Petrol smell in exhaust

[[email protected] 0]

Hi all,

I hope someone can shed light on what may cause a strong petrol smell coming from my exhaust? There doesn't seem to be a leak in the fuel line but there is a 'chuggy' idle like too much fuel is getting in....is this the fuel injectors or O2 sensor?

Hoping it's a simple fix! Thanks for your help.

[cliffdunedin 8]

sounds like it could be running rich...from previous cars i've had, easy fix for a car with carby not so easy with injected.

Personally i would get the fuel line leak fixed first then see if it continues not to burn all the fuel!

[[email protected] 0]

sounds like it could be running rich...from previous cars i've had, easy fix for a car with carby not so easy with injected.

Personally i would get the fuel line leak fixed first then see if it continues not to burn all the fuel!

Thanks, at first look I cannot see a leak, but I will have a closer examination...any idea whetre to start with an injected system?

Cheers.

[Jacko 2154]

Sounds like a stuck injector maybe?

Check all the injector electrical plugs are on nice and tight

Check for vacuum leaks.

Still running rich at idle, id pull the injectors and get them professionally cleaned and flow checked.

Gonna be a process of elimination...

If its still running rich as at idle id start playing with electrickly trickery, AFM, 0x sensor etc.

[[email protected] 0]

Sounds like a stuck injector maybe?

Check all the injector electrical plugs are on nice and tight

Check for vacuum leaks.

Still running rich at idle, id pull the injectors and get them professionally cleaned and flow checked.

Gonna be a process of elimination...

If its still running rich as at idle id start playing with electrickly trickery, AFM, 0x sensor etc.

Thanks...any idea what it costs to get the fuel injectors cleaned?

[Jacko 2154]

Thanks...any idea what it costs to get the fuel injectors cleaned?

Ultrasonic cleaning and testing, bank on around $20-50 an injector.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Jacko

[[email protected] 0]

Ultrasonic cleaning and testing, bank on around $20-50 an injector.

hmmmm...seems you can buy reconditioned injectors from Ebay for $US69 inc. shipping for 6 19lb 204cc reconditioned injectors......Anyone have experience in this?

[polley 916]

Ive seen an e30 m20 run rich when the throttle posistion switch was out of adjustment.

[[email protected] 0]

Ive seen an e30 m20 run rich when the throttle posistion switch was out of adjustment.

Thanks Polley..any idea how or where to adjust this?

Its funny, I can smell fuel, slight chugger chug noise at idle but idle is pretty consistant at 600-650, could be a bit low, maybe related?

[cliffdunedin 8]

here's a couple of good links for you -

http://www.bimmerdiy.com/dir/e30

injector cleaning -

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticl...or_cleaning.htm

[Mark 178]

Check your TPS (throttle position switch) and also your thermostat. Thermostats sometimes seize in the "cold" position which tricks the ECU into delivering too much fuel even though the engine is warm.

[[email protected] 0]

Thanks Cliff....yes lots of good articles in the Pelican Parts archive, I will check out the other one too.

Mark - I assume if the thermostate is seized it can be cleaned with some brake cleaner...also TPS?

Cheers.

Edited November 3, 2010 by Rhamin

[polley 916]

If the thermostat is poked just replace it. Does your car come fully up to temperature, and if it does, does it take longer than normal?

[[email protected] 0]

Thanks Polley...I have only had the car a few weeks...seems to go up to halfway when in traffic and about 1/3 on the open road, seems normal, gets up to operating temp the same speed as my old mazda did. Although I have noticed on the odd occasion that the needle jumps erratically from 1/3 to half temp and back again in quick twitches!! hmmm...thermostat?

[polley 916]

1/2 temp is normal operating temp. The gauge flickering around is probally a bad connection in the gauge cluster, its quite common. Try giving the dash a whack next time it does it

[[email protected] 0]

I can't hit my new baby!! lol, perhaps some tender words of encouragement! Will replace the thermostat anyway, they seem reasonably proced, can't do any harm.

[mark19 0]

I can't hit my new baby!! lol, perhaps some tender words of encouragement! Will replace the thermostat anyway, they seem reasonably proced, can't do any harm.

if the gauge flickering gets worse its quite probably that the grounding nut needs tightning in the back of the instument cluster. Remove cluster, tighten night behind temp gauge (on back of cluster, you dont have to pull the cluster apart), and reinstall. This seems to be a pretty common issue.

[[email protected] 0]

Seems to have stopped now, but I'll do this if it starts again..cheers.