Car stinks of fuel / exhaust after full throttle...

[Jim 2]

Just a quickie really - ever since buying it really (but getting steadily worse) I find that my car does stink of fuel / and exhaust fumes after giving it any kind of stick.

 

I know my exhaust system is blowing up where the downpipe connects to the manifold and i'm going to get it all regasketed after xmas.. but does it seem likely that a leak there would be the cause of fumes like that whenever using the loud pedal, or could it be something else like the car overfuelling? Pretty sure its not a fuel leak (again) as that has definately been patched up now!

[stevemac 0]

If you can smell the exhaust inside your car - get it sealed asap. Carbon Monoxide fumes won't do your health any good at all. :wink:

[Jim 2]

Nuts :(

[trendy tramp 0]

yep - defo exhaust mate - mine was the same recently

 

tt

[16VG60 1]

Jim, one area you might check if you can not detect an exhaust leak at the gaskets is firstly the flexible joint at the top of the front pipe which has a tendancy toi fracture. The other area that might be of concern is a gas leak at the CO pre-cat sample pipe which is capped by a blue bung. These at the age of our cars now are starting to perish and i have had to replace a few now that have given simillar symptoms to that which you describe. If you find that the front pipe is deffective and want to retain the standard part i do have a number of OE front pipes or indeed stainless high flow replacements.

 

In my experience if you are smelling the unmistakable odour of petrol fumes then indeed you must have a fuel leak, or a tank breather pipe allowing fumes to escape. Do you still have the OE carbon cannister fitted? If not check that the breather pipe from the tank has been re-routed back into the airbox or simillar. If you still have the OE set up then check the breather connections and pipework. The G60's are famed for the fuel hoses perishing at the fuel rail connections, both the supply and return hoses perish internally and allow a fuel to weep from these areas. The only cure is to replace with OE items and proper fuel hose clamps, not jubilee clips. Good luck with your remedy to this problem, both areas are potentially life threatening and will need attention immediately.

[Jim 2]

Hi John.. thanks for the info.

 

I'm reasonbly sure that its not petrol fumes thinking about it as when I recently switched over to Optimax from BP Ultimate for a week the smell was totally different - Ultimate seems to smell rather sweet and like petrol as exhaust but Optimax had a much more unpleasant and dirty smell and was definately more like exhaust.. so maybe i'm only thinking its a petrol kinda small just because Ultimate smells like it when burned. I dunno ;)

 

Carbon cannister has been removed and there is a breather pipe running into the back of my airbox. Fuel hosing DID perish and split from the connection between the fuel switch(?) and the fuel rail recently but that was fixed.. the smell of fuel as that sprayed fuel onto a hot exhaust manifold was MUCH more noticable and constant!

 

So it could well be as both you and trendy tramp say - exhaust related, and probably one to get looked at pronto. Right before chuffin christmas as well.... :|

[dythama 10]

Hi John, sounds like you have seen the exhaust smell issue a fair bit? My 1990 1.8 16v has the same issue. Most noticeable in slow moving traffic or when slowing down after a run at speed. Have removed and inspected exhaust manifold and replaced manifold and Downpipe gaskets but no improvement. My friend that is a Mercedes technician is convinced the exhaust is not leaking and the gaskets removed were like new and def did not show signs of leaking. I've got the flexible joint on the Downpipe in my head but both VW and my merc friend both agree I'd hear it squealing or whistling. It has been suggested that I renew the breather hoses but

[dythama 10]

I'm not convinced. The car has only done 66,000 miles by the way!