1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class - exhaust smell can't be explained

[db4690]

Which is it?

exhaust smell . . . ?

engine oil burning . . . ?

don’t take this the wrong way, please . . . do you know the difference in the two smells?

they’re not the same

I made my comment because of this comment you made one day ago

@Alan14

No it’s the usual exhaust smell, oil, etc.

[pyrolord314]

@George_San_Jose1

Especially true if you live in the Eastern part of the US, where the amount of sulphur in the various vendor’s gasoline can vary quite a bit, vendor to vendor. If you live east of Denver, try using a different gasoline brand, see if that makes a difference.

I haven’t noticed that living and driving in Pennsylvania for the last 15 years

[VOLVO-V70]

@George_San_Jose1

Have you changed gas stations? Especially true if you live in the Eastern part of the US, where the amount of sulphur in the various vendor’s gasoline can vary quite a bit, vendor to vendor. If you live east of Denver, try using a different gasoline brand, see if that makes a difference.

I am east of Denver and have no idea what you are talking about . Are you just making stuff up so you can post again.

[George_San_Jose1]

@pyrolord314

I haven’t noticed that living and driving in Pennsylvania for the last 15 years

The same topic of a caller on a recent Best of Car Talk podcast. Number 1916, caller Ellen. Ray advised the caller it might be due to the sulphur content in the gasoline and to try changing gas stations.

[pyrolord314]

@George_San_Jose1

The same topic of a caller on a recent Best of Car Talk podcast. Number 1916, caller Ellen. Ray advised the caller it might be due to the sulphur content in the gasoline and to try changing gas stations.

I wonder what the original air date was for that show…like I said I’ve got 15 years on the roads in PA and I have never noticed an issue with how my car was running or smelling due to sulfur. Given the advancements in refinery technology I would be surprised if this was still an issue anywhere

[texases]

Probably an old call. The sulfur standard for gas dropped from 30 ppm to 10 ppm in 2017.

[George_San_Jose1]

Hard to say when that episode was originally aired. Here’s a relatively recent link with more info on the causes of exhaust odor .

Why Does My Car Smell Like Rotten Eggs? (And How Do I Fix It?) - Accurate...

[texases]

That episode has to be 2012 or older. Sulfur levels dropped in 2017.

[VOLVO-V70]

Plus the article George linked is 5 years old .

[Nevada_545]

The greatest sulfur reduction in gasoline occurred 15 years ago, tier 1, the tier 3 reduction was in 2017. It has been years since I had a customer complain about the sulfur smell in the exhaust.