Foul smelling diesel / stale odour

[Hodge]

When I picked up the patrol almost 2 weeks ago, the very next morning I noticed a rather foul smell coming out of the exhaust. Very hard to describe, almost like a stale / old paint smell. I'm not sure what exactly it smells like. It's definitely not the usual diesel exhaust fumes you would smell.
Stale diesel ??? I've barely gone through a whole tank since picking it up.
Some googling reveals this could be due to the diesel spending way too much time in the tank, vehicle may have been idle for a long time.
Should I dump it completely and re-fill to flush the tanks or should it go away after a few fills ? Main concern is if there is something not right with the diesel, the very sensitive common rail pump will not like it and cause dramas down the line....
Thoughts?

[nissannewby]

It's kinda like sulphur. The common rails smell like that due to high injection pressures and better more complete burning of the diesel. Stand near any new common rail diesel and this is the smell you describe.

[Hodge]

I read about CRD's having that sulphury smell. But before this patrol I had a d22 with a 2.5 CRD and that had a nice clean crisp diesel smell, nowhere near what this patrol's exhaust spits out.
Maybe the 3.0L are different. :confused:

[BigRAWesty]

Id be lifting the tank hatch and inspecting the diesel and checking for mold etc..
But also check/ replace fuel filter.
Just to be sure.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Hodge]

Thanks Westy I'll take a look at the tank/tanks. Fuel filter was replaced 5 days ago, as were all other oils/ filters. Cheers.

[grimace]

if it makes you feel any better mine smells odd too, i asked around and was told the same thing that they just smell different.

[threedogs]

What did you drive before, a petrol car??
So welcome to the dirty Diesel world we know and love. lol

[Hodge]

What did you drive before, a petrol car??
So welcome to the dirty Diesel world we know and love. lol

Diesel before this mate. D22 common rail 2.5. Smelled like diesel should. Lol

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Motorculture mobile app

[paulyg]

Could also be the cat converter making it smell odd.

[jack]

Could also be the cat converter making it smell odd.
Yeah a few days after I convert a cat with my Patrol they start to smell bad, especially in hot weather.

Sorry couldn't resist.

[happygu]

Hodge,

I get this funny smell out of my CRD too - I only use BP, so it may be something with the additives they use, if you use BP too.

Mic

[Morton]

Yeah a few days after I convert a cat with my Patrol they start to smell bad, especially in hot weather.

Sorry couldn't resist.

lmfao, a sneaky funni is always the best

[Hodge]

Hodge,

I get this funny smell out of my CRD too - I only use BP, so it may be something with the additives they use, if you use BP too.

Mic

I always fill Caltex vortex. And once again going back to my previous D22 navara, used it then and never had this type of smell. Every second tank I also use this.
http://www.carcareshop.com.au/productImages/1710_FD1L.jpg
And even with that the smell was not as it is now in the patrol.

[Hodge]

On another note I haven't gone through full tank yet with this patrol since purchase, so it may just be the diesel that was inside it at the time. I'll give it a few weeks, then I'll have a closer look at the tank, as somebody else pointed out. Or even the cat.

[threedogs]

@ Hodge how do you find the Flash lube conditioner, motor a tad quieter?

[Hodge]

@ Hodge how do you find the Flash lube conditioner, motor a tad quieter?

That distinct diesel "tacka tacka tacka tacka tacka" sound was more dull after a few tanks with this stuff on my Navara. Also I'm not 100% sure on this but, I think it gave me an extra 40-50km out of each tank. Mate with same engine/navara confirmed the same.

[Hodge]

Re-birthing this thread just to update the latest on this. After the new exhaust was just fitted the foul smell disappeared. It's now got that proper diesel smell as it should be. The original exhaust, had that smell coming from the inside when it was off the car so, it must have been something to do with the cat.

[Limmy]

I had weird exhaust smelling fumes too . but it back to normal or much less after EGR block

[mortn]

My old RD28T also smells sulphury.. But alot! Could this also be normal?
It runs fine. Stock engine.