oil smell coming through air vents into car

[farneyboy]

I have a C220 Cdi 2002 that gives a very strong oily smell from air coming in through air vents. Smell is strongest when the AC is off but it also comes through when the AC is on for both cooling and heating but to a much lesser extent.

I got the AC unit serviced a few weeks ago with little/ no change.

any thoughts ?

thanks a lot.

F

 

[BlackC55]

Check for diesel leaks/oil leaks under engine cover.

I suspect you have a leaky injector. (leaking combustion gasses)

 

[mjtray]

Second that comment, just had to have the injector seals replaced on an E320....amazing how much "coal" like material had built up around the injectors where they had been leaking, when I took the engine cover off.

 

[Nige 57]

Second that comment, just had to have the injector seals replaced on an E320....amazing how much "coal" like material had built up around the injectors where they had been leaking, when I took the engine cover off.

Hello mjtray, I have got this problem with one of my injectors (c220 cdi) and wondered if it is an expensive/big job. Like yours there is a build up of tar and it is also making a popping noise which i presume is the loss of compression.

Nige

 

[BlackC55]

It depends on how bad it has got. The cost is in the cleaning the stuff off.

 

[Nige 57]

It depends on how bad it has got. The cost is in the cleaning the stuff off.

Thanks BlackC55, I intend to book it in asap,but assuming this could have been leaking for some time is it likely to have caused any long term damage to the engine.

Nige

 

[BlackC55]

Nope. just more time cleaning

 

[star]

sometimes the injector seat will need refacing and even the injector replacing due to the burn effect of the leaking gasses.

 

[greenfingers]

Not certain about your model, but the cabin air is usually drawn in from above the bulkhead (windscreen wiper area), not inside the bonnet, suggesting that you may have a dislodged or faulty bulkhead seal allowing contaminated air into the ventilation system.

 

[mercedes13156]

I had this problem. W 202 220 diesel. I noticed that there was a smell of diesel in the cabin and when I opened up the cover on top of the injectors, the pot that the injector sits in was full of fuel. Turns out the bleed off pipe had cracked, (the fabric covered rubber pipe which loops from pot to pot). It also cracked back at the other end at the fuel system and there was no suction to draw excess fuel away.

A few quid and a lot of swearing to replace the lines did the trick, and it runs smother as well.

 

[mikezxcv]

Had something similar on my c220 turned out to be the oil sepatrator seals. the spongey bit on the engine cover above the oil separator was saturated with oil and dripped onto the manifold when hot. I also changed the oil filler cap as a precaution. I know this is an old thread but may help somebody.