Chrysler Repair: Fuel smell in cabin: 2000 van, smog test, air vent

Question
Van has 54,000.  I smelled sulpher about 4 months ago. Someone passing by said catalytic converter ...didn't need to do anything right away.  Someone else said the gas in Rhode Island is that way....Then maybe  about 1500 miles later it seemed as though  my car seemed to cough or slip in the lower automatic gear shift transmission somewheres between 1st and 2nd gear.  Now for 2-3 days it seems as though I smell "raw" gasoline in the interior of the van right after turning over the ignition.  The windows are closed with the air vent on low. What do you speculate to be the problem and how expensive do you think?  Thanks alot!

Answer
Hi Jody,
I don't see a relationship between those three observations. The sulphur smell may indeed be the fuel or the catalytic converter but unless you have a problem with passing a smog test or an engine controller fault code that speaks of an issue with the downstream oxygen sensor which monitors the converter I wouldn't be concerned. The cough or slip is hard to identify, unless it is clearly due to the engine missing OR the transmission slipping. See what happens with that after you deal with the fuel smell.
That third observation is significant because of course anytime fuel is leaking there is a risk of engine compartment fire which is dangerous and costly. The fuel is under pressure (50 psi) starting from the fuel pump located in the gas tank all along the fuel line to the engine and around top of the engine to the injectors (the engine loop is called the fuel rail) and into a pressure regulator and then back to the fuel tank at lower pressure. There are a lot of connectors and fittings in that chain so you need to inspect or have inspected visually that system and remedy the leak. So do that a.s.a.p. so you don't loose the vehicle to a fire. The cost should not be great unless the fuel rail is cracked because those cost around $200 for the part. It shouldn't be too costly or time consuming to repair other leak possibilities. Take the van to a well-reputed garage or a dealer for a competent repair.
Roland