Sulfer smell ... what do I do?

[Pink_Floyd]

As far as I know everything on my car is working fine. The car has had regular matienance and all the belts and hoses look great. However, under heavy acceleration I sometimes get a sulfer smell in the cabin of the car. This does not happen all the time, but when it does I always get worried. I guess something has to be leaking or burning or something because it definitly shouldn't be making that smell.

Anyway, what are the first, most common things I should check? Also, is it likely that I am doing any damage by driving it around like this?

Thanks!

 

[mikev]

are you driving through the gates of hell at the time?

 

[coyotefreek]

are you driving through the gates of hell at the time?

How come I didnt think of that one!

 

[Kirby]

However, under heavy acceleration I sometimes get a sulfer smell in the cabin of the car. Thanks!

A sulphur smell can indicate bad gas. Don't eat eggs and drink beer at the same time.

 

[KC Ron Carter]

Your car is very rich in fuel mixture

If the fuel ratio is very high the catalyst is overwhelmed and the by product is sulphur smell.

Very rude and unpleasant. Also very hard on the catalyst.

You need to get it looked at.

Later,

 

[mikev]

Re: Re: Sulfer smell ... what do I do?

Don't eat eggs and drink beer at the same time.

 

[epj3]

A bad cat also can do it.

 

[Big Daddy]

Yes, I agree with epj3. I have always been told that when your cat goes it will smell like rotten eggs, and more so under heavy acceleration.

 

[donmbmw]

Yup catalytic converter fer sure

 

[Pink_Floyd]

$500 at Bavarian Autosport, ouch :-(

 

[flashinthepan]

A sulphur smell can indicate bad gas. Don't eat eggs and drink beer at the same time.

lol


Gas-X ? A lot of women find gas extremely attractive, & literally a turn on, especially if you pull the covers over the top while in bed. A Sulpher like smell does mean a very bad (good?) case.

A bad cat also can do it.

When my Cat starts doing that, I hafta turn him into an "outdoor" cat. I have heard greasy canned friskies is the worst.

 

[Steve Neu]

Re: Re: Sulfer smell ... what do I do?

A sulphur smell can indicate bad gas. Don't eat eggs and drink beer at the same time.

No problem with the converter or gas ----the fuel system goes rich on hard acceleration which leads to the sulphur smell--it is normal. If it is getting into the car I would look for a exhaust leak.

Steve

 

[epj3]

Re: Re: Re: Sulfer smell ... what do I do?

No problem with the converter or gas ----the fuel system goes rich on hard acceleration which leads to the sulphur smell--it is normal. If it is getting into the car I would look for a exhaust leak.

Steve

Actually it can be the cat, our 4.3l V6 blazer, as with all chevy engines that size, burnt up the cats within 2 years of new. It's VERY possible he has a bad cat and I bet if you took that cat off and cut it in half, it would be all broken down and black.

 

[Steve Neu]

Exhaust from a non working cat will not have a sulphur smell--it takes a active cat to have the bad smell--the cause is a rich mixutre from hard running.

Steve

 

[epj3]

Exhaust from a non working cat will not have a sulphur smell--it takes a active cat to have the bad smell--the cause is a rich mixutre from hard running.

Steve

When we got our cat fixed it also fixed the sulfur smell.

Don't some fuels have higher concentrations of sulfur than others?

 

[flashinthepan]

When we got our cat fixed it also fixed the sulfur smell.

Try telling our Cat that, he's sooooo bad at times.
Even after he was fixed ?.

 

[Steve Neu]

When we got our cat fixed it also fixed the sulfur smell.

Don't some fuels have higher concentrations of sulfur than others?

Likely yes--but there are Federal standards that limit the sulphur in fuels. Here is a more technical discussion of what makes the bad smell:

The sulphur smell from the exhaust, is actually caused by running the engine/cat convertor slightly lean for long periods and then running under a rich condition (ie going up a hill under heavy load) This is when the sulphur smell (rotten egg) is produced.

Under relatively lean conditions, the sulphur found in gasoline is converted to sulphur trioxide, then during the rich running condition the sulfur trioxide is converted into hydrogen sulphide (rotten egg smell) within the catalytic converter.

Steve

 

[Pink_Floyd]

Well is there any way I could tell if I had a bad cataylic converter? I dont know when the last one has been put in but it is kind of an expensive thing to replace. Again, the sulfer smell is only under hard acceleration, so does that mean its OK? :-/

 

[Steve Neu]

Well is there any way I could tell if I had a bad cataylic converter? I dont know when the last one has been put in but it is kind of an expensive thing to replace. Again, the sulfer smell is only under hard acceleration, so does that mean its OK? :-/

If the car is clean at a smog test center then the cat is ok.

Steve