Need help-fume smell constantly.

[biketsai]

Really trying to tackle this fume issue I have been having lately. Not sure if oil vapor or exhaust fumes. There is not a scenario where I do not smell like anything. My clothes/hair ends up smelling a little bit after each ride. Wife claims to get headaches.

I have bad smell in the following scenarios:
Windows Up, ECON mode, fresh air flow
Windows up, ECON mode, re-circulated (usually makes it worse)
Windows up, AC or heat on (worse when AC is on), fresh air flow
Windows up, AC or heat on, recirculation (worse with recirculation)
Smell is worse when my oil stick is at mid to full, versus being at the bottom of the stick.

I have the worst smell/fumes in the following scenarios:
No air turned on at all
Windows down (any window), or sunroof cracked, etc
AC on with windows up in recirc.
Gets worse if I am heavy on the gas during my ride.

No visible oil leaks (recently fixed my oil pan leak)
Placed a PCV system back as close to OEM as possible. PCV dumps into intake with a cone filter
Sprayed water/soap on the EM to Turbo bolts, noticed a little bubbly upon startup. Is this enough to cause my issue?
Placed an additional rubber strip on the hood/second firewall strip to try and seal the bay.
Not running a battery tray cover (wasnt an issue before)

Going to order new gaskets for the downpipe, cat, turbo to EM, and EM to head.

Any ideas?

[MarcRogers]

I had this same problem. For me it was exhaust fumes. I just needed a gasket for my CAT to the Downpipe. But it's can be anything but that's what it was for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[biketsai]

I had this same problem. For me it was exhaust fumes. I just needed a gasket for my CAT to the Downpipe. But it's can be anything but that's what it was for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How bad were your fumes? How many different scenarios did you match with and how did you fix it?

[Wrath And Tears]

Exhaust, Oil, and Gas fumes all smell extremely different so it should be pretty easy to figure it out. Just start sniffing with the hood up. If you don't smell it in the engine bay then its coming from the cabin.

If you don't have a good / sensitive nose, ask your wife to do the smelling.

[MarcRogers]

My fumes where bad they would come through the defroster vent. I knew it was my exhaust cuz I didint have a gasket there and I saw it smoking. My manifold turbo and motor gaskets are both new. I have no gasket going from the turbo to the cat and that one dosent leak. But from the cat to the downpipe that was the on e that was leaking so I got a new gasket from the dealer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MarcRogers]

Fumes where so bad I had to replace it immediately because even with the windows open it was horrible to drive like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[biketsai]

I've had both oil and exhaust before and they seem the same to me.

[biketsai]

Fumes where so bad I had to replace it immediately because even with the windows open it was horrible to drive like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mine is just like that but I don't see any smoke when it is idling.

[MarcRogers]

Well do you have an aftermarket exhaust on your car because if not an exhaust leak causing the type of fumes your talking about should be able to be herd. I have full 2.5" catback and I could hear it. I've never had oil dripping onto my exhaust so I'm not familiar with that smell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[biketsai]

Well do you have an aftermarket exhaust on your car because if not an exhaust leak causing the type of fumes your talking about should be able to be herd. I have full 2.5" catback and I could hear it. I've never had oil dripping onto my exhaust so I'm not familiar with that smell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes I have an aftermarket exhaust. When I am under the hood, it is really hard to tell where the smell or noise is coming from. It is not really noticeable at idle.

[MarcRogers]

Dose it sound any different when you drive. My was hard to hear at idle as well but when I would drive it I could hear it ever so slightly. I would check your exhaust system from the manifold back. If you had oil burning on the exhaust I figure you would be able to see it. It would leave a black residue


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[melomandn]

Have you checked the seal on your gas tank access "door" in the trunk? I have heard that if it is not properly sealed it can make your interior smell of gas fumes.

[biketsai]

Have you checked the seal on your gas tank access "door" in the trunk? I have heard that if it is not properly sealed it can make your interior smell of gas fumes.

The fuel pump circle door?

- - - Updated - - -

Dose it sound any different when you drive. My was hard to hear at idle as well but when I would drive it I could hear it ever so slightly. I would check your exhaust system from the manifold back. If you had oil burning on the exhaust I figure you would be able to see it. It would leave a black residue


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds normal to me.

[biketsai]

Replaced the following with about 1/3 improvement. Maybe the exhaust is leaking from the flex joint or somewhere in the connection under the car? The main thing is that I still get smell real bad with windows down (it is slightly better after I replaced these parts yesterday).

Exhaust manifold to Head Gasket w/new nuts
Turbo to Manifold gasket
Turbo to HFC gasket with new studs/nuts
HFC to downpipe gasket with new bolts/nuts

[MarcRogers]

It could be the flex pipe. And you checked the gaskets when you did the new studs and nuts? And they where good


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[biketsai]

It could be the flex pipe. And you checked the gaskets when you did the new studs and nuts? And they where good


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

New gaskets in all of those spots.

[MarcRogers]

Ok the only guess I have now is the flex pipe. I can't be 100% because I don't have one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[biketsai]

Did some sniffing around- I can smell it the strongest when parked from the passenger side behind the front wheel. Maybe near the flex? I cannot smell much when looking directly over into the hood.

[Turbo_B5]

The fuel pump circle door?

He means the gas tank seal for the hole to take the fuel pump out. Its like a $10 part.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_A4...ump/ES2642184/


http://audi-diy.blogspot.ca/2007/10/...pump-seal.html

[biketsai]

He means the gas tank seal for the hole to take the fuel pump out. Its like a $10 part.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_A4...ump/ES2642184/


http://audi-diy.blogspot.ca/2007/10/...pump-seal.html

Even if this were bad, it wouldn't cause terrible smell once I roll the windows down right?

[Turbo_B5]

Even if this were bad, it wouldn't cause terrible smell once I roll the windows down right?

I don't know. It is only $10 to find out though.

[biketsai]

Took it to an exhaust shop today- didnt see any leaks. I did see what looked like some fluid dripping down the transmission- maybe hitting the exhaust? So either oil fumes/vapors from PCV or this leak.