Hi i own a volvo s40 2001 with 50000 miles on the clock. i finish work at half 3 in the morning every second week.
i start my volvo and drive home straight awy without giving the car a chance to warm up, i drive about 3 miles home, when i get out there is a smell of EGG coming from the exhaust of the car, it only happens on nights, i just need to know is this normal or is there something wrong with the engine Please help
jeff

 

Egg smell is usually a catalytic converter. I have read the S40 has two.

 

So are you saying its a normal smell coming from my car or its a sign that something is wrong?

 

Egg smell is hydrogen sulfide. As Sherry posted , it is not a normal smell and usually emitted if your catalytic converter has a problem. Have you hit a curb or pothole or parking speed hump and perhaps damaged your converter? Have a reputable muffler shop check it for you. If damaged will cause pollution issues and may cause engine to malfunction(ie overheat).Tech may be able to indicate if catalytic converters are an issue with S40's but I have not had a problem with mine (2002 with 58K miles.)

 

Bump. I believe that the catalytic converters are part of the pollution control system on theVolvo and if so may be covered under the longer warranty period for pollution control equipment. A dealer could verify this for you if it needs replacing. BJ

 

And I have heard it ican be diffucult to trouble shoot which one is bad.

 

I dont know if you get a choise, the last time mine was on the hoist the entire system looks like one piece. Unless you are prepared to cut.

 

You can also get that smell when the car is running WAY to rich(way to much gas).

Is the check engine light on?

 

do you know those octane boosters tech? I was wanting to try one on my 2001 s80 t6, will it harm the car's fuel system or anything?

 

Thanks for all the info lads but why do i only smell it when i drive home at NIGHT? i have never smelled it during the day, when i,m drinving home i go from a cold start to 80mph on the motorway straight away would that be the cause?

 

H-m-m. I am not a chemist but I believe that there is something about sunlight and hydrogen sulfide with a net result of less smell in the daylite. Also if is colder at nite and more humid, more chance for you to notice the smell. Not completely sure about this. If you are going from cold start to 80 mph on the freeway and giving the car lots of gas, Tech may be correct in that the car may be running way too rich.Why dont you try a 60 second warm up before you drive and see what happens?bj

 

In the 70's when converters were first mandated for autos, they all had that "rotten egg" smell. Especially so when you slowed down at a traffic light after driving for a mile or so. It was simply something you put up with.
Reg

 

You will be fine.
You might also have a coolant temp sensor going bad as well. Being out of range the car will take longer to warm up making it run to rich all the time.