Yesterday my wife told me she smelled fuel when she turned on the AC on our '93 SSEi.
I opened the hood and took a look while the engine was idling in Park, but didn't see any fuel leaking around the 2 fuel line connections, injectors, fuel rail valve, or the fuel pressure regulator. The lines to the fuel vapor canister seem to be connected ok. I also looked on the ground around the vehicle but didn't see fuel dripping anywhere.

I did notice something odd, though - there appeared to be a dried yellowish residue in the rectangular recess on the top of the supercharger. This recess is near where the snout mates to the supercharger body. What could possibly have leaked there and dried up?

Any Ideas?

old supercharger oil is indeed yellowish...

this would not smell like fuel though, more like butt...

check the fluid level in the charger, it should be up near the threads

I checked the supercharger oil level not long ago. It'* strange that the residue is only in that recess area; there'* no sign of residue on either side of that recess.

Bill,
Back to your "fuel" smell question. I would check your Evaporator core for leaks too. An Evap leak can smell like any number of things.

Update:
I took another look at it last night, and the fuel smell seems to be coming from the area above the fuel vapor canister.

I removed the airbox assembly and windshield washer reservoir and took a look. I replaced the 2 rubber connections that connect to the canister, although they looked ok before I did that. The plastic tubes look ok; I didn't see any cracks or other damage.

Does the solenoid just lift up for removal? How is it sealed to the fuel vapor canister?

So what next? Have any of you ever dealt with this problem before, and is it safe to drive this way?

It seems to me that it could be one of the following:
1) the fuel vapor canister is cracked somewhere
2) the canister is saturated with fuel; but isn't there a check valve near the tank somewhere to prevent this, so only vapor goes to the canister?
3) one of the plastic tubes is cracked
4) the solenoid body is cracked or the seal between it and the canister is leaking

Did I miss anything? Could the solenoid be stuck closed or open and cause a fuel smell? That doesn't seem logical to me.

Thanks.

The canister CAN fill with fuel if the system is not operating correctly and a damaged canister could release the fuel odor.

Not sure about the solenoid...I suggest disconnecting the electrical and vacuum lines from the canister, remove the canister and inspect it for damage as well as trying to determine if there is fuel inside.

I assume you have no MIL (SES) light or codes? An issue with a bad EVAP system usually throws a code on 96 and up Bonnes.

Bill..the soleniod is more like a gently remove from the clips. I've got a couple spares for 95 laying around..not sure if they are the same.

Is the car ever overfilled with fuel? It could have run down into the canister.

Bob, it'* on his '93, so probably no code. However, I agree with your recommendation. This is a common failure mode for the Evap system. I bet you will have to replace that charcoal cannister. I would replace the purge valve also, personally.

While you are at it, review all the evap vacuum lines and the other rubber connectors for cracks or breaks. Those connectors often age and go bad.

Nope, no error codes, and my wife drives this car, so I don't know if the tank has been overfilled, but I beleive she uses the pump'* auto shutoff just like I do. I'll ask her if she topped it off the last time she filled it.

I probably won't have a chance to remove the canister and look at it until this weekend, but I'll post my findings.

Thanks, Bill, but how exactly do you remove the solenoid? Are there o-rings around where it mates with the canister? And if WillWren or someone else can find out if your spare purge solenoids are the same as mine, would you be interested in parting with them?
Thanks.