91 Nissan 240SX – 2.4L SMELL Problem

[MWard]

While driving, car purges smell from somewhere and is awful.  One only smells it when windows are down and driving car.  When car is pulled over and hood poped, there is no smell from engine compartment or out the exhaust.  Cannot detect smell when car  sittng at idle.  Smell is not like sulfur, but smells just like outhouse on a hot summer day.
Anyone have any suggestions?

[LanceS13]

They didn't just build a sewage treatment plant in your area did they?  lol

j/k...but seriously, I have no idea what that could be.

[justinc]

mine does too

[96SEChick]

Odd question, but it may help answer your question--has it rained recently?

My last car would smell like that for 2 or 3 days after it rained.  It was a 9-year old car, so I just thought that maybe there was some old mildew and dust in the vents, and when it rained, the moisture helped that smell linger.  It's a rather "putrid" smell of a camping ground or public pool restroom.

[drifterx]

i agree with lauren

The bad part is, I never was able to fix that putrid problem.  I just kept air fresheners in the car!  My other car started to smell like that really bad after I (stupidly) left the windows open and it started raining.  

I think the reason why you smell it when you're driving and not when you're sitting at idle is the fact that more air is passing through your vents when you're driving, therefore, pushing all of that nasty, moldy, dirty air into your "cockpit."

[transient]

Hmm... now if that's the case, couldn't you just run the fan on High blast cold (no A/C) and get to the source, spray a little bit of clorox bleach, and let it go through the air system? Get a bottle that would mist it that way it goes all through. That should kill the mildew...

btw... i'd keep something over the vents that lets air through but would catch any excess clorox, that way you don't get it all through your interior, and let it keep blowing for like 15 minutes to make sure there isn't any residue.

[West]

It could be several things. Here is the list of the most smelly things in a car.

1. Ratiator is leacking coolant and burns off to make a nasty smell.

2. The clutch could be buring, you should know how it smells when you smell it.

3. Tranny fluid could be leaking under the car and making a nasty rotten egg smell. I hate when I change this fluid cuz your hands smell like chicken ass for a few days. :\

4. 240sx's are know to create mildew on the bottom of the car in your cockpit. It will leak into the interior of your car where people put there feet in the back of your car. Touch the carpet the next time it rains and Im sure you will feel some nasty water, and smell it too.

There are a few more of course but those are the main ones.

[MWard]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.  If we solve the problem, we'll post it for review.

[LanceS13]

Now that I think about it, when I first got my car, I did notice a pretty unpleasant odor--although I wouldn't say putrid.  After a few weeks, I finally found the culprit.  It was a really old air freshener that the previous owner had apparantly left in there...it smelled like vanilla a la ass sweat (I'm guessing it mildewed?).  
WeST's suggestions are probably more likely, though.

Hey WeST...I haven't checked, but if my car is leaking in the back floorboard, can it be fixed and how?  I don't notice any smell, but my g/f will still say something about a weird smell sometimes and I have to wonder if that old air freshener acted alone.

[drifterx]

my gf say something abt a weird smell too... but it is not that bad to me... hmmm i will open my car up and let it sun for a while..... i think it smells like water... gotta find out where it is before i can fix it...

[West]

Maybe you guys stink? My GF's never complain...

JK! It is the damb s13 and it smelly underpanel leaks. s14 probly has the same problem.

Best way to solve this stank is to clean the carpeting and make sure your dry it REAAAAAAAL good. And dont use a stinky carpet cleaner or your GF's will be bitchin even more abou that stink. Then my idea to how to fix it for good is to get some Rubber Under Spray from Pep boys or Checkers and spray it under the car where it leaks through, make sure to clean the underside a little before applying this stuff otherwise it might come off.

Anyone else think it isnt the Carpet smelling and its one of the other problems then let me know and I will try to think of a way to fix those but those are hard to tell just because it could be many dif things.

[Grant]

Great.. now you guys are making me think i just bought a  stank ass 240sx

[transient]

No such thing dood. Any 240 is worth the money IMHO. I love my car, and while i'd take a porche over it if i was handed one or the other, it'd only be to sell the porche and buy an S14 AND an s13. ####, i'd get a 300zx too <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

[drifterx]

air fresheners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! get some, clean your carpets, air out the car, dry the rugs before u put it in...... has anyone see those japanese things that smoke out the smells?
well try it... it is pretty good.... kinda expensive.... i can import them from Korea if needed cuz i have a dsturbutor there... but i need to buy a massive amount... those things are mad expensive too.... talking like $20 per can... let me go to the japanese store &nbsp;in boston and find out how much they r selling it for....

[AJ]

hehehee,, reading these posts is funny as ####.. when i first got my car,, mine did that too.. after reading wests review i think i know what it is...... CLUTCH!... wow.. i'm pretty good with the 5-speed now,, but i was slipping hte clutch a lot at 3000 or so and above.. since i've gotten sweet i havn't had a problem <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>... btw,, do they make good smellin clutches ?.. that would be the shit... &nbsp;

-AJ

[my240likenoother]

another sugestion is the fresh air vent under the wipers (outside the car)
i had a old g/f that broke 12 eggs on the window, it roled down the window into that vent and it stunk real bad
i took some bleach and water and flushed it out took care of the smell
the smell you have could do wiht that:confused:

[misnomer]

Gah, you all are missing a very likely culprit. . .

Have you been running your A/C recently? I have a putrid odor come from my car after I turn of the A/C when I run it for a while. May be time for a fresh shot of A/C coolant (don't recall what goes in the 240, it's not entirely standard, but findable).

[ca18guy]

don't the catylitic converters smell when they go bad, that could be another place to look. &nbsp;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.rx7club.com/vforums/avatar.php?userid=87&amp;dateline=1000872025&quot;&gt;

LOL I like that idea of throwing eggs on my bfs car in case he pisses me off. Was the smell really that bad??? <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

[my240likenoother]

ca18guy
i love the emoticon
i think that we all feal the same way

Hahah, it's f'n awesome!

[gunmetals13]

yeah mine makes the same but stank egg rotten smell too... hehe &nbsp;but only when its raining.. i know i have tiny holes in my cat ... so i think it has something to do with water in the cat?

ill see maybe after i get a new exhaust after winter.. oh well i guess the girls with just have to deal with my stank;p &nbsp;hehe

[drifterx]

i found out sometime.... behind the rear wheel, the fender is very thin and alot of water can get in if u dont have splash guards or the black cover from the factory....

look under the corners in the rear

[silvia240]

i think that smell comes from the tranny. But is it is leaking from the tranny, that must mean bad seals. &nbsp;Anybody know how much that would cost to get fixed? &nbsp;I get that funky smell from my car but only when i am in 5th gear and the window is cracked or my sunroof is open.

[HippoSleek]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from silvia240 on 1<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>6 am on Sep. 25, 2001
i think that smell comes from the tranny. But is it is leaking from the tranny, that must mean bad seals. Anybody know how much that would cost to get fixed? I get that funky smell from my car but only when i am in 5th gear and the window is cracked or my sunroof is open.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

Bingo - I have the same symptoms: &nbsp;more than 10 miles at speed, windows or sunroof, and a smell like grease (or a similar petro-smell). &nbsp;Air freshners and climate control for long drives! &nbsp;Never thought of the tranny (but it didn't seem to be from the motor). &nbsp;Sounds (or smells <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'>) like a good reason for a swap!