Foul Vapors
10-13-2007, 09:18 AM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Foul Vapors
Back in January of 2007, I had my timing belt and the primary water pump replaced on my 2000 S4 (B5) at a local, reliable and reputable Bay Area shop.
From the day I picked the car up following that service, for the first five or ten minutes after the car was started I would smell a very faint burning rubber-like, diesel-like or kerosene-like smell. Concerned, I took the car back and, as expected, received: "Could not reproduce. No visible signs of fluid leaks. No codes. Car OK."
At home, in the garage, with the hood open, the smell seemed to emanate from the left/passenger side of the engine compartment.
I had the car in again in late June 2007 for an oil/filter change and a check engine light. The analysis on the light were codes for the secondary O2 sensors. The shop tech advised that the sensors were probably failing but that there could be a bad catalytic converter as well. He suggested resetting the codes and giving it a few days. In the intervening time, I had knee surgery and didn't drive the car again until September.
Sure enough, a week back at driving, the light came back on. I took the car in and both secondary O2 sensors were replaced (the primaries were replaced in August 2005) with the warning that the cats may also be bad/have been fouled and may need replacing.
Sure enough, another week later, the check engine light is back. At this point, the burning rubber-/diesel-/kerosene-like smell was back and much, much stronger and present when stopped at all times. In addition, I was now smelling a rotten-egg smell.
The cats were both replaced yesterday and within five minutes of driving the car back home, I noticed the absence of the rotten-egg smell but the burning rubber-/diesel-/kerosene-like smell was still present. This time, however, it was more powerful than even before and rather than just smelling it while stopped I could smell it coming through the vents while driving at speed at well. However, while moving, the smell was more like a burning candle or kerosene. While stopped, more like burning rubber.
The smell is now so bad, in fact, that my entire garage reeks and the smell is wafting into and through the house.
Was O2 and cat replacement just fixing the effect and not the cause? Or, is there something more sinister going on here? If so, what?
A search of the forums leads me to believe this might be a cam/valve gasket seal failure. Likely?
From the day I picked the car up following that service, for the first five or ten minutes after the car was started I would smell a very faint burning rubber-like, diesel-like or kerosene-like smell. Concerned, I took the car back and, as expected, received: "Could not reproduce. No visible signs of fluid leaks. No codes. Car OK."
At home, in the garage, with the hood open, the smell seemed to emanate from the left/passenger side of the engine compartment.
I had the car in again in late June 2007 for an oil/filter change and a check engine light. The analysis on the light were codes for the secondary O2 sensors. The shop tech advised that the sensors were probably failing but that there could be a bad catalytic converter as well. He suggested resetting the codes and giving it a few days. In the intervening time, I had knee surgery and didn't drive the car again until September.
Sure enough, a week back at driving, the light came back on. I took the car in and both secondary O2 sensors were replaced (the primaries were replaced in August 2005) with the warning that the cats may also be bad/have been fouled and may need replacing.
Sure enough, another week later, the check engine light is back. At this point, the burning rubber-/diesel-/kerosene-like smell was back and much, much stronger and present when stopped at all times. In addition, I was now smelling a rotten-egg smell.
The cats were both replaced yesterday and within five minutes of driving the car back home, I noticed the absence of the rotten-egg smell but the burning rubber-/diesel-/kerosene-like smell was still present. This time, however, it was more powerful than even before and rather than just smelling it while stopped I could smell it coming through the vents while driving at speed at well. However, while moving, the smell was more like a burning candle or kerosene. While stopped, more like burning rubber.
The smell is now so bad, in fact, that my entire garage reeks and the smell is wafting into and through the house.
Was O2 and cat replacement just fixing the effect and not the cause? Or, is there something more sinister going on here? If so, what?
A search of the forums leads me to believe this might be a cam/valve gasket seal failure. Likely?
10-15-2007, 06:57 AM
#3
The buring rubber/candle/polymer smell is definitely a leaking gasket of some sort - vavle cover or
cam adjusters are notorious leakers - they will all leak at some point; it's just that some will last longer than others. Even if you cannot see the oil leaking, it's there. I'll bet if you get underneath the car you'll see evidence of it there. Been through this a total of 6 times between my 2.7t and 2.8L 30V engines.
The smell will be slightly different depending on what type of oil you use - synth seems to produce a more sickening smell than dino, IMO. It gets really bad in the winter when you turn on the heater first thing in the AM, esp in the garage. It is purely a nuisance issue - in other words nothing bad will happen to your car if you wait, you'll just make yourself nauseous. A few drops of oil can produce quite the stink, so you will likely never lose enough oil from this leak to cause an issue (unless you are seeing oil on the garage floor). Many people change both these gaskets while the engine is having other work done to minimize the labor charge (like during TB change).
The smell will be slightly different depending on what type of oil you use - synth seems to produce a more sickening smell than dino, IMO. It gets really bad in the winter when you turn on the heater first thing in the AM, esp in the garage. It is purely a nuisance issue - in other words nothing bad will happen to your car if you wait, you'll just make yourself nauseous. A few drops of oil can produce quite the stink, so you will likely never lose enough oil from this leak to cause an issue (unless you are seeing oil on the garage floor). Many people change both these gaskets while the engine is having other work done to minimize the labor charge (like during TB change).
10-15-2007, 09:29 AM
#5
last time I tried to remove the front clip it took 3 of us to do it because my mechanic had gotten
it on so well the time before. 3 guys x 30 minutes it a lot of time to be on here and help others, anyway. :P
10-18-2007, 05:50 PM
#7
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Foul Vapors
Sure enough, took the car back into the shop today and both the valve cover and cam adjuster seals on the left and right cylinder banks were leaking.
Now replaced and the engine cleaned up, we will have to see if the smell is gone (fingers crossed).
Now replaced and the engine cleaned up, we will have to see if the smell is gone (fingers crossed).
Trending Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
OndrejAudiA420
A4 (B5 Platform) Discussion
9
12-01-2006 06:14 PM
tpierce
Audi Original "S" Cars
1
03-31-2004 07:24 PM
