CRD Bad Smell

fred99x · 07-06-2009, 10:09 AM

We took our first camping trip pulling a 25ft trailer and we noticed that when we stopped for a break, there was a really bad smell coming from under the vehicle. We kept on going and we even had vehicles passing us indicating that a smell was coming from our unit. Pulling the trailer up hills, we could even smell the fumes inside the cab. Every time we stopped and opened the door we could smell the fumes. The smell was very strong and smelled like a natural gas would smell. Now, even driving and not pulling the trailer, we can notice the smell. The inside of the cab is now smelling as well. Any ideas what could cause this?

suzieque · 07-06-2009, 10:50 AM

maybe a DPF doing a regen? maybe bad diesel, where did you fill up?

fred99x · 07-06-2009, 11:08 AM

I don't think it's a regen because of the length of time that this is happening. It's been going on for a week now. We by the diesel from the service station that our dealer recommended and on our trip, we've filled up at different gas stations with no difference. I'm thinking that we have a exhaust leak somewhere but not sure.

suzieque · 07-06-2009, 11:21 AM

propane leak from the trailer? sorry, I'm just guessing, maybe unhook and go for a drive?

**LJS8510** · 07-06-2009, 11:34 AM

maybe brakes sticking?
how is milage?

Spider-One · 07-06-2009, 12:15 PM

Could be the hose came off of the intake or CCV valve and is venting into the engine bay? You would have to take off the engine cover, it would be the hose that Tee's into the intake just before the turbo.

fred99x · 07-06-2009, 12:33 PM

The smell is there even without the trailer hooked up so I know it's not the trailer. I know the engine has to work harder pulling the trailer so maybe an engine hose got blown off. You would think that if a hose was blown off, there would be a code generated. We have the vehicle going to the service department tomorrow so we'll see if they find something.

Robert J. yates · 07-06-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spider-One

Could be the hose came off of the intake or CCV valve and is venting into the engine bay? You would have to take off the engine cover, it would be the hose that Tee's into the intake just before the turbo.

Along those lines, the EGR hose on my rig was disconnected when I first bought it which introduced a fair bit of diesel smell into the cabin until I figured it out.

Spider-One · 07-06-2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert J. yates

Along those lines, the EGR hose on my rig was disconnected when I first bought it which introduced a fair bit of diesel smell into the cabin until I figured it out.

I thought the EGR was done with welded piping? I wasn't aware of any hoses on it... Unless I'm missing something.

Robert J. yates · 07-06-2009, 03:19 PM

Well...I assume it to be EGR since it was visably venting exhaust. The piece I am talking about is on the passenger side at the rear of the intake. I had to remove the engine cover to get at it and it was very obvious that it had somehow either been disconnected or left unconnected from the factory.

merlinTec · 07-06-2009, 04:06 PM

Hi
Oil leaking from the turbo intake pipe and onto the EGR cooler in the middle of the V is my guess.

ctate · 07-06-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fred99x

The smell is there even without the trailer hooked up so I know it's not the trailer. I know the engine has to work harder pulling the trailer so maybe an engine hose got blown off. You would think that if a hose was blown off, there would be a code generated. We have the vehicle going to the service department tomorrow so we'll see if they find something.

I had this same problem when I towed my trailer about 800mi. It smelled like horrible buring oil and rubber. Mine also smelled bad when I was not towing after that trip. Took it the dealership. I cant remember what was wrong now...its been almost two years, but they replaced something and the smell went away after about 2 weeks or so.

chadhargis · 07-07-2009, 08:08 AM

I've smelled the regen, and while it does have a odor, it's not the "rotten egg" smell of natural gas. It's smells like something burning, and I can't smell it unless I stop during a regen.

fred99x · 07-07-2009, 09:03 AM

The dealer just called and indicated that the pcv was leaking into the turbo? Does this makes sense? Should there be enough oil vapour to cause that much of a smell? Did he mean that oil was leaking out of the pcv onto the turbo or was the turbo somehow burning the oil vapour internally?

suzieque · 07-07-2009, 10:20 AM

the dealer is referring to Merlin's post #11 above. Merlin is right as usual.

typical symptom of a CRD without a Racor or Provent or other type of oil separator. Merlin said in another thread that Chrysler is releasing a new pipe to stop the leaking.