Smell / catalytic converter?

MONTYCHIVERS

MEMBER
2013 FORD FIESTA
1.2L
MANUAL
62,000 MILES

I’ve done around 3 trips ranging from 20/30 minutes today and just now I’ve got home from a 40-minute trip. When I got out the car I noticed a fart smell, but it disappeared within a couple seconds. Should I be worried? I’ve never smelt that smell before. I took the car out for a 3-minute drive around 35 minutes after I originally smelt the funny odor but after this short journey, I couldn’t really smell anything at all apart from a hint of fuel as normal.

3 Replies

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
48,397 POSTS

The catalytic converter will make a smell if the engine has been working more than usual or if too much fuel has entered the exhaust system such as a sticky fuel injector. How does the engine seem to run? Also, has the car run up a hill before it was shut off? This can cause a smell as well. let's run the codes to see if any are stored.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please go over this guide and get back to us.

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Friday, October 27th, 2023 AT 4:24 PM

MONTYCHIVERS

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Hi Ken, thanks for your answer.

The car seems to run completely normal. I haven’t managed to find anything working differently than normal. It had been up a few small hills around 3/5 minutes prior to me getting home and getting a rotten whiff. I’ve seen people talk about CAT cleaners; do they work?

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Saturday, October 28th, 2023 AT 3:40 AM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
48,397 POSTS

I am not sure on the cat cleaners but it might be worth a try. I have seen an EVAP purge valve stick open and allow excessive gas vapors into the exhaust system, here is the location so you can remove it to see if you can blow through it which if you can it is bad. FYI. Check out the images (below). Please let us know how it goes.

Image (Click to make bigger)