Strange smell

[salgarfi]

Hello all, and Merry Christmas.

I've got a question. Lately, after I've driven a bit, I get a hot engine type smell from the rear wheel area on the passenger's side. This doesn't happen on the driver's side. The brakes are not sticking (and I do know the smell of sticky breaks), and there are no apparent oil leaks allowing oil to seep out onto the engine block causing a smell. Honoria is a 2.1 ltr water cooled, so does anyone have any ideas? The engine is not overheating, and also, there are no leaks from the transmission re the drive shafts. I've heard of heat exchangers creating smells, but I looked in my Haynes manual and I can't find any refs to heat exchangers on my 1990 van. As usual, I'm in a quandary!

Sal

[R0B]

You wont.They are on aircolds only.

I can't find any refs to heat exchangers on my 1990 van

[billybigspud]

are the brakes seizing? jack it up and see if there is any bind.

[Ian Hulley]

The thermostat housing, bypass hose and the large steel pipe* to the pump are on that side .. if something's leaking it could be dripping onto the exhaust near the knuckle where the 2 main pipes meet ?

Ian

* this pipe may look like new but still be rotten as a rotten thing and almost transparent on the pipe outlet and bottom side.

[mrdp]

Hi,I will prob be either a small oil leak onto engine or same with coolant. I had both over the last few years one was preasure sensor leaking through the spade connector of all places, and the other was a coolant mating flange coming off the cylinder head leaking slightly. Try getting the engine upto temp and looking on engine bay to see if there are any signs of this?? I use to notice the smell from mine coming out where the engine air scoops are.Hope this helps .

[salgarfi]

Thanks for this. I've looked at the engine while it runs and I can't notice anything. The smell seems to be its strongest when I stick my head down by the wheel arch, and it dissipates very quickly once I turn off the ignition. My oil and coolant levels haven't dropped in any way (as yet?) so I don't know if these are the cause, though they should be the most obvious ones. But I did look over the exhaust system when I started the engine from cold today, and I noticed some exhaust leaking out of the piping (and manifold?) just behind the passenger side rear wheel. I'm hoping that this might be the cause of the smell, though I must admit that the smell is not reminiscent of carbon monoxide. I'm off on a cross country jaunt with Honoria over Christmas (west Wales to Essex), so just in case there is a coolant and or oil leak, I'll make sure that I have spare oil and antifreeze.

Oh how these things are sent to try us (though Honoria will be going in for a full service just after New Year)!

Hi,I will prob be either a small oil leak onto engine or same with coolant. I had both over the last few years one was preasure sensor leaking through the spade connector of all places, and the other was a coolant mating flange coming off the cylinder head leaking slightly. Try getting the engine upto temp and looking on engine bay to see if there are any signs of this?? I use to notice the smell from mine coming out where the engine air scoops are.Hope this helps .

[kevtherev]

Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide has no smell, colour or taste
What you can smell are the unburnt hydrocarbons or by products of internal combustion.
An inefficient engine like the internal combustion engine does not completely use all the fuel it takes into the cylinder.

in short your exhaust is leaking and the wheel well is where it's collecting.
A change of exhaust could be a simple affair but experience tells me most emphatically otherwise

[salgarfi]

That's curious..., I remember the distinctive smell of car exhausts in an enclosed space, like a garage, when I was growing up. And I wasn't trying to do m'self in!! Then again, maybe all those years ago, exhaust fumes might have smelt differently since the petrol was leaded. Anyway, if it is my exhaust, I can cope with it, or atleast, a mechanic I know can!!

Thanks and have a good Christmas!

Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide has no smell, colour or taste
What you can smell are the unburnt hydrocarbons or by products of internal combustion.
An inefficient engine like the internal combustion engine does not completely use all the fuel it takes into the cylinder.

in short your exhaust is leaking and the wheel well is where it's collecting.
A change of exhaust could be a simple affair but experience tells me most emphatically otherwise

[Plasticman]

What Kev was and is saying is that you smelt or are smelling part of the results of combustion and within those parts are the ones that have the most potential to kill you and also the ones that just stink,
with vehicle exhausts you will get all of them but with fixtures such as gas fires etc you will generally only get the lethal ones and if concentrated enough then you wont really ever know about it.
could be worse, you could be working in an H2S area, one breath and you may never know about it....
mm