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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / November 2004

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Rotten Egg Smell from '95 S320

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Alvin - 24 Nov 2004 22:48 GMT
Greetings and Happy Holidays,

My 95 S320 has recently started producing a rotten egg smell from the
exhaust.  I have not changed fuel or anything else.  Idle is good at
600 rpm with a slight deviation +or- 50 rpm.

Happens both cold and hot, even after a 30 minute drive.

Thanks for any ideas,
Alvin
Rugbyguy - 25 Nov 2004 01:27 GMT
Catalytic Converter is ready for replacement.

> Greetings and Happy Holidays,
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Thanks for any ideas,
> Alvin
Just Mike - 25 Nov 2004 18:29 GMT
>Greetings and Happy Holidays,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Thanks for any ideas,

Firstly, catalytic converters very seldomly need replacing. Replacing
a cat is very expensive and to find you haven't cured the problem
would be annoying wouldn't it. Let's look at what the smell actually
is, why it is occuring and how best to address the problem.

The sulphur smell (rotten eggs) from the exhaust, is actually caused
by running the engine (and therefore also the catalytic convertor)
slightly lean for long periods and then running under a rich condition
(I.E. going up a hill under heavy load). This is when the sulphur
smell (rotten eggs) is produced.

Under relatively lean conditions, the sulphur found in petrol is
converted to sulphur trioxide, then during the rich running condition
the sulfur trioxide is converted into hydrogen sulphide (rotten eggs
smell) within the catalytic converter.

The petrol / sulphur content of your brand of fuel and the
characteristic of catalytic convertor to store sulphur compounds and
release them during rich engine running conditions is the main cause
of this problem. Switching petrol brands may help. The oxygen sensor
may also need to be replaced to correct a fuel injection mixture
problem.

Get yourself along to a garage that has a gas analyser and see exactly
where your mixture is.  Make sure this is right, and THEN start to
look elsewhere. A gas check should only set you back a few pounds. If
you're in the UK take the car to an MOT station, they have the
equipment to check this problem out for you. Hydrogen sulphide stinks,
I understand why you want this sorted out :)
Mike
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W126 300SE
W115 220/8

Tiger - 27 Nov 2004 12:50 GMT
Switch gas station brand and drive more on highway to clear out the cat. It
is usually continuous low engine speed that generate that odor.
 
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