Cabin stinks/tastes like diesel fumes after idiling to warm up

fouillard13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Pincher Creek, AB
TDI
03 Jetta TDI Standard
I let my car idle for a few minutes sometimes in these cold mornings. When I get into my car it reeks like diesel fumes so bad that I can taste them. Why is this?? Is it because my heater is cranked and I’m sucking up my fumes from outside?

I once had this problem while driving. Exhaust fumes getting into the cab bad. Turns out it was my egr hose that had broken. It’s since been deleted and blocked off.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Don't let your car sit and idle, first of all.

Second, you can turn on the recirc and not allow any outside air into the car, if you insist on letting the car idle.

It warms up much faster (especially with no EGR) if you just drive the car off right away.

You may also want to check for exhaust leaks anywhere ahead of the tail pipe.

My Golf's exhaust dumps under the car.... but I never sit and idle, so I never smell anything. I am moving after about 5 seconds of the engine running. As long as it takes me to buckle my seat belt, essentially.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
what oil hammer said*
First off, it does not reek, it smells good, and much better than gas exhaust fumes.

Idle is bad for the turbo and a complete waste of fuel. if you want a warm car, get a frost heater or something.

Either you have a leaking exhaust, probably at the downpipe, but the EGR system and cooler can also be suspect.
 

fouillard13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Pincher Creek, AB
TDI
03 Jetta TDI Standard
ive got a frost heater, but it cant be plugged in sometimes.

not too sure about the cat. I believe everything is stock.

ive gotta let it idle on these -20C mornings. I dont think you guys get Calgary winters. even -10 and -15C its got rough starts. it rattles and vibrates and sounds like rocks in a pop can for 20-30 seconds. the idle is high or up and down, it barely turns over with 0w40 t6 oil and a 1 year old VW battery in those temps. no way im putting my seatbelt on and driving away. doesnt it at least take 5~ seconds for oil to reach the top end in those temps? the clutch and clutch fluids are stiff, the lights inside are dim and slow. its gotta idle for a few mins some mornings. those are the stinky mornings.

now I know what to check for/get the mechanic to check for!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I have already experienced a - 7 F cold start this winter, I think that is about -20 C ? And I started it up and drove off right away, same as always. It was cranky to start, but as soon as it was running I was off and headed to work.

5w40 oil, Volkswagen (Enertec) battery, no heater, sitting outside, 535k miles. I was doing over 80 MPH within 2 minutes of the engine starting. Same as always. *shrug*
 

belome

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Location
Mid MI
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS TDI 5-speed
To keep it on track, I started my ALH at -37F and was driving within a minute. Yeah, it sounds like a tin can full of rocks for 10 seconds but it smoothed out.

I sure didn't beat on it right away though.
 

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
After all the work done on my TDI, I have to get moving right away. The car stink up the neighbourhood. It gets a little better when it is warm.

I am going to look for some tweaks to cleanup the smell a bit. Perhaps in the IQ or IP timing? Maybe a fuel additive that smells like flowers or french fries.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
For some reason I thought you were an Interstate guy?
How is your Enertec holding up? I sure didn't like mine.

Interstate seems to have suffered in longevity in the last few years, and their prices just kept going up. So we switched our batteries around a bit. Most VAG products get OEM or the AC-Delco branded whatever-it-is (they just put their sticker on them).

The Enertec in my Golf is currently three years old, doing OK but as a general rule if I know it is going to be bitter cold and I know it is going to sit for a few days (weekend) I will put a charger on it overnight just in case.

One of my Passats still has the old Interstate in it, I think it is going on five years old I think. And it sits (the gasser) most of the time, sometimes for a couple weeks. The diesel Passat has an older OEM battery in it, I think it is probably 7+ years old, it is only the second battery since the car left the factory. :eek:
 

Cptcrnch

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Location
FredCo MD
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI wagon; 2014 Golf TDI (buyback 7/26/17)
I had the same problem and discovered that my lower EGR pipe was broken. Since the intake for cabin air is right near there it'll pull the fumes in. Like others have said turning on recirc will help and simply driving off not too long after starting will help as well until you can check the EGR pipe and possible other culprits.
 

fouillard13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Pincher Creek, AB
TDI
03 Jetta TDI Standard
the lower EGR pipe has been fully blocked off.

plus, if that tube was broke, which mind had been, wouldnt you lost all boost/turbo, like mine did when it broke?

very very interesting how you guys start cold at -30 and just drive off. everyone here, my whole life, has idled, and will argue you till it turns into a fight, that you need to let them idle for AT LEAST 10 minutes haha. im a 1-2 minute guy but I baby my vw. especially clearing snow... youre not telling me that you clear snow, scrape the windshield, THEN start the car and take off?!

its funny, all this mention of cold start driving and no one mentions of max RPM when taking off cold like that? I know you guys have your magic numbers... what are they? surely you arent doing 3500rpm shifts.
 

fouillard13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Pincher Creek, AB
TDI
03 Jetta TDI Standard
I am going to look for some tweaks to cleanup the smell a bit. Perhaps in the IQ or IP timing? Maybe a fuel additive that smells like flowers or french fries.
my buddies have two stroke oil for their dirtbikes that smells like strawberry!!

its alright, but im so sick of it. its been around for like 10 years.
 

belome

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Location
Mid MI
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS TDI 5-speed
Interstate seems to have suffered in longevity in the last few years
Our Tahoe had an Interstate. Our back door doesn't always shut right and it leaves the dome light on. I swear that thing was drained flat at least 10 times in the last 5 years and it survived... until the recent cold snap.

I decided to go a different route when I found out how much the new Interstate would cost.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
ive got a frost heater, but it cant be plugged in sometimes.

not too sure about the cat. I believe everything is stock.

ive gotta let it idle on these -20C mornings. I dont think you guys get Calgary winters. even -10 and -15C its got rough starts. it rattles and vibrates and sounds like rocks in a pop can for 20-30 seconds. the idle is high or up and down, it barely turns over with 0w40 t6 oil and a 1 year old VW battery in those temps. no way im putting my seatbelt on and driving away. doesnt it at least take 5~ seconds for oil to reach the top end in those temps? the clutch and clutch fluids are stiff, the lights inside are dim and slow. its gotta idle for a few mins some mornings. those are the stinky mornings.

now I know what to check for/get the mechanic to check for!
no, not if your oil is fresh. i lived in northern utah, -45F in February at 4am when i had to go to work. I know cold bro! If your brake /clutch fluid is siff when its cold, change it. your supposed to change that fluid every 2 years regardless of miles. You need to upgrade your grounds and wires from the alternator. Do a big 3 wire kit. You will tanks me. Letting it idle for 30 seconds is best. no reason otherwise.
 

Cptcrnch

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Location
FredCo MD
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI wagon; 2014 Golf TDI (buyback 7/26/17)
the lower EGR pipe has been fully blocked off.

plus, if that tube was broke, which mind had been, wouldnt you lost all boost/turbo, like mine did when it broke?
Whoops. It's been a long day at work lol. Mine was only cracked. Enough where it would leak some exhaust smell but not where I was losing power. I only detected it by the high pitched whistle sound that it made.
 

maxmoo

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Location
Lakefield, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2000 golf, 2001 golf, 2000 beetle, 2003 wagon, 2004 golf, 2004 jetta, all diesels
I find that the most common places for these exhausts to start leaking are:
1) downpipe breaks right behind the cat
2) the flex joint on the downpipe
3) one of the hanger welds rusts through the pipe and breaks off leaving a hole.
 

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
Mine has an EGR delete and a race pipe. The smell I get is coming out the tail pipe.

Probably needs a few adjustments to clean up the smell of the exhaust. Maybe the last batch of diesel I got isn't that great.

If I leave the fan off, I don't notice it in the car but the exhaust travels around the neighbourhood.
 

Fahrvegnugen

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Location
Burlington Vt
TDI
01 golf 1.9 alh gls silver
The exhaust will always have a strong odor. I had missing body plugs in spare wheel. Replaced them and that really helped. Also helps to scrape windows in the fresh subzero air, and start it after! wait for the 5 second shutter to smooth out, then drive it. Within 5 minutes of driving it blows warm air. The interstate Amg battery has been working great.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Interstate seems to have suffered in longevity in the last few years, and their prices just kept going up. So we switched our batteries around a bit. Most VAG products get OEM or the AC-Delco branded whatever-it-is (they just put their sticker on them).
Sigh, just picked up a new battery from VW: blue Golf's battery was crapping out- 84 month battery and it's now 96 months old; put it in the wife's car and put her battery in the blue Golf. Parts guy said they're Interstates.

fouillard13, make sure your injectors aren't leaking. My car has had a couple of injectors loosen up (noisier AND smelly).
 

JB05

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Location
Il.USA
TDI
Golf,2005,anthracite blue
I'll sometimes let my Golf idle for a few minutes mostly for the sake of the ATF. 4 to 5 upshift is smoother when I do. I'll also let it idle while clearing snow or frost for a couple of minutes.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Sigh, just picked up a new battery from VW: blue Golf's battery was crapping out- 84 month battery and it's now 96 months old; put it in the wife's car and put her battery in the blue Golf. Parts guy said they're Interstates.

fouillard13, make sure your injectors aren't leaking. My car has had a couple of injectors loosen up (noisier AND smelly).

No they aren't. Not really. Interstate is JCI's retail brand. JCI also makes or carries other brands, like Varta and Enertec and even some Energizer stuff. They are likely dropped off at the dealer by an Interstate truck, just the same as at Toyota and MB dealers (and others). JCI is the largest distributor of batteries in the US.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
No they aren't. Not really. Interstate is JCI's retail brand. JCI also makes or carries other brands, like Varta and Enertec and even some Energizer stuff. They are likely dropped off at the dealer by an Interstate truck, just the same as at Toyota and MB dealers (and others). JCI is the largest distributor of batteries in the US.
Thanks, Brian.
 

crawdaddy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
03 Jetta Wagon TDI/5spd swap
2) the flex joint on the downpipe
I had the same problem, when ever I was stopped at a light, with fan running, I would get a diesel exhaust fumes smell.
Less than $60CAN to DIY repair.
So check the down pipe, that's most likely place where it's leaking.

 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
^^^ Yeah, odds are that this is it. Mine was leaking (I got a new down pipe, though) AND at the same time I had one of my injectors loosen up; the added noise from the injector I'd thought to be a worsening of the down pipe leak. Moral of story: sometimes a problem can be due to multiple issues.
 
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