74 Alfa Spider Questionable Hose and Gasoline Odor

[Nsaldana21@domain.elided]

I am investigating a gas odor in the trunk of my Alfa.  It smells of gasoline 
vapors and I located the strongest odor coming from the hose connected to the 
tank pickup fitting.  The hose is cloth braided from the outside.  Fuzzy in 
texture and gray in color.  The hose does not seem to be a fuel type.  When I 
removed it, it is rubber and does not have the inside reinforcement braid 
(white) usually in the middle of the wall thickness.  This type of hose is 
also used from the intake manifold to the brake vacuum booster (thus vacuum 
application) .  I suspect the fuel is out gassing thru the rubber material 
because it's designed for vacuum.  This is my theory.  Any experiences from 
Alfistis are welcomed.

Secondly, while probing around the area of the filler neck I noticed a small 
clear tube that is filled with gas.  The tube is connected to a plastic tank 
(maybe an expansion chamber.  Another hose is connected to the plastic tank 
and terminated to the gas tank.  I followed the clear tube and it connects to 
the engine via a small metal tube.  The tube crosses above the intake 
manifold and terminates into a elbow flange that connects to the valve cover. 
 The flange connects to a large hose and ends into a black canister mounted 
onto the inner right fenderwell.  The bottom of the canister also has a large 
hose and it connects to the air cleaner housing.  From what I figure this 
clear tube sucks from the engine side via the intake pressure gas vapors from 
the expansion chamber and burns it up into the intake process.  It this 
correct.

Third and last question.  Has anybody experienced gas odor from inside the 
cockpit of your spider.  Does the curved downward tail pipe configuration 
create turbulence underneath the rear section and causes the odors to come 
inside the cockpit. This odor is present with or without the top down.

Thanks.
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