Diesel exhaust odor in van with Windows open

[VinceP]

Happy Sunday all,

I am having a weird issue with my 2005 158' Passenger. So the A/C decided to quit suddenly last week, no refrigerant pressure, but that is for another diagnostic. Since then, I am driving with both front windows open (obviously). I am experiencing a diesel exhaust odor inside the cab (more at the rear) at certain speeds, like 80-90 Km/h (40-50 Mph). My theory is that the windows open creates a backpressure in the rear and since the rear doors are not quite perfectly sealed (Duh) the pressure make the exhaust fumes enter the rear of the van. My exhaust system has no leaks, front or rear. The pipe at the rear is coming off a bit out of under the bumper, so the exhaust fumes are going up exactly at the rear doors.

It's not new issue, but since I drive with windows open I notice it more. I was wondering if anyone had a similar issue. I am thinking about having the rear exhaust tube modified to exit rear right side just rear of the RR tire.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Vince

 

[Cheyenne]

Have you checked for 'Black Death'?

Remove the cover on top of the engine and look for a black tar like mess around one or more of the injectors.

Keith.

 

[ECU]

Yep. Injector leakage.

 

[VinceP]

There is absolutely no black death injectors are clean. I remove the cover every 3 months to check. Was removed 3 weeks ago. The odor exists since I have the vehicle, but It never bugged me since I drive either with Heat or A/C on depending of the season with the windows closed.

 

[BrennWagon]

Have you searched along the exhaust for any potential leaks? Exhaust smell in the van occasionally is relatively normal, but not as much as you’re describing through the front windows.

 

[trc.rhubarb]

Consider it may be overfueling.
When mine isn't running well and smoking, I get this issue.
I can smell it before i can see the smoke.

 

[Cheyenne]

Do you have the Espar aux heater and if so is it turned on? The exhaust for it is in the drivers side front wheel well so fumes could easily be drawn into the open window.

Keith.

 

[billintomahawk]

Consider it may be overfueling.
When mine isn't running well and smoking, I get this issue.
I can smell it before i can see the smoke.

Working through the same issue here. Do you hear a rapping or tapping on acceleration from a standstill?

2002 612 engine.

bill in tomahawk

 

[trc.rhubarb]

Working through the same issue here. Do you hear a rapping or tapping on acceleration from a standstill?

2002 612 engine.

bill in tomahawk

For me it was "turbo lag" but all sounded fine at idle and leakback was fine. It would bog like a gas motor running rich and then would run great but with unpredictable power... sometimes a lot, sometimes not. I started surging a bit and smoking and it was time for my last 2 injectors. All failed within 15k miles of each other. I shouldn't have been cheap. This time it was number 1 and 5. 1 had the start of seal leakage and was stuck pretty good but no evidence at all above. No noise of compression escaping, no black "spittle", no tar, nothing until i had to break out the puller and found the injector body coked up.

I've had a lot of parts go bad since 200k miles (215 now) and so i've had black smoke more often than some... every time i can smell exhaust coming in through the back doors, it alerts me to a new issue

I don't know muck about the internals but your issue (video) sounds to me like when a cam chain tensioner isn't working properly. No idea how the cam chain is set up on these.

 

[VinceP]

Interesting thoughts. What puzzles me is that there is no black smoke what soever coming out of the tail pipe. I sometimes have a very slight ticking at idle and it goes away at 1200 RPM. It has been like that since day one I had it (Back to 2017). Are your exhaust pipe in the rear coming out of the bumper or is recessed under the vehicle? Mine has been replaced prior to my purchase and it has been done by an exhaust shop. The tail pipe is extending about 3-4 inches back of the rear bumper. I can look at possible overfueling, but i doubt it. it really smell like regular diesel exhaust coming back in the vehicle by the rear. @bill, yes I have a very slight tapping from standstill that is intermittent. I was told it may be an injector that is ticking.
What are other visible signs of overfueling?

 

[Cheyenne]

I sometimes have a very slight ticking at idle and it goes away at 1200 RPM.
... yes I have a very slight tapping from standstill that is intermittent.

That ticking could be your Espar dosing pump which is mounted to the chassis pretty much directly below your drivers seat. It ticks very rhythmically and could easily be mistaken for an engine sound.

Is the red light showing next to the bow tie section of the right hand most heater control?

Keith.

 

[trc.rhubarb]

Interesting thoughts. What puzzles me is that there is no black smoke what soever coming out of the tail pipe. I sometimes have a very slight ticking at idle and it goes away at 1200 RPM. It has been like that since day one I had it (Back to 2017). Are your exhaust pipe in the rear coming out of the bumper or is recessed under the vehicle? Mine has been replaced prior to my purchase and it has been done by an exhaust shop. The tail pipe is extending about 3-4 inches back of the rear bumper. I can look at possible overfueling, but i doubt it. it really smell like regular diesel exhaust coming back in the vehicle by the rear. @bill, yes I have a very slight tapping from standstill that is intermittent. I was told it may be an injector that is ticking.
What are other visible signs of overfueling?

Mine turns down under the van about mid-length

 

[VinceP]

That ticking could be your Espar dosing pump which is mounted to the chassis pretty much directly below your drivers seat. It ticks very rhythmically and could easily be mistaken for an engine sound.

Is the red light showing next to the bow tie section of the right hand most heater control?

Keith.

No the Espar isn't working. I know very well the ticking of the Espar. It's +30 C here so it's more A/C than espar

 

[VinceP]

Mine turns down under the van about mid-length

That's my thought. I'm pretty sure my exhaust arrangement has something to do with my issue.

 

[Colorado_Al]

Ticking sound at idle is likely the EGR opening and closing

 

[Mr. Mad Badger]

Exhaust leak is my guess. I found a leak in my flex hose, the clamp holding the flex hose to the s pipe, and holes at both ends of the cat/muffler. This causes a lot of exhaust fumes with the windows open.

 

[Yarrow]

I smell some diesel smell also when I'm driving with windows open. Just assumed it was normal. I have a Volvo wagon and when on a gravel road it gets very dusty with the front windows open. As soon as I shut the windows and turn the AC on the dust stops coming in. It comes in the back door even tho the seal seems pretty tight. I would expect a sprinter to suck exhaust from the rear doors as sloppy as they can be seal wise. I also checked my injectors just the other day and they are clean with no sign of black death.

 

[billintomahawk]

I've had a lot of parts go bad since 200k miles (215 now) and so i've had black smoke more often than some... every time i can smell exhaust coming in through the back doors, it alerts me to a new issue

I don't know muck about the internals but your issue (video) sounds to me like when a cam chain tensioner isn't working properly. No idea how the cam chain is set up on these.

Something to think about but like you I am ignorant.
Injector removal and testing in my future.

b

 

[VinceP]

I smell some diesel smell also when I'm driving with windows open. Just assumed it was normal. I have a Volvo wagon and when on a gravel road it gets very dusty with the front windows open. As soon as I shut the windows and turn the AC on the dust stops coming in. It comes in the back door even tho the seal seems pretty tight. I would expect a sprinter to suck exhaust from the rear doors as sloppy as they can be seal wise. I also checked my injectors just the other day and they are clean with no sign of black death.

That's exactly my guess. That the windows open would trigger succion from the rear. Your comment about the fact that is stops sucking dust when you drive windows shut confirms my theory.

I wil have an exhaust shop modify the rear pipe to exhaust in the middle of the van maybe on the side with a tailpipe that goes downwards. I have to look into this. Any comments about the exhaust arrangements for 158' Sprinter?

 

[autostaretx]

Another source of T1N fuel leakage is the high pressure fuel pump at the top front of the engine.
Its internal screws can loosen, and fuel dribbles down the front of the engine.
(the fix is to remove the pump and tighten the screws that are accessed from the back ... add Locktite)

--dick