smelly catalytic converter?

-
Rob

Rob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
2,273
Reaction score
31
Location
Victoria, BC
My 90 RAM just started to stink which I assume is the cat gone bad, rotten egg smell. The truck runs fine and we don't have smog tests here so I have no intention on shelling out money to replace it. I was just going to weld in a straight pipe where it was but my lazy side started thinking. Does anybody know how long that stink will last before it burns out? Needless to say it would be easier to just leave it there but I can only live with the smell so long and I'm sure it can't be great for you inhaling it
 
Found this with a google search.

There's sulfur in fuel additives; your engine isn't burning it completely and your catalytic converter is storing it and then releasing it as hydrogen sulfide when you add load to the engine and force more air through.

Try switching gas stations, or fuel grades; then try a thorough tune-up: replace the spark plugs, plug wires, fuel and air filters, and oxygen sensor, and clean the fuel injectors.

If that doesn't do it, replace your converter.
 
it doesnt just burn up after a while with it smelling it is actually being clogged up when its clogged up enough truck no go better to go ahead and get it done now than be stranded on the side of the road
 
Thanks guys, guess I'm cutting it out and welding in a straight pipe
 
When that happens in our vehicles , I give my wife that look and wrenkle my nose. She gets mad. :dontknow:
 
Well things just got weirder. I climbed under to have a look and it doesn't have a cat? I naturally assumed it would and that smell is usually from a bad cat. It's a turbo cummins, didn't they have cats? I'm guessing no so now what, is the smell just coming from the muffler?
 
If you have no cat and it smells like rotten eggs your battery could be on its way out. When cell shorts it causes the voltage reg to go full field . That causes the stench. I'll bet after a short ride that battery is warm to the touch.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
Rotten egg smell is usually Sulphur.

Sulphur in Diesel Fuel Regulations in Canada

http://www.ec.gc.ca/energie-energy/default.asp?lang=En&n=7A8F92ED-1
Click to expand...

Yes it's definitley sulphur but why does it smell all of a sudden. It isn't a slight smell, it's vile :puke:

funwithfuel said:
If you have no cat and it smells like rotten eggs your battery could be on its way out. When cell shorts it causes the voltage reg to go full field . That causes the stench. I'll bet after a short ride that battery is warm to the touch.
Click to expand...

The battery is only a couple months old so unless it's faulty?
 
Some diesels have a catalyst in the muffler and not seperate until about 2007 when the restrictions changed.
 
Maybe the voltage regulator is stuck check your charging voltage , engine running. No accessories on . Should show no more than 14.7- 14.8 volts . Any higher and you have an overcharging issue. Be careful . An overcharging battery is giving off a buttload of hydrogen , any sparks could ignite it and result in a battery explosion. Hose off the battery with a gallon of water and fan the area surrounding it to dissipate any dangerous gasses. Looks and sounds silly , but believe me you don't want that to happen.
 
Rob said:
Yes it's definitley sulphur but why does it smell all of a sudden. It isn't a slight smell, it's vile :puke:
Click to expand...


How many tanks of diesel has had this smell coming from them. Maybe a bad blend?
I don't know about up there but we have summer blend diesel and winter blend diesel. I can tell a difference in smell in my tractor and my rollback.
 
chryslerfat said:
Some diesels have a catalyst in the muffler and not seperate until about 2007 when the restrictions changed.
Click to expand...

I wonder if that may be the case, seems very odd that it doesn't have a cat but I don't know much about diesels.

funwithfuel said:
Maybe the voltage regulator is stuck check your charging voltage , engine running. No accessories on . Should show no more than 14.7- 14.8 volts . Any higher and you have an overcharging issue. Be careful . An overcharging battery is giving off a buttload of hydrogen , any sparks could ignite it and result in a battery explosion. Hose off the battery with a gallon of water and fan the area surrounding it to dissipate any dangerous gasses. Looks and sounds silly , but believe me you don't want that to happen.
Click to expand...

I'll check but my gauges all read fine as I recall.

Oklacarcollecto said:
How many tanks of diesel has had this smell coming from them. Maybe a bad blend?
I don't know about up there but we have summer blend diesel and winter blend diesel. I can tell a difference in smell in my tractor and my rollback.
Click to expand...

In theory just the one tank although my wife though she could smell it when I was filling up. We drove up to the cabin which is 100 miles, I didn't notice anything until we got there and by then it was brutal when we opened the doors. On the way back it wasn't too bad until we were about 3/4 of the way home, at that point stopping at red lights had the stench flooding in bad.

DobaDaddy said:
New DONT always mean good.
Click to expand...

This is true
 
The cat in the muffler started in 95 in the states and as I said in 2007 it became a seperate piece.
 
We have a winner, the battery is boiling. I'm going to assume the voltage regulator went so I'll replace it after I find it, so lost when it comes to diesels :eek:ops:

Thanks for all the help guys!
 
Rob said:
We have a winner, the battery is boiling. I'm going to assume the voltage regulator went so I'll replace it after I find it, so lost when it comes to diesels :eek:ops:

Thanks for all the help guys!
Click to expand...

Probably inside the alternator like most others
 
Don't just go after the voltage regulator , I'm glad you found the source but now you gotta find the cause. Since you've got a Cummins , your alternator is more than likely a leece- Neville or delco. Both simple. 2 wire alternators . Hot cable n ground. I'd have both batteries checked. It only takes one shorted cell to screw everything up. Those alternators can be pretty pricey. Good luck.
 
Static voltage , batteries unhooked should show between 12 & 12.5 volts if you've got one that shows for example 10.2 or so, that's the one that needs your attention. Why was the other battery changed?
 
funwithfuel said:
Don't just go after the voltage regulator , I'm glad you found the source but now you gotta find the cause. Since you've got a Cummins , your alternator is more than likely a leece- Neville or delco. Both simple. 2 wire alternators . Hot cable n ground. I'd have both batteries checked. It only takes one shorted cell to screw everything up. Those alternators can be pretty pricey. Good luck.
Click to expand...

He makes a great point
 
I'm only running one battery, there's two in there but the 2nd one wasn't hooked up when I bought the truck a few years ago and I left it that way. Being a 3/4 ton I always thought the 2nd one was to run extras, like all that having a camper would help drain.

The voltage regulator looks to be external, like the good old days. I've never had an alternator overcharge and boil a battery, but then I've never had a battery boil in my 40 years of driving either.
 
Rob said:
We have a winner, the battery is boiling. I'm going to assume the voltage regulator went so I'll replace it after I find it, so lost when it comes to diesels :eek:ops:

Thanks for all the help guys!
Click to expand...

I am glad you found the problem so let us know what the cause and repair ends up being.
 
Rob said:
I'm only running one battery, there's two in there but the 2nd one wasn't hooked up when I bought the truck a few years ago and I left it that way.
Click to expand...

That may very well be the problem. That alternator is trying to charge two batteries and only one is hooked up....
 
Well like I stated, a quick simple test of the battery voltage at rest vs running no load vs running full load should help you pinpoint it. The second battery is to maintain battery voltage while cranking in a hard start cold morning. The number one starter killer is low battery voltage high load. The amperage goes through the roof. Do yourself a favor, charge and test the second battery if its good hook er up. Your starter will last a lifetime longer.
 
If it has a hot and a ground lug and its internally shorted, you will get continuity between the ground lug and the case. The regulator regulates how much ground your alternator is getting so a quick test could tell you this. Im not sure this is applicable to internally regulated if it has a seperate ground lug?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top