Warning! Remember that gasoline is highly flammable! When servicing fuel system components, observe all applicable fire safety precautions. Do not smoke or approach the work area with an open flame or unprotected portable item. Do not service the system in a room equipped with natural gas heating devices equipped with a pilot flame (such as water heaters and clothes dryers). Remember that gasoline is a carcinogen that can cause cancer - try to avoid contact with exposed areas of the body, use protective rubber gloves. In case of accidental contact, wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap. Collect spilled fuel immediately and do not store fuel-soaked rags near open flames. Remember that the fuel injection system is constantly under pressure. Release any residual pressure before disconnecting the fuel lines. Wear safety glasses when servicing fuel system components. Always keep a Class B fire extinguisher on hand!
1. If the smell of gasoline appears in the car while driving or after a long period of parking in the open sun, you should immediately carry out a thorough inspection of all components of the fuel system.
2. Remove the fuel filler cap and inspect it for damage and corrosion. There should be a continuous trace of tight pressure around the entire perimeter of the sealing gasket. If any defects are found, replace the gasket/cap.
3. Check the fuel supply and return lines for cracks, cuts and other mechanical damage. Check the tightness of the metal line fittings and fuel hose clamps.
Caution: All models covered in this manual are equipped with a fuel injection system, and therefore, before disconnecting fuel lines or removing any fuel system components, it is necessary to relieve residual pressure in the system.
4. If possible, inspect the injection injectors for signs of fuel leaks. If necessary, replace damaged sealing rings.
5. Since many of the fuel system components (such as the fuel tank and some fuel lines) are located under the vehicle, to check their condition, the vehicle should be raised off the ground by hanging it on a winch, driving it onto a ramp, or placing it on supports. Make sure that the vehicle is securely fixed in the raised position.
6. Check the fuel tank and its filler neck for punctures, cracks and other damage. Pay special attention to the inspection of the joint between the neck and the tank. Sometimes the rubber of the neck begins to leak fuel due to loosening of the fastening clamps, or as a result of aging of the material (see the accompanying illustration). Listed here are only those possible problems, the diagnosis and elimination of the causes of which lies within the skills of the average amateur mechanic.
Warning! Do not attempt to repair the fuel tank yourself under any circumstances (except for replacing its rubber components) - contact of residual fuel vapors contained even in a thoroughly ventilated tank with a gas burner or any other source of open flame can cause their detonation!
7. Carefully inspect all rubber hoses and metal tubes of fuel lines coming from the gas tank (see accompanying illustration). Check the condition of the material of tubes/hoses and the reliability of fastening of all nipple connections. Also check the fuel lines going to the fuel injection system. Make the necessary repairs, replace defective components.
8. Components of the fuel vapor recovery system can also be a source of gasoline odor. The system's task is to remove fuel vapors from the gas tank to the carbon adsorber, where they accumulate when the car is parked, and from where, after the engine is started, they are removed to the intake manifold for burning in the combustion chambers.
9. The most reliable symptom of a malfunction of the fuel vapor recovery system is the appearance of a strong smell of gasoline in the engine compartment. Check the condition of the carbon adsorber located under the car (in its rear part) and the hoses connected to it (see the accompanying illustration).
[Original published on this resource hondabook]