Don't ignore smell of fuel in your car

Joseph Kakooza, a resident of Mengo in Kampala, recently escaped what could have been a fatal accident near Nakulabye, a city suburb.

It all began with the smell of fuel in his car, little did he know that his life was in danger. Fortunately, the car stalled in the middle of the road. He got help from three men, to push it to a nearby garage.

Within 10 minutes, the mechanic had identified the source of the problem. There was a leakage.

"The mechanic told me the leakage was near the engine. It was only a matter of time before the bonnet would burst into flames," Kakooza says.

The problem, he says, was sorted and the mechanic advised him to always stop and investigate whenever he senses the smell of fuel in the car.

David Okello, a mechanic at Makerere Auto Garage in Kampala, says most drivers tend to ignore the smell of fuel in the car. He says a leak in the fuel system is always a serious issue.

Fuel leaks, Okello says, can occur at any point of the fuel system, which can, sometimes, make it hard to detect. However, the best way to determine if you are dealing with a fuel leak is to check for fuel puddles under your vehicle.

Fuel leaks can be very dangerous, as fuel puddles under your car can easily catch fire, Okello says.

"If you suspect that your fuel system has a leak, have it repaired as soon as possible, to protect yourself and your car," he says.

Issues with the fuel pressure regulator may also cause a fuel smell while you are driving your car. When your fuel pressure regulator malfunctions, it will interfere with your fuel mixture and cause it to either be too thin or too rich. And when the fuel mixture is off, it causes your engine to burn fuel excessively.

"If your engine is burning too much fuel, it will increase the amount of fuel fumes coming out of your exhaust.

When there are more fuel fumes coming out of your exhaust, it is possible that these fumes will make their way into your ventilation system, which is why you would smell fuel inside of your car.

Smelling fuel while you are driving can also be caused by a number of factors.

Gas in the oil

Petrol and oil are the most important fluids which a petrol engine vehicle must-have. These two fluids are not supposed to mix; when they do, it is a bad sign.

Ronald Katongole, a mechanic at Makerere Auto Spare Garage in Kampala,

explains why is it bad to the car for the gas to mix with oil.

"Too much gas in the oil is bad for both fuel economy and the vehicle. You don't want them to get mixed because the gas in the oil does not get burnt.

"Secondly, oil mixed with fuel loses its viscosity and the ability to lubricate the engine parts and other components.

This may lead to the damage of different components and bearings, along with the serious failure of different parts.