S40 1.6D SE Fumes in the car

[proost]

I bought a S40 1.6D yesterday (2007) and it's a really lovely car. The only thing I have noticed is occasionally I get the smell of fumes inside the car. It's not all the time, and from what I can tell only happens if I'm just pulling away in 1st gear, or going into reverse. I wondered if there may be a small leak in the exhaust or manifold, with the fumes being blown away when the car is moving, but when it is stationary or moving very slowly it can get up into the vehicle.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Thom12]

Not 100% sure but could this be the EGR Valve?

When you are accelerating does the air from the vents increase in strength?

I had a similar issue right after i bought my S40, also a 1.6D and a few days later the EGR Valve blew.

[proost]

Thanks mate. I haven't noticed the air intake increasing when I'm accelerating, it seems to stay steady. I've just done an hour's driving and only noticed the smell twice, once when I was pulling away from traffic lights in 1st and once when I reversed onto the drive at home. All other times that I pulled away from a standing start, though, there was no smell at all, and there is never a smell once I've passed about 5-10mph, it just disappears.

[Clan]

open the bonnet when hot and idling, have a sniff around for any rising smoke ...

[proost]

No signs of any smoke under the bonnet, but I can definitely smell fumes from there, and a lot more from the right hand side of the block (as you look down from the top, i.e. the battery end). I read somewhere about the exhaust pipe sometimes missing and end piece which means the fumes can come up through the rear bumber? Mine does not reach as far back as the back of the bumber, but instead stops an inch or two short, so could this be a possibility?

[EricMe]

Originally Posted by proost

No signs of any smoke under the bonnet, but I can definitely smell fumes from there, and a lot more from the right hand side of the block (as you look down from the top, i.e. the battery end). I read somewhere about the exhaust pipe sometimes missing and end piece which means the fumes can come up through the rear bumber? Mine does not reach as far back as the back of the bumber, but instead stops an inch or two short, so could this be a possibility?

It would be relatively easy to test with (say) a baked bean can with both ends removed, split along length and secured with a jubilee clip. If that cures the smell, look for something a bit more elegant; if not, it hasn't cost a lot to find out.

[proost]

Thanks Eric, I'll try that.

One other thing that has just come to mind is a low whirring sound when travelling at high speed, although then there is no smell inside the cabin. I can only describe it as an 'oooooooooaaaarrrrrr', like roar without the first 'r'! I'm not sure if that is just the sound of the road beneath the car, but it doesn't sound quite right. I'm wondering if that could be the sign of a leak in the exhaust? Short of borrowing a jack and putting it on stands, I can't really tell!