Fumes in Cabin

[Nice4dad]

Hi Guys,

I brought a Multispace 1.6 HDI in November of last year. It runs well and gives good fuel consumption, the only problem being a small amount of fumes in the cabin noticeable after a longish drive. Over the next few months it became worse. With it getting worse it became noticeable that there was a worn injector seal. This was replaced and it considerably improved it but didn't solve all of the fumes problem. All injectors were checked with a soapy solution and no leaks found.

The exhaust system has been checked by three garages, the latest reporting the system OK but a 'dry' exhaust smell from the top of the engine.

Rubber door seals have been checked and the exhaust system tail pipe extended.

I've removed the items above the EGR valve and noticed a small amount of exhaust soot in a couple of places on the steel gasket. Is this sufficient to cause the problem?


Any other thoughts on what could be causing it?

Thanks

[Nice4dad]

Sorry wrong photo in first post.

[Tomcat3]

What year motor and model do you have? it is usually the injector seals when you get the smell in the cab but you say they have been replaced. When they go you sometimes get a chuffing type noise as gases escape. Have you got a pollen filter and if so has it been replaced as if its clogged it could be your cause of the smell.

[Nice4dad]

What year motor and model do you have? it is usually the injector seals when you get the smell in the cab but you say they have been replaced. When they go you sometimes get a chuffing type noise as gases escape. Have you got a pollen filter and if so has it been replaced as if its clogged it could be your cause of the smell.

Hi Tomcat3,

Thanks for your reply. Its a 2009 1.6HDI 90BHP with 94K on the clock.

The pollen filter has been replaced. It was actually the first thing I did. Its an expensive Mann unit.

Like you I thought the injection seals had failed but when the one had been replaced, with the wife revving the engine there are no bubbles forming around the injectors with the soapy solution in place.

[Tomcat3]

Is that the latest model the B9 2009 if it is I know some have mentioned that there could be 2 pollen filters in the housing.

[Nice4dad]

Is that the latest model the B9 2009 if it is I know some have mentioned that there could be 2 pollen filters in the housing.

Two filters were replaced (one next to the other).

[Tomcat3]

That should rule that out then, all I can think of is perhaps a leak from exhaust joint near the front of the car. Hopefully some one will come a long with other ideas.

[Nice4dad]

Update:

Have had my wife and son sniffing around the car looking for the source of the fumes (my sense of smell its not what it once was). Neither of them could find any smell of an exhaust leak.

Wife mentioned a sweet smell, so attention turned to the anti-freeze. I haven't had top the coolant since I brought it five months ago. I poured out a sample amount of antifreeze and wife compared and said it smell very similar if not the same as in the cabin. So somewhat reluctantly decided to take the heater matrix out. Its a work up but its not a full dashboard job out on the B9 but the passenger glove box needed to be removed.

Took it out and its original and looks perfect with no sign of any leak in the past or now. Peering inside the heater assembly, there is no sign of a leak there to.

So have decide to put it back and refill with distilled water to see if that has any effect.

Just as well I'm retired and have time to spare.

[Oi69]

we used to get a sweet smell in our new company cars when they got to about 18 moths old it turned out to be the aircon needing a bomb thing put in to clean it all out. Apart from the smell it never bothered me but my mate i worked with if we went in my car and it needed doing he was sick as a pig after 20min in the car

[Nice4dad]

we used to get a sweet smell in our new company cars when they got to about 18 moths old it turned out to be the aircon needing a bomb thing put in to clean it all out. Apart from the smell it never bothered me but my mate i worked with if we went in my car and it needed doing he was sick as a pig after 20min in the car

Thanks for your thoughts 0i69. I'll give it a couple of weeks and if the smell is still there I'll look at the air-con.