Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check?

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Thu 1 Sep 2011 15:55
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - cosmicjazzer

Recently bought the above car and it seems that some nasty fumes are getting in through the vents. I feel very light headed after driving and also notice a 'sooty' quality in the air. There is an occasional smell, seems more like exhaust than anything else.

I have a very friendly and very local indie garage (though I'm not sure how expert they are with diesels). I'm inclined to take the car to them as a first port of call with this issue.

So my question is: Could someone in the know possibly suggest some possible causes for this problem that the garage could check. (I remember reading somewhere about various gaskets as well as leaking injector seals as possible causes for a similar problem but in different car...)

In case it could be relevant to the above, perhaps i should add that the car has another problem which is that it has lost much of its power. Ford are in the midst of diagnostics. First they thought the low power was caused by faulty egr valve but this proved incorrect. They now think it is a fuel related issue, maybe an IMV valve (whatever that is!). Am returning to them for further diagnostics tomorrow. The indie garage think the low power could well be turbo related but that was just based on a quick drive round the block...

I also notice some drops of oil underneath car towards the front (middle). Not my best car purchase...

Any thoughts about the fume issue would be most gratefully received.

Edited by cosmicjazzer on 01/09/2011 at 16:09

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Sun 4 Sep 2011 14:10
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - cosmicjazzer

Anyone? Would be great to have a list of possible causes to check out... (though car is STILL at Fords - being investigated for low power issue...)

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Sun 4 Sep 2011 14:32
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - Peter.N.

If its exhust fumes it has to be from a leak somewhere. Can you smell it under the bonnet? If its coming through the air vents the chances are its leaking from the engine end of the exhaust system. If you get someone to hold a rag against the end of the exhaust you might be able to hear where its escaping from.

Under what circumstances do you smell it, parked, driving, fast, slow, cornering or just randomly?

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Mon 5 Sep 2011 00:07
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - cosmicjazzer

Thanks Peter. It's more that I feel the effects (which actually are rather terrible...) than smell anything, though now and again there is a definite whiff of exhaust type smell. I should say that I do suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity so am waay more sensitive than most but, still, there does have to be a 'nasty' for me to react... The problem virtually disappears when the vents are closed up. I have smelt the fumes (when vents were open) both with car stationary and when drivng down motorway.

Edited by cosmicjazzer on 05/09/2011 at 00:12

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Mon 5 Sep 2011 01:36
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - unthrottled

There shouldn't be enough carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide in diesel exhaust to make you feel light headed. You'll get far worse walking behind a lawn mower.

As Peter says, get an assistant to block the block the exhaust with a rag while you listen for leaks under the bonnet.

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Mon 5 Sep 2011 10:15
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - injection doc

if it is suffereing slight loss of power as well you nay have a faulty injector causing a nasty acrid exhaust smell ! it really gets down the back of your throat.

Also worth checking the rear light seals as these are prone on mondeo's and its possible if the engine is suffereing poor combustion that the fumes are creeping into the car through the rear light seals or boot seal.

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Mon 5 Sep 2011 13:03
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - Peter.N.

As unthrottled says diesel exhaust contains much less corbon monoxide than that of a petrol engine so I wonder if it is exhaust or something else. Are you loosing any coolant? I wonder if perhaps your heater matrix is leaking.

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Tue 6 Sep 2011 14:27
Ford Mondeo TDCi 130bhp 06 - Fumes getting inside. What to check? - cosmicjazzer

Thanks for replies. Don't think the heater matrix is the problem. I've had that issue in the past and coolant fumes have quite a different effect on me (unfortunately I am a walking chemical detector!). But will nevertheless keep an eye on coolant level. Ford checked injectors when investigating low power issue (which turned out to be MAP sensor btw.) and found nothing amiss.

What I've realised is that there is a constant smell of OIL inside. And there are some spots of oil on ground under the car. I'm now thinking perhaps some oil is getting onto something hot... That wouldn't explain the 'sooty' quality to air but might be part of the picture. I also notice oil is over max on dipstick... Kwik fit couldn't find anything wrong with exhaust so will be taking to my local garage to check out.

Thanks again for the thoughts...

Edited by cosmicjazzer on 06/09/2011 at 14:36

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