Hi, I've noticed that sometimes I can smell exhaust gases quite strongly when in the car. It seems to be absolutely fine when cruising, but sometimes seems to get in when parking or standing in traffic. I'm pretty sure the fumes are mine (not other cars outside) as the smell stays the same, and is petrol rather than someone else's diesel fumes.

 

I've changed the cabin filter (which was black with dirt), which hasn't helped. 

 

I've noticed that the car has had a small shunt in the rear at some point, but I've had the lights and bumper off the back and checked for any gaps/holes etc, and can't find any. I've also check the boot catch alignment and it's sealing around the tailgate nicely. 

 

All that leads me to think maybe it's coming in through the vents, any ideas how this could happen? No obvious exhaust noise to indicate a blow, but could there be a small one in the engine bay somewhere? Where (if possible) would it be sucked in?

 

Looking for where to look next really, it's driving me nuts!

 

Car is a 1.4 8v MPI, 2001.

Have you checked your exhaust flexible joint at the front? Might be leaking.

I had this problem also, but I can't really tell how it has been fixed. IIRC, first thing I did was to take off the plastic thing from under the windscreen wipers and clean all the dirt from there and clear the draining pipes. I had a plastic engine cover and for some reasons it was leaking exhaust fumes from there because of the oil cap. I've took it off and replaced it with a simple oil cap. You might also have a clogged exhaust gas recirculation pipe which causes this. If TMB would be right, the engine would sound pretty loud IMHO. 

 

Later edit: I can still smell the windshield washer liquid in the cabin when I'm cleaning it, but I no longer have the exhaust fumes in the cabin. So it had to be coming from under the bonnet IMHO. I have a condensation issue...everytime is cold outside, I drive the car for a while to heat it up and then I leave it like 30 minutes or so, when I start the engine, the windshield is getting a lot of moisture above the far away ventilation holes. I've replaced the cabin filter but nothing changed. THIS is driving me nuts. 

Edited 5 November, 201510 yr by Alexandru

Thanks for the replies. It's not the flexible joint, that's fine. I've had the engine cover off and there are no obvious leaks. With the cover off there's quite a bit of fumes that escape the open oil filler cap, but with the cover back on it seems to be sealed OK. 

 

Any tips for getting the plastic vent off where the wipers are? It seems to be held with three plastic rivets, I've tried trim removal tools and pliers on them but they won't budge? I'd rather not drill them out obviously as it means I'll need to find new ones.

 

The engine bay seal is perfect all the way round, so am at a bit of a loss to explain how the gases would escape.

 

Your condensation sounds like either a problem with the aircon or leaking doors to me

There hasn't been raining in 3 weeks and I still get that on my windshield. You need to take off the wipers in order to get that plastic thing off. There is a gap between the oil cap from the engine cover and the oil filler hole and there is where fumes are coming out and maybe getting into the cabin air intake.

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Thanks, will try and get a new filler cap and run it with that for a while to see if it helps. Any idea what diameter I need (or what other car I can take one from)?

 

BTW there is apparently no EGR system on my engine (1.4 MPI, code AQW).

 

Does the condensation happen with the aircon off (assuming you have aircon)? Also, any hissing noise, or is the air there cold? If it's not aircon, wonder if there is water in the air system somewhere - is the cabin filter damp?

I have aircon and unless I start it, only with the blower on...it gets worse.

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I'd be tempted if I were you to take the heater assembly out of the car for inspection - if you're getting liquid into the system (coolant from the engine, water from rain, or maybe aircon gas leak causing condensation), you'll be able to track the leak much easier then.

Look after 047103485 as the filler cap(same as for Felicia/Favorit), but make sure you get the rubber o-ring as well, it is sold separately and useless without it.

Later edit: take off the engine cover and look under it. Usually, you have the spare oil cap in there, not sure about the o-ring though.

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Edited 5 November, 201510 yr by Alexandru

Any tips for getting the plastic vent off where the wipers are? It seems to be held with three plastic rivets, I've tried trim removal tools and pliers on them but they won't budge? I'd rather not drill them out obviously as it means I'll need to find new ones.

 

 

They always break on removal. You would need three new ones. Part number  N90911301

Mine didn't break when I removed them...you just need to be careful. 

Thanks Alexandru for the filler cap number - installed it today so will see if it helps. On closer inspection it looks like there was some oil leaking from the old one onto the head, so good to change it anyway. There was no spare attached to my cover (must have fallen out at some point), so ordered one off eBay for a fiver.

 

Also have some new plastic rivets for the scuttle (eBay again, £3), will clean in there once I get those, as even if I don't break them they'll be a bit distorted so will look like they've been messed with...

Did you get that rubber o ring along with the cap?

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Yes, they came as a set, see the first couple of results at http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060778.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X047103485.TRS0&_nkw=047103485&_sacat=0 

Cool! Mine didn't

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It's worth checking the small vacuum pipe that goes to the rocker cover for holes or blockages. When you lift the oil cap at idle there should be slight vacuum trying to suck the cap back down. It shouldn't be blowing.

 

This was a video I did previously for Alexandru...

 

Speaking of that rocker cover...if you get oil around or above it, you might want to replace the rubber gasket from under it. It's a 2 min job. After 15 years and about 190.000km it was cracking into small pieces.  :peek:

Edited 7 November, 201510 yr by Alexandru

Speaking of that rocker cover...if you get oil around or above it, you might want to replace the rubber gasket from under it. It's a 2 min job. After 15 years and about 190.000km it was cracking into small pieces.  :peek:

 

I have since done it

Hmm, I have air coming out of the oil filler hole, when you say the small pipe do you mean the smaller of the two that connect at the filling hole?

Looking at it, the small pipe is sucking air in at a good rate, and the filler hole is pushing air out. If I put the cap on as in your video, it kind of dances around, and eventually catches at such an angle that it gets a good seal and clamps down. So I guess that's OK, as the two seem to be more or less cancelling each other out...

Mine does the same. It's ok, I guess.

Don't think I mentioned, but in case it's helpful for someone in the future:

 

Removing the engine cover and replacing it with a simple cap from the Felicia (as mentioned above) completely stopped the fumes in the cabin. Problem solved.

4 hours ago, wiredsoftware said:

Don't think I mentioned, but in case it's helpful for someone in the future:

 

Removing the engine cover and replacing it with a simple cap from the Felicia (as mentioned above) completely stopped the fumes in the cabin. Problem solved.

 

One of the first things I did when I got my MPI was to throw the engine cover in the bin and fit the Felicia oil cap. I can actually see what's going on in the engine bay without that uselss chunk of cosmetic plastic covering everything. Having the cover fitted also meant having two O-ring seals - one for the cover to oil filler hole and one for the VW cap. I prefer just having the one seal of the Felicia cap.

On 2/8/2017 at 15:22, wiredsoftware said:

Don't think I mentioned, but in case it's helpful for someone in the future:

 

Removing the engine cover and replacing it with a simple cap from the Felicia (as mentioned above) completely stopped the fumes in the cabin. Problem solved.

 

This is exactly what I was looking for! I've had this problem for ages and have to use the air circulation fan when stopped in traffic. Could you recommend a replacement part? There's lots on ebay ... 

 

Thanks a lot!

14 minutes ago, badgerdisco said:

 

This is exactly what I was looking for! I've had this problem for ages and have to use the air circulation fan when stopped in traffic. Could you recommend a replacement part? There's lots on ebay ... 

 

Thanks a lot!

 

On 2/8/2017 at 15:22, wiredsoftware said:

Don't think I mentioned, but in case it's helpful for someone in the future:

 

Removing the engine cover and replacing it with a simple cap from the Felicia (as mentioned above) completely stopped the fumes in the cabin. Problem solved.

 

Apologies, I saw the really helpful code in the earlier replies!

 

Best,
Alan