"Boiling" coolant and smell of fuel - 300M

[Seanz0rz]

posted this over at the 300M forums, but maybe someone here can help me out a bit.

this is alexus's 2000 300m, yesterday she came home and complained of a strong fuel smell outside of the car. i went to check it out and heard what kind of sounded like a evap canister purge, but very loud. i popped the hood and saw the coolant in the overflow tank was boiling, pushing steam through the small hole onto the upper strut mount. this continued for sometime, over 10 minutes for certain. Fuel could be smelled around the car on either side and at the front.

not quite sure what to do, i left it to cool overnight. this morning i checked the coolant level, and it is about halfway between min and max. i started the car and immediately smelled fuel again, quite strong. i couldnt not pinpoint a leak of any kind in the engine or under the car.

any ideas?

[YotaFun]

As far as the coolant boiling, where the cooling fans working?
Possible water pump went?

And for the fuel, I remember having a similar problem, smelled fuel but couldn't pin-point it for the longest time, found it to be a injectors leaking at the line.

[corax]

IIRC I think Chrysler had a problem with the fuel line couplers (flex line) breaking near the firewall. If so, check to see if there is a repair kit from the "HELP" line of parts so you don't have to replace the entire line

[Seanz0rz]

i tore into it. strong smell of fuel below the upper intake manifold, so i suspect the fuel injector o-rings, they will be replaced. keith, i was told by another 300m enthusiast to check that line as well, so i will.

ill also be doing the steering rack since the car is already apart. it has a 10degree dead spot in the middle of steering wheel rotation.

the fuel issue concerns me much more than the boiling. i believe that to be a possible bad rad cap.

ill keep you all updated, and any other opinions are greatly appreciated! thanks!

[CJM]

Do us all a favor, fix it and sell it asap before it winds up costing you TONS of cash.

Glad you found the fuel smell.

[Seanz0rz]

dont have money for a new used car, this one has a salvaged title, purchased at a police auction for 1000. it has severed her well, and will be replaced soon, but just not in the next few months.

[CJM]

^ ah ok man, makes more sense now.
As for the boiling coolant I would try replacing the rad cap first.