Foul, Rotten Smell When Going Round Bends, Cat?

[Michael P]

Hi
My (newly acquired) car (turbo petrol) was diagnosed with a leaky exhaust (manifold or gasket). So it blows a little under the bonnet but I do not seem to get gassed yet. Got to fix it though. At times I get this awful farm manure smell coming in which is also present when the car is parked at times.
Do I assume correctly that it is a problem with exhaust gasses partly catalysed and coming back up again in worse chemical compositions than before?

There are also traces of oil muck behind the engne where the clutch cable comes out. Can't see where they originate. Rocker cover gasket looks alright though. Maybe that points to something?


Michael

[aengus-xmv6]

Does it do this when the car is fully warmed up?

I'd have thought the nice rotten eggs smell that cat'd cars emit would go after the cat is running at full temp, only do that when warming up.

Worth checking under the scuttle panel below the windscreen too, and see if there's lots of nice rotting vegetation in there, and water which would shift from side to side as you turn.

regards
Dave

[Michael P]

No, I don't think this is the case. The car is a bit 'rotten' regards to all the little problems but I think it must be the cat...

Thanks

Michael

[noz]

HI Michael,

Sounds like your heater matrix is leaking. The smell is your rotting carpet.

Cheers

noz

[mouseflakes]

Do you ever drive shoe-less?

[returningdunk]

if you can smell sulphur, don't always assume it is the cat.

I had a strong sulpher smell that was present when the car was motionless in my mothers Galant V6. I assumed it was the cat and began looking at sourcing a replacement (not cheap!).

However, I found it was an alternator that was over charging, cooking the battery and causing sulphur gas to exit out the battery's vent.

worth putting a voltmeter across the battery when the car is running just to eliminate this as a possibility....?

D