Diesel fumes in cabin

ProjectGT

ProjectGT

Member
Any ideas?

I’m new to A2 ownership with a 1.4 TDI 75 2005 model year with 67k on the clock and a full service history.

I’m getting diesel fumes in the cabin.

Any ideas?

EGR looks good/clean from the outside.

Do the EGR pipes crack? Has mine got the water cooled pipe being a later car?

I’m thinking of getting it on the ramp to look for leaks and maybe use MOT tester probe to ‘sniff’ for fumes?!

Welcome suggestions and or experience anyone can share.
 
If diesel exhaust gases, then partially block the exhaust with engine running to create some back pressure and with bonnet off, check around engine and along length of exhaust to see if there any leaks. You should hear them quite easily. Do this outside please otherwise you will gas yourself!
It’s likely to be the exhaust flexi, if so do a search as there are a few threads on here about fitting a replacement.
 
ProjectGT said:
Any ideas?

I’m new to A2 ownership with a 1.4 TDI 75 2005 model year with 67k on the clock and a full service history.

I’m getting diesel fumes in the cabin.

Any ideas?

EGR looks good/clean from the outside.

Do the EGR pipes crack? Has mine got the water cooled pipe being a later car?

I’m thinking of getting it on the ramp to look for leaks and maybe use MOT tester probe to ‘sniff’ for fumes?!

Welcome suggestions and or experience anyone can share.
Click to expand...
How cold was it when you had this?
Webasto cuts in at 7.0 or below
 
kp 115 said:
How cold was it when you had this?
Webasto cuts in at 7.0 or below
Click to expand...
no Webasto on a 2005. This will be a BHC with the EGR cooler behind the right-hand end of the engine (standing at the front looking rearwards).

The air intake trumpet on my project car is a bit saggy as one of the fixings holding it underneath the scuttle cover is missing, and I wonder if this sometimes contributed to a slightly enginey smell in the cabin for the first year until I found a way to wedge it in place on top of the engine cover to interface properly with the intake on the bonnet - in a nutshell, if this isn't sealed, anything venting or dripping in that vicinity can get taken into the cabin air supply.

As suggested above, you also get dieselly wafts when the pump is leaking (are you seeing excessive fuel consumption?), or when the flexi is leaking - does it smell like raw diesel or exhaust? Are there any oily dribbles down the engine and on the ground (visible as wee rainbow circles on a wet surface if you reverse away)?
 
My money would be on the exhaust flexi - it’s easy to rule out, slide under and have a look where it joins the pipe, or maybe take a couple of pics so you can inspect carefully in comfort!
 
Robin_Cox said:
no Webasto on a 2005. This will be a BHC with the EGR cooler behind the right-hand end of the engine (standing at the front looking rearwards).

The air intake trumpet on my project car is a bit saggy as one of the fixings holding it underneath the scuttle cover is missing, and I wonder if this sometimes contributed to a slightly enginey smell in the cabin for the first year until I found a way to wedge it in place on top of the engine cover to interface properly with the intake on the bonnet - in a nutshell, if this isn't sealed, anything venting or dripping in that vicinity can get taken into the cabin air supply.

As suggested above, you also get dieselly wafts when the pump is leaking (are you seeing excessive fuel consumption?), or when the flexi is leaking - does it smell like raw diesel or exhaust? Are there any oily dribbles down the engine and on the ground (visible as wee rainbow circles on a wet surface if you reverse away)?
Click to expand...

Definite exhaust gasses smell, not spilt oil burning. The engine has no oil leaks.

The air intake trunk is fitted correctly and is firmly in place, I doubt it has ever been removed.
Catnip64 said:
If diesel exhaust gases, then partially block the exhaust with engine running to create some back pressure and with bonnet off, check around engine and along length of exhaust to see if there any leaks. You should hear them quite easily. Do this outside please otherwise you will gas yourself!
It’s likely to be the exhaust flexi, if so do a search as there are a few threads on here about fitting a replacement.
Click to expand...
great shout, I will give this a try
 
One thing to note is unlike most other cars the A2 exhaust tip sits under the car and does not project clear or flush to the bumper. It is possible that it is just the normal fumes you are experiencing but not realised, also possibility the fumes are entering via the cabin exhaust vents behind the rear bumper. If the flexi was leaking I would expect a louder exhaust note also, but as these cars are now "pensioners" of the car world, many of the original fit items are now end of useful life. You do have a cabin air filter fitted?

You will have to do a bit more research and investigation then come back to us with the results.


P.S. Really does not help us unless your profile is up to date either.
 
audifan said:
One thing to note is unlike most other cars the A2 exhaust tip sits under the car and does not project clear or flush to the bumper. It is possible that it is just the normal fumes you are experiencing but not realised, also possibility the fumes are entering via the cabin exhaust vents behind the rear bumper. If the flexi was leaking I would expect a louder exhaust note also, but as these cars are now "pensioners" of the car world, many of the original fit items are now end of useful life. You do have a cabin air filter fitted?

You will have to do a bit more research and investigation then come back to us with the results.


P.S. Really does not help us unless your profile is up to date either.
Click to expand...
Fair points, however the fumes are enough to make you dizzy on a short trip and are coming through the air vents.

Sniffing around the back of the engine from the top, their is a strong smell of diesel fumes.

Tomorrow I will get the car up on axle stands with the under tray off to look for leaks - Im hoping it should be fairly obvious with some black sooty marks.

Will update profile now and report back on my findings.

Thanks to this thread, I now have two areas to focus on, 1: downpipe flexi and 2: EGR cooler pipework.
 
Unlikely the EGR cooler pipe as that contains coolant..

Flexi, downpipe, turbo, EGR valve, missing dash grommets, fresh air intake, no cabin filter or other bad bodge!

Has any additive been in the fuel?
 
audifan said:
Unlikely the EGR cooler pipe as that contains coolant..

Flexi, downpipe, turbo, EGR valve, missing dash grommets, fresh air intake, no cabin filter or other bad bodge!

Has any additive been in the fuel?
Click to expand...
The car is completely OEM, has Audi history, the cabin filter is present.
No additive has been put in the fuel.

I have filled up with Super Diesel and driven it 50 miles.

Was thinking if it is not too downpipe to exhaust flexi or associated joints, it could be this EGR pipe work due to it taking exhaust gas and recirculating it to EGR valve and into the intake.

My only experience with diesel cars was about 10 years ago, working on my sisters Volvo C30 1.6 Diesel. Due to short trips and not being driven hard, the particulate filter became so clogged, it was effectively blocking the exhaust, forcing gases out anywhere it could in the engine bay. The car was seriously underperforming and went into limp mode. The cabin was smelling of fumes. I took the particulate filter off, had it professionally cleaned and refitted. Performance restored, no fumes in the cabin anymore.
 

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I should add that the car is pretty loud, but not sure if this is just how they all are.

Will update tomorrow on my findings.
 
The EGR cooler pipe on my 90(same as the BHC 75 was leaking exhaust from the corrugated section when I bought it. Ive since removed it as opposed to replacing it.
 
Q. Are the fumes worse while on the move, stationary or both.

A long shot but there are cabin vent flaps behind the back bumper which can fail. This normally results in water in the boot floor but some members also noticed exhaust fumes in the cabin

Cheers Spike
 
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