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Smell in car when you start up
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Posted October 15, 2012 at 9:46PM
I use the Brother in laws car while he is away and noticed a smell of rotten eggs as you start up.
It is a Zafira 2 litre DTI.
Not sure what the problem is I had a new oil pump put in about 6 weeks ago just about the same time as the smell started.Also changed the oil and filter. Battery terminal was a bit furred up so gave that a clean and put some grease on it.No water terminals on it that I could see.
I don't think the smell is as bad now but it is still there.
As soon as you start the engine you can smell it inside the car even if the fan is switched off.
Any ideas as to what I should be looking for.Apart from a new car.
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Posted October 16, 2012 at 5:30PM
Possibly a pollen filter needs changing.
You have a big engine, short journeys,and plenty of cold starts? The car outside at night? I may be wrong but any yuck in the pollen filter or its connections in those circumstance might well ferment and stink when warmed up.
If the particulate filter is the cause, that is very serious it implies exhaust gas is getting into the car, but not likely.
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Posted October 16, 2012 at 5:57PM
Diemmess
When it happened to me - or to my wife's car to be more accurate, I also thought 'pollen filter'. She has a car with a reasonably 'big' engine, does shortish journeys, and the car is outside at night.
We had the filter changed, but the smell persisted. Someone recommended the aerosol method, and it worked.
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Posted October 16, 2012 at 6:24PM
Catalytic converter ??! I presume the DTi in the model name suggest its Diesel so it would not have such a item more like a Diesel particulate filter.
Noldi
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Posted October 16, 2012 at 7:13PM
"Catalytic converter ??! I presume the DTi in the model name suggest its Diesel so it would not have such a item"
That's a rare auto-error from you, Noldi.
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Posted October 16, 2012 at 8:22PM
I've heard of auto-correct, but auto-error?!!
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Posted October 16, 2012 at 10:38PM
Diemmess
I believe there is a filter inside those type of cars behind the glove compartment somewhere.I believe the glove compartment has to be taken out to get to it.
I have a funny feeling he has already had that done before.probably within the last year.
He is in S/Africa just now but will leave a message for him to find out if he has or not.
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Posted October 17, 2012 at 9:36AM
Jock1e and F.E.
I posted because of some half remembered Honest John advice in the past. He [I think] said the associated plumbing had to be cleaned as well. Sounds money well spent if the spray works! Perhaps sterilising a primeval slime of algae and fungi.
The number of gizmos fitted in today's production cars all have a startling price tag to service or replace. About 10 years ago I had a Peugeot 306 when the circuit board governing the display went belly up and the bill came to around £400. The garage is well trusted and told me the labour was high (£140) because the whole fascia had to be removed to get at the CB. £200+ was the cost of the fairly simple board.
Airbag warning errors can be very costly, and are an MOT failure. The cost of many repairs comes close to the retail value. How soon before the expected life of a car is shortened to its warranty period?
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Posted October 17, 2012 at 9:48AM
Diemmess
Yes just as I thought it was changed within the last year so that would rule that one out.
And like you say getting into it to fix it is the problem.Oil pumps used to be fitted at the front of engines the one for this car is at the bottom back of it and even the mechanic was not sure where it was and he was vauxhall trained.
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Posted October 17, 2012 at 9:30PM
You mention a replacement oil pump. A faulty oil pump would cause engine damage unless it was a leaking seal. If the oil pump was changed because of a leaking seal and that is when the smell started, it could be caused by the solvent used to clean the area around the pump??
Noldi
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Posted October 19, 2012 at 1:46PM
Noldi
You got me now it may not have been the pump I cant quite remember.It was signaling on the dashboard of low oil pressure so I think that is what it was a new oil pressure switch .There was oil leaking onto that and that is what was changed .I did say oil pump so my mistake.Sorry
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