Rotten Egg gas Smell

[weststigers]

My Daughter has a 2007 Corolla Ascent, has travelled 40,000 klms but she has this smell of rotten egg gas constantly in and outside the car, has anybody else experienced this?.

[Ascendant Rice]

yeah, its caused by the cat converter.

[Ronnyboy]

Rice is correct.

An air freshner will sort out the inside, dont worry about the outside..

[TroysRollaSX]

Yup, it's the catalytic converter. Longer story, it's the cat converter allowing the sulphur in the exhaust gases to oxidise, turning it into hydrogen sulphide, which is what you can smell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter#Unwanted_reactions

Unwanted reactions Unwanted reactions can occur in the three-way catalyst, such as the formation of odiferous hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Formation of each can be limited by modifications to the washcoat and precious metals used. It is difficult to eliminate these byproducts entirely. Sulfur-free or low-sulfur fuels eliminate or reduce hydrogen sulfide.

For example, when control of hydrogen sulfide emissions is desired, nickel or manganese is added to the washcoat. Both substances act to block the adsorption of sulfur by the washcoat. Hydrogen sulfide is formed when the washcoat has adsorbed sulfur during a low temperature part of the operating cycle, which is then released during the high temperature part of the cycle and the sulfur combines with HC.

Edited November 9, 2010 by TroysRollaSX

[dwee.]

Does she only notice the smell when she's reversing, such in reversing into a car park? I sometimes smell it when I'm reversing into a 90 degree car park.

[Noodle Boy]

is it something to do with fuel as well? because there was a thread discussing the same thing with a kluger, and they were saying that they were using shell optimax(old 98RON fuel), whereas others use for example BP Ultimate and didn't have the same problem.

[TroysRollaSX]

is it something to do with fuel as well? because there was a thread discussing the same thing with a kluger, and they were saying that they were using shell optimax(old 98RON fuel), whereas others use for example BP Ultimate and didn't have the same problem.

Yes, differing sulphur content, a higher content will produce more of the smell, and some fuels have a higher content. This is due to engines with cats needing to run slightly rich in order for the cat to work at it's maximum efficiency, so if one fuel has a higher sulphur content, then more of it will be turned into hydrogen sulphide because there will be more sulphur entering the catalytic converter.

[123R-Prozak]

maybe she let one rip? hahaha

[Longdan]

I recall on a visit to WA many years ago that some cars I drove in produced a rotten egg smell from the exhaust when you stepped on the gas going up a hill. When I asked about it, everyone said it was something they put in the fuel. Not all fuel did it, and not all cars either. Maybe some were better sealed than others, or had the vents set to recirculate. But everyone just lived with it, and i got used to it as well.

[Branno]

If I've been giving my 07 ascent a thrashing, and then I park, it reeks of sulphur!

[Anahera]

It's definately the cat converter, it will go away over time.