Hi all, I just purchased a 2002 F150 with the 4.6L. It's been great for the first week, but today I noticed a very slight gas smell when I parked and walked about back to open the tailgate. It was very faint, so I thought it was just something in the parking lot. I drove around some more, and then parked again to do a quick walk around and still smelled it. Can't really smell it anywhere but by the back drivers side bumper, a little in the closes wheel well. It's very very faint, but definitely there. I crawled around and looked the best I could at the gas tank. No visible leaks or weird spots (there are some darker spots, but those don't smell like gas at all). I can't smell gas in the engine bay, or anywhere under the truck. Nothing around the gas cap. Only smell it on one side of the tailgate, and only barely in that driver side rear wheel well. Any thoughts on what it could be? Haven't filled up gas for a week, so no spills likely.

 

The fill and vent pipes have been known to rust and sometimes allow vapors to escape. The system is supposed to catch a leaking problem with a code, but check those pipes anyway.