# Miata Gas Smell

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/miata-gas-smell/53819>\
**Category:** Power/Fuel\
**Tags:** mazda, gasoline, miata\
**Created:** [August 19, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/miata-gas-smell/53819 "2010-08-19T20:06:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![diaman53](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d78d45/32.png) [@diaman53](https://community.cartalk.com/u/diaman53)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/miata-gas-smell/53819/1 "2010-08-19T20:06:58Z")

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Have 1997 Miata with 29K. Warm weather use only. Noticable gas fumes inside car and trunk after car sits for a few days after use. Seems more prevalent in warm weather…don’t recall smelling the fumes during winter months when in storage. Any ideas for source of fumes.

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**Author:** ![ignoramus9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@ignoramus9](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ignoramus9)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/miata-gas-smell/53819/2 "2010-08-19T20:52:00Z")

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First take this car outside. Air out the garage before you start it. Second, have it towed to a reputable mechanic to have the gas tank, and gas lines all checked for leaks.  
This is a dangerous omen, and must be addressed soon to prevent a possilbe fire and explosion. Leaky gas is not something to fool with.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/miata-gas-smell/53819/3 "2010-08-19T20:55:24Z")

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Get a hard top for it. It makes a good winter car. It is well balanced and handles very well in snow (I know from driving mine in Central Ohio. Put winter tyres on it.

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/miata-gas-smell/53819/4 "2010-08-19T22:54:58Z")

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If you smell gas, there’s a leak. Don’t fool around with this, it could be dangerous. Someone needs to locate and repair the leak ASAP.

I would not park this car in a garage attached to my house.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/miata-gas-smell/53819/5 "2010-08-19T23:27:41Z")

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I too feel this needs to be repaired post haste. A good garage will have a hydrocarbon detenctor that can help locate the leak.

Okay, time for guesses and bets. Since it sits all winter, my guess is for leaky injectors, specifically the “o” rings around the injector body. I “open” with a corn muffin. Any takers?