Is smell of gasoline in (gas) golf cart normal?
 

We have a new Yamaha (QuieTech Drive 2) gas powered golf cart. When driving around, there's a smell of gasoline. Is this normal or is something wrong? Is there anything we can do about it to make the smell go away? Thanks!

If it was an older model, I might say yes, but newer ones shouldn’t. Mine doesn’t. I’d take it back in for a check.

Everyone's nose is different; I might not even notice what you are smelling.

That being said, I rarely smell any gasoline from mine - maybe twice a week or so when the wind is just right at a stop sign so the exhaust is blown in my direction.

The first thing I would check for myself would be a loose gas cap. Then any visible fluid on or around the engine. There might be a smell in the exhaust but it shouldn't be strong and you shouldn't smell it all the time.

If the smell is strong or if it is constant then I would have it looked at.

I notice the smell, others don't so probably normal.

Not Normal! Obviously a problem .. my Yamaha is odorless

There should be no smell of raw gas!

Do you use non-ethanol gas? In my experience, using "regular" gas (including ethanol) really stinks.

Quite possible you have a leak from your fuel pump to injector/carburetor

Have same cart and there are smells associated with the gas and/or burning of the gas. Have friends who dis-agree(they admit that their sense of smell is not good) Same smell that I smell when I am standing around or driving behind a non fuel injected car.

Everybody is different, and every person has different perceptions.

Normal, unfortunately. Some have extended their exhaust pipe, not sure if that really helps. That's why I don't drive a cart. Smelling exhaust from own cart and others is not my idea of fun. And yes, I know I could drive an electric one, don't care about those either.

You need to contact the company you bought the cart from. If it’s new that’s not normal and should be covered under the new cart warranty.

Is the odor raw fuel, or exhaust? Not trying to be a wise guy here, but they are very different. Smelling fumes from the exhaust is normal. Raw fuel, not normal, at least in a fuel injected cart. Were it a carburetor version, it may be different. The fuel system in an EFI cart is a closed system, so smelling raw fuel could indicate a leak. Take it to the dealer and have it checked.

I had the same problem with my older cart recently. Raw gas smell. With a really full tank and gas sloshing around, the seal on the gas tank had a pin hole leak. My sniffer is very sensitive. Others could not smell anything.

Agree

Did you take it back to the dealer & ask them to check it out?

Exhaust fumes are normal,( and smell really bad ) , but gas fumes are not....take it back for a check up.

Light up a cigarette

Switch to electric, no odors.

My GC is 6 years old and I never smell gas. Have it checked as it could be dangerous..

Check your gas cap. If that's not the problem then I'd have it checked for a leak.

If the gasoline can be smelled from the inside of a moving vehicle with air moving all around it - imagine how you would be gassing out someone walking on the side of the road or sitting and talking on their driveway. Personally, I have been on the receiving end of golf cart emissions while I was working in my front yard. I had to pull a mask up when I saw a cart approaching.......not good for human lungs. I felt that about 50% of the passing golf carts were releasing excessive smoke and filth. About 20% of the commercial trucks usually of lawn maintenance were also pushing out smelly, hazardous-to-health smoke. People should sit out at the front edge of their property and they can see and smell for themselves. It usually becomes noticeable after the golf cart passes and is about 15 yards distant. If the wind is at your back, it will be less noticeable. So, every cart owner should sit and make that experiment with their own golf cart, and if the smell is bad, then take it in for a tune-up or other repair. Be kind to your neighbors.

We have one too, no, it’s not normal. Your cart should be under warranty. Take it back.

If smelly exhaust fumes are "normal", that should be a clue to maybe consider an electric golf cart for the good of ......everyone.

Yes, because everyone sits at the front edge of their property, waiting for trucks and golf carts to drive by... :ohdear:

I was told by one of the servicemen at the Villages repair shop that you shouldn’t fill the tank to the very top to avoid the smell of fumes. He said only fill it 3/4.

Ditto! We can sometimes smell gas when we fill the tank too high. It goes away pretty quickly. We have the same cart.

You’re not smelling gas from the exhaust pipe, what you are smelling is gas that was combusted. :)

If I smelt raw gas in golf cart and I didn’t over fill the tank, forget to put the cap back on, or flood it I would be looking for signs of leak? Also need look on the ground when move the golf cart for signs of leaks. Should be no oil or gas spots unless you spilled oil when adding or changing.

When backing gas golf cart and kicking the ignition on and off can flood the engine and will smell raw gas for tiny bit. It should go away. Same can happen when featuring the gas peddle it tight spaces especially carburetor cart. But it can happen with fuel injected carts also.

I fill mine all way full all the time, on my fuel injected cart the tank designed where the neck above the fuel level and neck goes down below top it tank so you really have to overfill it to get gas at top of the neck which means you have click nozzle several times to get way over filled.

Clueless?????

I have the same cart, 2019. I never notice a raw gasoline smell. I use ethanol free gas from the Villages shop in Sumter Landing. I don't know if that makes a difference or not, but that's what I use.
However, I used to back the cart into the garage, so I could leave the garage "Batman" style in the morning and not have to use the back up beeper, hoping to be less annoying to my neighbors when I left early for golf. What I noticed was that when I backed in, typically slowly edging my way into the garage, I would create a significant amount of exhaust fumes, smelling of what I would describe as "incompleteley combusted" gasoline.

I have stopped the practice of backing in. I just nose in like a normal human being would, and I don't fill the garage with fumes.

BTW,I also have an electric cart, and it doesn't smell at all, until I charge it, then I smell a slight smell of "rotten eggs". When I charge my electric cart I have the seat up, a ceiling fan blowing, and the garage screen rolled down, and the door to the house closed, so the rotten egg smell doesn't go into the house.

Seems like there is a bit of stink associated either way, so I wouldn't be so "holier-than-thou" about driving electric vs. gas.

Over-charging a lead acid battery can produce hydrogen sulfide. The gas is colorless, poisonous, flammable and has the odor of rotten eggs. As a simple guideline, hydrogen sulfide maybe harmful to health if the odor is noticeable.

No odor when charging Lithium batteries.

But Yet

But, they do get hot and when defective chance of catching fire as they age, odds are extremely low, but still not 100%.

And that smell is carbon monoxide I believe. TOXIC right?!

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas formed by the incomplete combustion of fuels. When people are exposed to CO gas, the CO molecules will displace the oxygen in their bodies and lead to poisoning. FROM GOOGLE.

I overfilled my gas tank once and an eyedropper amount of gas spilled onto the top of the tank. We smelled it for two weeks even though I wiped it up immediatly.

A cart that is that new, get it checked. Couldn't hurt. :pray:

Yes, if you’re in closed environment.