C172 PLT AND HIS PAX MADE AN EMER RETURN TO GRR WHEN FUEL FUMES ENTERED THE COCKPIT. MAINT LATER FOUND A LEAK IN THE FUEL SELECTOR.

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C172; DEP FROM RWY 26R WITH CLRNC TO CLB TO 2000 FT ON RWY HEADING. AFTER REACHING 2000 FT; DEP CTL TURNED US S AND A SHORT TIME LATER GAVE US A CLRNC TO CLB TO OUR VFR CRUISING ALT. AS WE STARTED TO CLB THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. I ASKED MY ATP PAX IF HE SMELLED IT. HE SAID HE DID. I SAID I WAS RETURNING AND STARTED A DSNDING L TURN TO THE ARPT WHILE TRYING TO CALL ATC DEP. IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES WHILE DEP WAS POINTING US OUT AS TFC TO A COMMUTER CLBING OVER US. UPON REACHING ATC WE WERE GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE CLRNC TO THE ARPT. TWR (LCL) CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 26L DESPITE OUR REQUEST FOR RWY 26R. WE SAID WE HAD A FUEL ODOR. TWR HAD TO DEMAND A CITATION IT CLRED FOR TKOF; GET MOVING. LNDG WAS MADE WITH FLAPS UP AND WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE REQUESTED A CLRNC TO PARKING; SAYING WE WERE GOING TO RECEIVE THE CLRNC; THEN SHUT OFF THE ELECTRICAL SYS. WE RECEIVED THE CLRNC AND SHUT OFF THE MASTER SWITCH. WE TAXIED ABOUT 100 FT WHEN THE CFR TRUCKS APPEARED AHEAD OF US SO WE SHUT DOWN. WE ACCEPTED A TOW TO PARKING. THE LEAK WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE IN THE FUEL SELECTOR. ATC AND CFR DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB HANDLING THE SIT.