Funny Smell...

silversx · 01-10-2002, 07:30 PM

Hey guys,

I've got what smells like a rotten egg smell coming from somewhere in my car. what does this mean, what is this smell coming from..I'm thinking it may be my catalytic converter, since I have high miles. The condition of my entire exhaust system is not that great either. I have a hole in the axle-back section of my exhaust, before the muffler. If the cat was failing, would it make a smell like that? some have said it smells of sulfur, but it also smells like rotten eggs! If it is, time for a random tech. cat!

TIA

Rocketman · 01-10-2002, 08:13 PM

Well....
Smell of sulfur=smell of rotten eggs.
Pretty much the same smell if ya ask me.
Yes the cat is *usually* what causes this smell.
I would be willing to bet you that if you fixed the hole in the exhaust you wouldn't smell it in the car anymore. My suspicion is that the exhaust is coming out the hole in the exhaust and entering the passenger compartment. This wouldn't necessarily mean the smell was gone but just that you couldn't smell it anymore. If you tried that i bet you would still smell it at the exhaust.

Like i said the cat usually causes that smell. It may be something else but i can't think of anything off the top of my head. The way i look at it is if it gives me a reason to upgrade something on the car i will go for it. Give it a shot i think that and an exhaust would take care of your problems.

Rick

silversx · 01-10-2002, 08:25 PM

would it still smell like rotten eggs even if the hole i DO have in my exhaust is far back, like, right behind the right rear tire? right where the flange for the b pipe/muffler is? *** that is where the hole is, and it's been there for a while. it hasn't always smelt like this, but the leak has always been there..

DenverSER · 01-10-2002, 08:46 PM

Is your clutch slipping at all? I was told that a slipping clutch can put off similar smell. (That might be totally bogus, a Nissan tech mentioned that to me)

~J~

silversx · 01-10-2002, 08:49 PM

my clutch does slip, yes, and it's been needing a clutch since i bought the thing. It only really slips under hard shifting above 6 grand..it wont slip under normal driving...not yet anyway.

DenverSER · 01-10-2002, 09:00 PM

that very well might be it then, my car does the same thing at hard revs, pretty few and far between though. Anyone a clutch expert

*SAVING FOR ACT 6-PUCK*

YeloBlammo · 01-10-2002, 09:01 PM

sorry,, but i have to ask ive youve checked under the seats or have spilt anything in the car....does it smell only when you drive or does it smell when you get in the car in the morning?

Rocketman · 01-10-2002, 11:43 PM

well if your clutch burning was what was making it smell you would most likely smell the "rotten eggs" whenever th clutch was slipping or shortly after.

i would guess that your cat is probly goin bad unless you are getting the smell only around the time the clutch slips or unless you spilled something in the back.

Exhaust (without the bad cat) is a for the most part not very stinky. If the car is running well (we all keep our cars tuned up right! :p ) and there is no obvious burning of fluids then you probably wouldn't smell it so much. I know i have become very accustomed to the smell of ehaust in my car, but my roommate hates it and can smell it quite easily.

Catalytic converter bad, things to check......
Smell (like rotten eggs) *after* the car warms up (ten minutes regular driving)
does it rattle when you bang on it?
Can you see through the grid inside or not?

Another easy test for a bad cat (works well if its clogged)
Warm up the car
Hold you hand NEAR the exhaust pipe right before the cat.
Take a mental note of how hot it is.
Let your hand cool of for a minute then repeat just behind the cat.
The temperature on a good (not clogged) cat will be pretty similar
The temps on a bad cat will be incredibly different with the front being significantly hotter than the rear.

Also be sure to check out the entire article here.... Good info.
http://www.randomtechnology.com/technical.html

Now you've been a bad cat so go to your pet taxi.......

Rick

SuPeRSenTrA · 01-11-2002, 03:13 PM

maybe ur farting in it er sumthin? (u know sum1 was ***** write it!)
mah car use to have that smell u actually i really never knew what it was, i
t went away though now, i use to think tht peopple would get out last in
my car and fart on the way, then close the door, *** the smell
kinda just lingured in there (pretty good description eh?)
well...my smell went away, maybe *** will too

DohcSeR · 01-11-2002, 04:07 PM

I have to differ about the clutch theory. When my clutch was going it did not smell like rotten eggs, it had a very unique smell. This is just my opinion. I would however agree with the first theory of your Catalyic (sorry about spelling) converter. Has your car been properly tuned up. When my O2 sensor was on its way out it was causing the Catalyic to function improperly. Anyway just my 2 cents. Hope it sheds some light.

La_Noche · 12-17-2004, 03:14 PM

Interesting, my friend told me her sentra smells like rotten eggs just a few days ago and i come upon this thread. Shes got an automatic so i seriously doubt its the clutch

totaled200ser · 12-18-2004, 03:13 PM

what kind of gas are you running. mobil and texaco use alot of refined fuels and can sometimes cause a sulfer like smell. if you have been getting gas at the same place as always i would say it would be the cat. if the cat is starting to get clogged, put your hand in front of the tailpipe, it shouldn't burn your hand. if it is hot enough that you can't keep your hand there, the cat is usually the culprit. the company we get our cats from has a disclaimer on all new and rebuilt units. it says that cat converters don't fail on there own, it takes an outside source to make it fail. if your car is properly tuned it should work forever. that means no lazy o2 and clean burning emissions, no raw fuel into the cat. i know over time a cat will fail but it isn't the cats fault, according to what this company says. i also agree to a point. at over 100k miles it wouldn't surprise me if the cat was gone.