BRM exhaust odor in cabin, can't figure it out

jonferns

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Location
New Jersey
TDI
'15 Golf
I have been chasing an exhaust odor in the cabin for a while now. At city or highway speeds, windows cannot even be slightly open as there is a strong exhaust odor enters the car. Also getting an exhaust smell with the AC on (seems recirc on/off doesn't make much of a difference), but not as bad as with the windows open.

'06 Jetta BRM, 145k miles, DSG. EGR is deleted (physically and tuned as well). Car is otherwise completely stock.

I have checked the entire exhaust, EGR plates, downpipe gasket has been replaced as well. There are no traces of soot anywhere. CCV connections have also been checked. TDI guru has looked at the car and can also not find the culprit. Car belongs to my mom and I would like to fix this as it makes the car uncomfortable to drive.

Any advice would be appreciated! :)
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Smoke machine. Block off the intake, stick it in the tailpipe. If there is a leak, that is how I find them.
 

diesen

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
TDI
2015 Jetta Trendline+ DSG, 2006 Jetta 5spd BEW powered MKV
I’ve got the same car with the same problem. Do tell if you find the leak.


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chaos2984

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2018
Location
maryland
TDI
06 Jetta
I had this issue with one i just bought 2006 Jetta. Found that the EGR cooler was leaking exhaust by the vacuum actuated flapper. It was bad to where you were driving and it sounded like a boost leak. It was the common leak from the valve control rod. i didn't feel like fixing it with the homemade fix with 170K on it so i just replaced it. I got it and the gaskets to replace it for 290 shipped.

Get under the car and look at the heat blanket that covers the vacuum actuator and see if its covered in soot.
 

diesen

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
TDI
2015 Jetta Trendline+ DSG, 2006 Jetta 5spd BEW powered MKV
OP says the EGR is deleted... actuator would be gone too.


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oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Then that is where I would concentrate your efforts. Best to remove the EGR cooler entirely if you are deleting.
 

jonferns

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Location
New Jersey
TDI
'15 Golf
Then that is where I would concentrate your efforts. Best to remove the EGR cooler entirely if you are deleting.


Oilhammer, I'm not understanding how this could be a possible source of the exhaust smell if the cooler is disconnected


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oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Because depending on where it is blocked off, and/or how the plates are installed, there can be a leak. I have seen someone (who had a leaking EGR cooler at the changeover flap shaft, like normal) just bend the upper pipe down from the EGR valve housing on the intake, and slip a plate inbetween that, which simply added ANOTHER leak, so now he had two!

I have also seen more than a few BW turbochargers leaking at the housing mating surfaces, but usually that is a small leak and not anything you'd likely notice inside the car.

But again, a smoke machine will usually help find any exhaust leaks.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
Smoke machine. Block off the intake, stick it in the tailpipe. If there is a leak, that is how I find them.
Great. With all the musical equipment I have, I've never felt the need for a smoke machine. Unfortunately, I now have a valid reason to have one. :D

Seriously, a really great way to find exhaust leaks me thinks.
 
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jonferns

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Location
New Jersey
TDI
'15 Golf
Following up on this, I reached out to a member who also had an exhaust smell issue on this BRM. We figured out that both of our valve covers showed signs of oil seepage around the CCV pucks. Could this be a sign of exhaust/oil vapors escaping the valve cover causing the odor? I can post some photos later today
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
Exhaust/fuel vapors do not go anywhere near the CCV system. Unless you have a nose like a blood hound you would not smell anything from some slight oil vapor leakage in the CCV system.

The most likely place for an exaust leak on a BRM is the EGR cooler butterfly valve shaft.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=338526&highlight=egr+cooler


Look for soot on the back side of your engine below the turbo.


The EGR cooler removed from the engine.
 
Last edited:

jonferns

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Location
New Jersey
TDI
'15 Golf
Exhaust/fuel vapors do not go anywhere near the CCV system. Unless you have a nose like a blood hound you would not smell anything from some slight oil vapor leakage in the CCV system.

The most likely place for an exaust leak on a BRM is the EGR cooler butterfly valve shaft.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=338526&highlight=egr+cooler


Look for soot on the back side of your engine below the turbo.


The EGR cooler removed from the engine.


EGR is blocked off and tuned out, cooler is disconnected


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325_Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Location
West Central Texas
TDI
MkV Jetta
Cooler is in place, but pipes are cut and block off plates are installed where they belong. Cooler is still connected to coolant though.


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Not too long ago, the blockoff plate on my exhaust manifold ballooned up and allowed a leak. This was the aluminum plate from IDParts. It's a possibility if you haven't already checked.
 

sptsailing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
Safety Harbor, FL
TDI
2006 Jetta Manual, stock with Panzer Plate & Franko6 modified EGR cooler & CAM
So I have an exhaust odor in the cabin now too, so I want to look for a leak. I have a Franko6 modified EGR, but everything else is pretty much stock. I looked into getting a smoke machine, but the ones I am finding are $700! Ouch! A search on Youtube pulled up a suggestions to use cigars with a drink bottle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb90LPj41cw

Hahahah! So I bought some cheap swisher sweet cigars and am planning to copy his technique this Saturday. One of my friends suggested just putting a smoke bomb in the tailpipe and blocking it off, but I don't want to introduce sulpher dioxides into the exhaust system, as I don't know how that would affect any catalytic components, but I do know that acids involving oxides of sulpher wreak havoc on metals.

I solicit experienced based thoughts and suggestions, including information about suppliers of inexpensive and reputable smoke machines.
 

jonferns

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Location
New Jersey
TDI
'15 Golf
Not too long ago, the blockoff plate on my exhaust manifold ballooned up and allowed a leak. This was the aluminum plate from IDParts. It's a possibility if you haven't already checked.
I've had a new blockoff plate & gasket in the garage, just need some time to install it. I will update you if this was the cause of the exhaust odor.
 

jonferns

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Location
New Jersey
TDI
'15 Golf
So I have an exhaust odor in the cabin now too, so I want to look for a leak. I have a Franko6 modified EGR, but everything else is pretty much stock. I looked into getting a smoke machine, but the ones I am finding are $700! Ouch! A search on Youtube pulled up a suggestions to use cigars with a drink bottle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb90LPj41cw

Hahahah! So I bought some cheap swisher sweet cigars and am planning to copy his technique this Saturday. One of my friends suggested just putting a smoke bomb in the tailpipe and blocking it off, but I don't want to introduce sulpher dioxides into the exhaust system, as I don't know how that would affect any catalytic components, but I do know that acids involving oxides of sulpher wreak havoc on metals.

I solicit experienced based thoughts and suggestions, including information about suppliers of inexpensive and reputable smoke machines.
Let me know how this works out, I too have been unsucessful in finding a cheap smoke machine to either buy or rent.
 

gaddman

Veteran Member
Joined
May 8, 2006
Location
Southern Indiana
TDI
06 Jetta (RC3, PD150 Injectors, GTB1749V, 2.5" Downpipe), 04 Touareg V10 (RC1)
I have not used them on a car, but I might be tempted should the need arise. Used them on stage a lot. Probably safer to breath than a cigar. I liked the cotton candy scent real well.
 

sptsailing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
Safety Harbor, FL
TDI
2006 Jetta Manual, stock with Panzer Plate & Franko6 modified EGR cooler & CAM
Well, I tried the cigar in a bottle method. It did not seem to generate enough smoke long enough to find anything. That was after 2 swisher sweets too.
 

jonferns

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Location
New Jersey
TDI
'15 Golf
To update this thread, replaced the IDparts blockoff plate with a new one from IDparts, new gasket and new copper nuts, and the issue has been resolved.
 
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