Possible exhaust leak under bonnet - diesel engine

[alanfp]

Hi

In the last couple of days I have occasionally smelt some exhaust fumes around the car when I have got out of it, but I thought it was just a change of wind direction or my imagination. But my daughter smelt it today too and remarked on it without me mentioning it first, so I wasn't imagining it!  I opened the bonnet with the engine running and there's a smell of fumes coming from the passenger side end of the engine (i.e. on the right when looking backwards from the front bumper). The car is not making any unusual noises, certainly I can't hear a blowing exhaust pipe. The car has done 120,000 miles. So....

1. When I look at it tomorrow in daylight is there any particular place that I should concentrate on? (e.g. any particular rubber hose or connector or fitting?)

2. Would my garage have an instrument to test for leaks if I take it to them?

Would be very grateful for any pointers or if anyone else has experienced something similar. 

PS I got a warning on my dashboard today saying "Hill start assist not available" (though I don't have HSA) - could this be connected to the exhaust issue?? I've never had that message before.

[unofix]

Problems with the EGR valve can sometime cause exhaust fumes to leak.

 

[TomsFocus]

Turbo to cat v-band clamp is the first place I'd check at that mileage.  

Also I thought all the Mk3s had HSA?  Guessing it may not be needed with the autobox?

[alanfp]

5 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Turbo to cat v-band clamp

Thank you, Tom 👍

See my post below....

 

 

[Alexis94040]

16 hours ago, alanfp said:

Hi

In the last couple of days I have occasionally smelt some exhaust fumes around the car when I have got out of it, but I thought it was just a change of wind direction or my imagination. But my daughter smelt it today too and remarked on it without me mentioning it first, so I wasn't imagining it!  I opened the bonnet with the engine running and there's a smell of fumes coming from the passenger side end of the engine (i.e. on the right when looking backwards from the front bumper). The car is not making any unusual noises, certainly I can't hear a blowing exhaust pipe. The car has done 120,000 miles. So....

1. When I look at it tomorrow in daylight is there any particular place that I should concentrate on? (e.g. any particular rubber hose or connector or fitting?)

2. Would my garage have an instrument to test for leaks if I take it to them?

Would be very grateful for any pointers or if anyone else has experienced something similar. 

PS I got a warning on my dashboard today saying "Hill start assist not available" (though I don't have HSA) - could this be connected to the exhaust issue?? I've never had that message before.

My DPF destruction started with a little ammount of fumes coming from my bonnet...Especially at nights i was able to see it coming from the clamp of the turbine connecting with the DPF.

I noticed that smoke at around 15.000km on my odo and 11.000kms later the DPF Rested In Peace....

Symptoms i had at the beggining of the end:

1. Exchaust fumes smelled so bad

2. Luggy turdo

3. Higher Fuel consumption

Nearly the end of my dpf (26.000 km only )

1. Grey ash at the pipe of the exchaust

2. Luggy turbo

3. Ashes with liquid exploded drom the addblue injector (its position is at the right of the DPF looking at the engine bay comes with a yelloy cable if i am not wrong.

4. Engine Check light lit

I am talking about an ecoblue engine fitted to a MK4 Focus.

Good luck with it!!!

[alanfp]

4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Turbo to cat v-band clamp is the first place I'd check at that mileage. 

Thank you, Tom. I expect you may well be right - you normally are! (although you did think my car had HSA - schoolboy error ).

I realise that this is buried deep behind the engine and I stand no chance of seeing it from above, let alone getting at it to rectify it.  Sounds like something that I'll have to get my garage to look at, and drive with the interior fan off and the windows open in the meantime.

  

 

 

[alanfp]

5 minutes ago, Alexis94040 said:

My DPF destruction started with a little ammount of fumes coming from my bonnet...Especially at nights i was able to see it coming from the clamp of the turbine connecting with the DPF.

Many thanks for your reply.  Slightly different engine but interesting that the source of your leak seemed to be the same place that Tom suggested.  (See, I said he was always right).

[TomsFocus]

4 hours ago, alanfp said:

(although you did think my car had HSA - schoolboy error).

I'm still intrigued by why your car hasn't got it? 

I've even checked a couple of Mk3 2.0 TDCi auto's on ETIS and they're both showing as having it. 🤔

[alanfp]

22 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I'm still intrigued by why your car hasn't got it? 

Well I don't THINK I've got it..... but maybe I have???

If it's to stop me rolling back on a hill, I've always assumed it's effectively the creep function of my auto gearbox that has been preventing that, like all the automatics that I've owned over the last 30 years.  Does HSA apply the brakes? - if so, I've never sensed that, and I've never felt them release automatically when driving off (which I think is how HSA works).  But you may well be right, of course.

Got to be honest, there aren't many 'hills' in my neck of the woods - does it only kick in on proper hills like you get in Yorkshire?

I'm going to have to get my manual out of my glovebox, aren't I! 

[alanfp]

Is HSA the thing that only holds the car for two seconds to give you a chance to apply the accelerator, but if you're not quick enough will let you roll back into the car behind?  

[unofix]

1 hour ago, alanfp said:

Is HSA the thing that only holds the car for two seconds to give you a chance to apply the accelerator, but if you're not quick enough will let you roll back into the car behind?  

Yes, that's the one 🤣

I once had a car with that (It gives you up to 4 seconds) to get your boot back on the accelerator. There has to be a reasonable gradient for the system to be come available. It doesn't apply the brakes by itself, you have to apply the foot brake and come to a complete stop. Then once you remove your foot from the brake HSA will hold the front brakes on for a few seconds to give you chance to start to pull away.

The brake release of HSA is not noticeable so much as it is with Auto Hold.

[alanfp]

3 minutes ago, unofix said:

There has to be a reasonable gradient for the system to be come available.

As I spend 99% of my time in flat east anglia, that's probably why I've never noticed it operating 😊

[TomsFocus]

12 hours ago, alanfp said:

If it's to stop me rolling back on a hill, I've always assumed it's effectively the creep function of my auto gearbox that has been preventing that, like all the automatics that I've owned over the last 30 years.

Your current auto is DCT though, so it has clutches to slip and even completely disengage, instead of a torque converter on conventional autos.  On a steep hill, the brakes need to be held until the clutches are biting enough.

[alanfp]

Well, Tom.  I've just read my manual and apparently I DO have HSA!  So you were right all along....... of course 👍😊

I shouldn't have doubted you and I promise I will never do so again 😉

As far as I know it has never operated while I've owned the car, but if I've ever been on a steep hill I would either move my foot to the accelerator swiftly or (shock) actually use the handbrake to perform a hill start. 

According to the manual it works on gradients >3%. On more gentle inclines the creep function of the DCT is sufficient to hold the car (and indeed creep up the hill). 

When I had a car with an electric handbrake, that would automatically release if I drove off with it still applied (it was designed to do that) and you could feel/hear it happening, and as I said, I have never experienced that with my current car.