Stink from exhaust.

[Anonymous]

Sue arrived home from work today complaining that there was a strong smell from rear of the car.
I took it out for a test, my first thaught being clutch slip but this was not the case. there was no strainge noises and the car ran as suit as a nut with bags of power.
When I came back I left it running in the drive for 15 mins and then I could smelt it, a smell not quite as strong as bad eggs but similar.
Investigating further there was quite a lot of condensation coming from the exhaust and I think that is where the smell is coming from.
Does this sound like the head gasket has gone,and has anyone got any other ideas?.

[SteveJ]

Knackered main CAT

[aaronjb]

Rotten eggs is usually the smell associated with a dead or dieing catalytic convertor - though if it dies it should throw a CEL as the third O2 won't match the first two (unless you have an import? no third O2..) if it's the main CAT and it's dead (preCATs causing the smell wouldn't throw any CELs AFAIK)

[edit: Darn Steve and his succinct posts  s;) s;)  Beat me to it..]

[SteveJ]

The pre-cats will remove enough nasties to allow the 3rd O2 not to register a failure, in the same way that the main cat does just enough to allow the pre-cats to be removed (but it's a very close run thing!)

[Peter Wright]

Does this sound like the head gasket has gone,and has anyone got any other ideas?.

My wife & I had the same on our Mondeo took it straight to the garage & after inspection found all it was a plastic carrier bag being burnt stuck to the silencer

Pete

[Anonymous]

Peter, I hope its a carrier bag. Could anyone give the reason for more than normal moisture from exhaust?.

[Anonymous]

Peter, I hope its a carrier bag. Could anyone give the reason for more than normal moisture from exhaust?.

How about cold and humid weather?  Don't see how HGF would cause a bad smell.