img]

Hulk

It's the charcoal canister and valve on the passenger side rear wheel well

I never saw this thread I would have told you that months ago sorry

Hulk

Btw not covered under extended warranty

V-AMG

What exactly do you suspect is the issue? i don't exactly know the function of the shut-off valve and canister and how they work, so i cant figure out what the issue may be...

i assume that it cant be a major leak or crack since it hasnt been smelling at all and it help almsot enough vacuum according to MB specs

Hulk

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...1359651?page=1

I think this is the part number

2114700159

Changed mine a while back
Lost my pics though

V-AMG

Why'd you change yours? What does this thing even do? What is the shut off valve for?

Hulk

Was getting the same codes so I changed the purge valve in the front because it was easier to change and cheaper. Then got the code a few days later again so I knew it was the other valve since my tank and pumps were changed.

It's for emmisions and eliminate extra fuel vapor.

V-AMG

No way! You got P0505 and P0456?

Hulk

Yes it's common