Car smells of eggs when fan on - why?

OnePound

Hi

I recently had my car serviced/MOT and ever since, when i turn the fans/blowers on they blow out a smell of rotten eggs. Anyone know why this is?

Its NOT the air conditioning thats the problem, theres no smell when thats on, the smell only occurs when the blowers are on.

Thanks.

Strider590

Ah the old egg in the heater vents trick/practical joke...... It's up their with the rotten kipper or the 2 week old milk lol

Erm..... ok, seriously has anyone thrown eggs at your car?

The outside are comes in via vents near the wiper blades, it's then pushed through a pollen filter (somewhere under the windscreen) which should be changed on a service, but i'd bet wasn't (and probably needs changing).

Old colleague of mine worked at Bentley in a quality role, they used to get complaints of rotten smells coming from the interior of a number of cars, on investigation they found the remains of workers sandwiches and general rubbish (like yoghurt pots) chucked inside the door panels during manufacture.
Maybe someone left their lunch in your car?

Quinny_2

Wasn't the smell of bad eggs once linked to catalytic converters?

Used to be something the way the gases from the engines went through the cat, and the smell ending up in the cabin.

OnePound

Strider590 wrote: »

Ah the old egg in the heater vents trick/practical joke...... It's up their with the rotten kipper or the 2 week old milk lol

Erm..... ok, seriously has anyone thrown eggs at your car?

The outside are comes in via vents near the wiper blades, it's then pushed through a pollen filter (somewhere under the windscreen) which should be changed on a service, but i'd bet wasn't (and probably needs changing).

Old colleague of mine worked at Bentley in a quality role, they used to get complaints of rotten smells coming from the interior of a number of cars, on investigation they found the remains of workers sandwiches and general rubbish (like yoghurt pots) chucked inside the door panels during manufacture.
Maybe someone left their lunch in your car?

Just out of curiosity, how is the air made hot or cold in this process? Can the air only be as cool as the outside air and as hot as, say, the radiator it passes over?

cherub1965

Quinny wrote: »

Wasn't the smell of bad eggs once linked to catalytic converters?

Used to be something the way the gases from the engines went through the cat, and the smell ending up in the cabin.[/QUOT

we had the same thing in our ford if that helps?

Lirin

Bad egg smell indicates a failing catalytic converter.

Lirin

Sorry just thought, could also be a problem in your fuel-injection. Mech will be able to tell you more.

Strider590

OnePound wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, how is the air made hot or cold in this process? Can the air only be as cool as the outside air and as hot as, say, the radiator it passes over?

It passes over a heater matrix which is fed with hot coolant water from the engine.

Aircon does the same but the matrix is filled with rapidly uncompressed gas (like how aerosols can freeze burn you).

Warm moist air passing over the cooler will become dehumidified and any odour will be significantly reduced because of this.


Id go for the pollen filter, then check that the aircon drainage isn't blocked (stale water will collect inside the vents).

cyclonebri1

Quinny wrote: »

Wasn't the smell of bad eggs once linked to catalytic converters?

Used to be something the way the gases from the engines went through the cat, and the smell ending up in the cabin.

Bang on, it was, and still is.