Sometimes, not always (hence “sometimes”), when I’ve been diving the 1995 Nissan Crashfinder I notice a sulphur smell coming off the car when I shut it off and walk away. I’m pretty much unwilling to believe it’s something coming up off the road because I’ve never noticed it on any other car.
Only thing I can think is that there’s some sulphur in the fuel (probably not unusual, but I know zip about the chemical composition of gasoline) that’s not being burned right. My first instinc is to blame the catalytic converter because I’ve never trusted them since one broke into my house and stole all my mustard. But that’s another story.
Oh it’s already from hell. It’s big, green, filthy and ugly–the kids call it Shrek. OK, the Cat is hereby indicted as the source. But why? Is it hosed? Is the car not digesting gasoline properly like every other car I’ve had (ethanol intolerant?). The V-6 3.0 has plenty of power in the 0-30 mph range, but if you get it on the highway and run into hills you’re doing well if you can keep it at 55 in 4th gear. Also, it sucks on gas, probably 16 mpg. No check engine lights are coming on.
Someone here at work just flipped out “Bad fuel injector.” anything to that? This person is usually a dumbass.
I think you need to watch what you eat and quit blaming the car. Points, however, for coming up with a whole new twist on ‘pull my finger’: ‘open the car door!’
The sulpher smell is from sulpher in the fuel. The converter has nothing to do with this smell.
Try a different brand or grade fuel. If that fixes the problem it is not the car, its the fuel.
I have had sulpher smell on brand new cars, changing the fuel fixes the problem.
I thnk there are several possibilities. It could be the fuel you’re using, or it could be that the fuel/air ratio in your engine is too rich. Unburned fuel will cause the catalytic converter to overheat, producing the sulpher odor. This condition will also, dramatically, shorten the life of the converter, so it should be corrected asap. These are the two most likely causes. It could also be that the converter is failing. Rick is far more knowlegeable than I am, about auto mechanics, but I disagree w/ him on this one.
My car does that too, I found that if I use Shell gas it freakin stinks of sulpher a few minutes after I shut it off, the smell lasts for hours if the car is sitting. No Catalytic converter (67 Mustang) so I’m pretty sure it’s the gas.
Anecdotal but I was recently missing on one cylinder, a shorted spark plug wire, and pushing a lot of unburned fuel out the tailpipe. There was a strong smell of sulphur until I got it repaired.
Does your engine feel like it’s missing on a cylinder? Shuddering? Rough idle?
That website for failed Cat converters is cool but doen’t tell you how to check it. Is there a good way that doesn’t require a cutting wheel?
The joint in front of my Cat converter is loose, needs a gasket I guess, and it’s got a pretty good stream of exhaust that comes out - Implies that the catalytic converter is creating some sort of back-pressure - maybe normal amount.
Plenty of white clouds behind the car on a cold morning, too. I passed my bi-annual emissions test this past summer.
