Jott21 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Hi all, my 300tdi has been very stinky to the point of making me sick while driving it. The exhaust/diesel smell started around 2 months ago right when I began putting in arctic extreme anti gel (live in Montana). Today I realized I’ve use too much of the anti gel and I’m wondering if that could be causing the smells or if it’s something else. It’s a freshly rebuilt 300tdi with only 2k miles on it and this just started happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Hi there, Is it a soft top ??? I find they can be prone to exhaust getting in ... nothing else helpful to add tho ( : Good luck sorting it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Is everything else normal ? Smoke when driving? fluid leaks anywhere? Normal boost? The seam weld on the exhaust downpipe does rust through with age causing pinprick holes right under the cabin area. Diesel leaking should be obvious , but check around the inj. pump and the wading drain bung hole at the bottom of the timing belt housing. I doubt winter diesel additive would cause any issues Some pic's of your truck in the vast space and skies of Montana would be great Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Is it running OK, timing could be slightly out giving /causing some unburnt fuel Regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 I’d start by looking for soot marks around the manifold gasket, exhaust joints and the exhaust flexible section, which does break down and leak with age. As for smelling fuel, then also look for any wet deposits on the fuel system parts, especially the pressurised areas like after the lift pump, the injector seats and pipes, the injector spill rail and the injection pump. Fuel leaking out of the system is easy to find - it’s air leaks into the system that are elusive. If you have a large wet area, then give it a wash with a steam cleaner or a good power wash with some degreaser, let it dry off and then run the engine and check frequently reoccurrence u til you are satisfied there is no leak or you have found the source. Talcum powder on the suspect areas will pinpoint the leak very quickly. I think you’d have to get very heavy with any additives for them to be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Thank you all for the advice. I will head out to the shop tonight and begin leak checking and looking for soot. I can already tell you there is some soot sitting on the block from what appears to be a leaky rocker cover. (I believe I over tightened when checking clearances) and this will be my first fix. Although I’m not sure if rocker cover leak could cause smell. I also just installed a madman and replaced the EGT plate with a new one and gasket which could also be the culprit. I’ll update you all tonight. In the meantime, here’s some pics of squeaky leaky (wife named it) in Montana lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 (edited) Also I should mention this is an EXMOD truck and has a few small holes in the floor and missing bulkhead grommets. So it’s smell sensitive already lol I also just fixed the CDL linkage and am going to check if the trans cover in the cab is bolted down correctly. That could be letting in smells as well I figure. and all readings seem right on the motor. 13psi on boost at around 3k RPM under load, no overheating, EGT’s never get above 1K… Edited February 5 by Jott21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Soot from the rocker cover would be indicative of horrific problems with the head. Oil weeping and getting dirty is common enough from a tired seal or weeping from the semicircular seals at each end of the head in line with the rocker shaft, and those are all cheap and easy to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Roger Snagger, would those seals being blown cause the smell possibly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Leaks from there would keep the head and parts of the block, perhaps the manifolds too, damp with newly leaked oil, which would stink, but it wouldn’t smell like diesel. If you have a specific diesel smell, that’ll be from a leak in the fuel system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 I’m not sure what the smell is but I’m pretty sure it’s exhaust. I just know it made both my friend and I sick yesterday. It also only occurs once engine is up to temp and intensifies if I rev the engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 That sounds like exhaust. Pretty toxic, with a lot of carbon monoxide. That’s why exhausts are so closely checked on MoTs. You shouldn’t drive it until that is fixed, as you could pass out at the wheel. You really need to replace those grommets, too, a patch any holes. Again, soot should show where it is leaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 (edited) Just went out and checked and there is what I think is soot around the crank breather hose and also just on top of the cyclone right where it meets the block. No soot on the exhaust Y or manifold. Also included a pic of rocker cover gasket with brown around it. Also just replaced the egr blank off plate with the original and took out the weird gasket that I had installed a while ago for good measure. Edited February 5 by Jott21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Also just found oil leak at turbo with this seal out of place it looks like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 The oil around the rocker cover joint is the seal - they do benefit from a small bead of gasket seal in the groove of the cover before fitting the seal , That turbo oil feed leak is it , very hot there so the oil burning off will stink. The washer should be copper or aluminium top and bottom of the banjo. Blanking all the holes from cab to under bonnet or outside is top of the list too , even if it's just duck tape to start with. I like the double cab with just 2 doors , looks very useful and great pic's , thanks. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Thanks Steve, I’ll get those washers ordered up and begin trying to seal the cab up. I’ll update this thread if it solves the problem. And thank! It’s perfect for extra leg room and gear storage. I love the unique cab. Definitely a military mod of some kind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Update, I found that the circled screw has a good drip of oil coming off it right onto the exhaust. Does burning oil smell make you dizzy just like exhaust smell? If so I’m confident this is the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Your engine is considerably cleaner and more leak free than either of mine. I get a diesel smell when the injector spill pipes split and hot exhaust/turbo smell when I open only the front sliding window as it creates a vacuum in the cab. It's worse in the ibex because it has a hole in the floor for the winch rope. My point here is I have holes in the floor of both trucks so unless your exhaust is leaking or the exhaust finishes under the body you shouldn't have a problem. Try driving with the heater fan running and the windows shut this should pressurise the cab and stop the fumes from entering. If it does it would suggest you have an exhaust leak somewhere. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 I would replace all the sealing washers and gaskets on the turbo oil feed and drain, then remove the black acoustic cover from the rocker cover and give the whole engine a good wash with degreaser and a brush before power washing it to see where anything collects. My suspicion is that you are getting fumes from the turbo oil leak (the drip on the oil drain flange bolt is likely from the feed pipe washers being wrong and running down) and the excessive ventilation from engine bay to cab (they should be reasonably well sealed, and the grommets are important). I don’t see any soot at all, just some mild oil seepage and dirt. The apparent weeping from the rocker cover seal could just be oil spilled while refilling spreading under the acoustic cover, hence the need to remove and wash it and the engine to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Roger that Snagger will do and update accordingly. Washers and gaskets will be here in 2 days. Thank you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 (edited) Autobugger struck again - I meant “turbo” sealing washers and gaskets, not “torso”, but hopefully you already understood that! Soot from exhaust leaks will look like localised matt black aerosol paint applied fairly thickly. It won’t look translucent or wet. Edited February 9 by western Your previous reply has been edited to turbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 (edited) Once I used a small USB Cam on a swan neck holder with a notebook to visualize the things under the hood or on axles while driving. Cheap way to see a lot. Fix the Cam with cable ties at different places and you will find or exclude it. Edited February 6 by Sigi_H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jott21 Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 Hi all, alright so the problem is fixed! I put the proper copper washers on the turbo feed, new EGT plate gasket, and new rocker cover gasket on and one if not all of those fixes solved the smell issue. Thanks for all the help here! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 56 minutes ago, Jott21 said: Hi all, alright so the problem is fixed! I put the proper copper washers on the turbo feed, new EGT plate gasket, and new rocker cover gasket on and one if not all of those fixes solved the smell issue. Thanks for all the help here! Good to hear it's done the job. By all means hang around and carry on posting pic's Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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