[s-cars] Lt. Stinky..

[CyberPoet]

Bjorn,

    That rotten egg smell is your catalytic converter dying. If the
smell is intensely of sulfer (i.e. - rotten eggs), it's the last smell
it makes before
it gives out (unfortunately, it can also mean that it gave out in a way
as to partially or completely block the exhaust). Reason for the smell:
usually is caused too much unburnt fuel reaching into the exhaust
headers and igniting there, and thus running the cat at too high a temp
(causing the inside to melt). Bad oxygen sensor can cause excess fuel
to reach the exhaust headers (among other reasons, such as poor spray
patterns from the injectors).

Can't believe no one else on the list caught this obvious sign...

Good Luck!
=-= Marc Glasgow

On Friday, March 21, 2003, at 09:23 AM, s-car-list-request at audifans.com
wrote:

> After some spirited driving this morning, I pulled into the parking lot
> where my wife should join her workmates (No no.. It's not what you
> think, they just commute together!! ;o) and looked/sniffed at my S4's
> exhaust. It had a gray/blueish tone, and smelt like rotten eggs. (It
> does that from time to time..) The hint of blue turned completely gray
> after just some minute of idle. It runs well, (timing belt ok) but has
> a
> somewhat poor mileage.
> Guess it's time for a O2 sensor change after 210.000km?
>
> Bjorn  :o)
> '92 S4