Sulphur smell in 05 Mustang GT

I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help it--and have
begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin. I'm using
regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad this way too, and the
dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord if you run
midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.

Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than regular?
Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine mentioned a
pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning the
software a bit.

"JohnW" > wrote in message
...
> I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help it--and have
> begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin. I'm using
> regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad this way too, and the
> dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord if you run
> midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.

Get a good gas from a decent large corp, not the bargain gas. Really, if
the difference in price between regular and mid-level gas is 10 cents, then
a 15 gallon fill-up is only going to cost $1.50 more.

>
> Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than regular?
> Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine mentioned
> a
> pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning the
> software a bit.

Be careful with the 'tuning', it may void the warrenty; besides, 300 HP
stock isn't good enough for you?

I've heard this before, Ralph, but how do you know what's good? I normally
use Citgo, followed by Exxon or BP (merged with Amoco??). I've never used a
no name brand or the bargain stuff. My son uses bargain regular grade Wawa
in his '04 and doesn't get the smell I've experienced. I've always assumed
refining is refining and gas is gas. You raise an interesting point: has
any independant agency ever rated gas 'quality' publically???

Regarding the price differential, you're absolutely right. I'll try
midgrade on the next fill-up and see if that gets rid of the problem. I was
just worried it was an emerging/known issue with the new Stang. Paranoid...

John

"Ralph Snart" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>
> "JohnW" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help it--and
have
> > begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin. I'm using
> > regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad this way too, and
the
> > dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord if you
run
> > midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.
>
> Get a good gas from a decent large corp, not the bargain gas. Really, if
> the difference in price between regular and mid-level gas is 10 cents,
then
> a 15 gallon fill-up is only going to cost $1.50 more.
>
> >
> > Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than
regular?
> > Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine
mentioned
> > a
> > pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning the
> > software a bit.
>
> Be careful with the 'tuning', it may void the warrenty; besides, 300 HP
> stock isn't good enough for you?
>
>

Joe, I don't know, and I'm not sure where to inquire about the additives for
my area (Carroll County Maryland). I'll start Googling--it shouldn't be
hard to look up. No pinging at all.

Weasel ****?? My kinda truck!

"Joe" > wrote in message
...
> John, are there additives in the gas that's sold in your area? Maybe
> something that would produce the smell you're describing? I don't
> think octane has anything to do with the smell, especially if your
> cars don't ping on regular.
>
> The R/T will run on weasel ****, and I have the LX tuned for 93. The
> Shoebox ('96 MPV) owner's manual calls for regular, but I have to put
> 89 in for it not to ping. Except for remnants of old McDonalds fries
> on the floor in the Shoebox, there's no smell in any of the vehicles.
>
> Joe
> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
>
>
> "JohnW" > wrote in
> :
>
> > I've heard this before, Ralph, but how do you know what's good? I
> > normally use Citgo, followed by Exxon or BP (merged with Amoco??).
> > I've never used a no name brand or the bargain stuff. My son uses
> > bargain regular grade Wawa in his '04 and doesn't get the smell I've
> > experienced. I've always assumed refining is refining and gas is
> > gas. You raise an interesting point: has any independant agency
> > ever rated gas 'quality' publically???
> >
> > Regarding the price differential, you're absolutely right. I'll try
> > midgrade on the next fill-up and see if that gets rid of the
> > problem. I was just worried it was an emerging/known issue with the
> > new Stang. Paranoid...
> >
> > John
> >
> > "Ralph Snart" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "JohnW" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help
> >> > it--and
> > have
> >> > begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin.
> >> > I'm using regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad
> >> > this way too, and
> > the
> >> > dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord
> >> > if you
> > run
> >> > midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.
> >>
> >> Get a good gas from a decent large corp, not the bargain gas.
> >> Really, if the difference in price between regular and mid-level
> >> gas is 10 cents,
> > then
> >> a 15 gallon fill-up is only going to cost $1.50 more.
> >>
> >> >
> >> > Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than
> > regular?
> >> > Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine
> > mentioned
> >> > a
> >> > pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning
> >> > the software a bit.
> >>
> >> Be careful with the 'tuning', it may void the warrenty; besides,
> >> 300 HP stock isn't good enough for you?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>

On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 07:53:46 -0500, "JohnW" >
wrote:

>I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help it--and have
>begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin. I'm using
>regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad this way too, and the
>dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord if you run
>midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.
>
>Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than regular?
>Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine mentioned a
>pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning the
>software a bit.
>

All I've smelled is new leather. I've been using regualar in mine with
no problems. I love it!

I *do* use only major brands, like Mobil. I'm not sure what Crown and
Hess, etc. might do.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

JohnW opined in :

> I've heard this before, Ralph, but how do you know what's good? I
> normally use Citgo, followed by Exxon or BP (merged with Amoco??). I've
> never used a no name brand or the bargain stuff. My son uses bargain
> regular grade Wawa in his '04 and doesn't get the smell I've
> experienced.

> I've always assumed refining is refining and gas is gas.

WRONG!!!

I have only used Citgo once... and no telling where it really came from...
but the next week i had to rod out what was left of my catalyst.

Citgo has long been an apologist for high-sulphur content..

read this.. go down some distance:
http://tinyurl.com/6olzg

Use BP..if it's popular in the area.. they have changed their formula and
it's no longer the crap it was for years.

If Speedway is popular there, get it from a high-volume station.... never had
a clogged injector, let alone fuel filter.

I wpould bet even money if you quit using Citgo it will go away.
--
- Yes, I'm a crusty old geezer curmudgeon.. deal with it! -

On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 07:53:46 -0500, "JohnW" >
wrote:

>I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help it--and have
>begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin. I'm using
>regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad this way too, and the
>dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord if you run
>midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.
>
>Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than regular?
>Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine mentioned a
>pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning the
>software a bit.
>

I had the same problem with my 2001 GT when I left the windows open.
Somehow, the exhaust is piped into the cabin, I don't know how, but
it does happen. It even used to happen on the highway.
-Rich

On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 07:53:46 -0500, "JohnW" >
wrote:

>I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help it--and have
>begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin. I'm using
>regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad this way too, and the
>dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord if you run
>midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.
>
>Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than regular?
>Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine mentioned a
>pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning the
>software a bit.
>

I've smelled it too on cars, usually newer cars. It's the cats doing
their work. I'm not sure exactly what causes it (high sulphur in the
gas ?) but I think it goes away over time.
Try different brand of gas, don't think the octane rating has anything
to do with it. Might even indicate a problem with the enigne
management. Well, your have 3 years of warranty so..



Remove NO-SPAM from email address when replying

"JohnW" > wrote in message
...
> I've got about 500 miles on my GT since Saturday--can't help it--and have
> begun to notice a rotton egg smell now and then in the cabin. I'm using
> regular gas. Our 2003 Honda Accord V6 is REALLY bad this way too, and the
> dealer says that's "normal". It mostly goes away in the Accord if you run
> midgrade fuel, but gas is going up again.
>
> Anyone else notice this? Anyone running higher octane other than regular?
> Notice any difference? The folks in Mustang Enthusiest magazine mentioned
> a
> pretty substantial HP boost by simply changing octane and tuning the
> software a bit.

The reduction section in your catalytic converter, the part that changes NOx
(nitrous oxides) and some CO (carbon monoxide) back to N2 (nitrogen) and CO2
(carbon dioxide), also has the tendency to start absorbing SOx (sulfur
oxides), when its internal temperature drops below about 500°C. As BYM
inferred, sulfur is a natural contaminate in most fuels which, when burned,
are emitted as oxides of sulphur.

When the engine is required to put out more power and the catalytic
converter heats up over 600°C, the catalytic converter starts releasing the
SOx as H2S and SO3. The SO3 has no odor but the H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide) gas
does, which is what you smell. That usually means the reduction section of
your converter IS working, regenerating itself, and purging the accumulated
sulphur. The older your O2 sensor and catalytic converter is and the slower
they react, the more H2S you'll tend to get.

Because sulfur reduces the catalytic converters efficiency in converting
NOx, it's conentration in gasoline and motor oil is being reduced in the
U.S. (eventually close to zero) by EPA and CARB pressures. Most standard
U.S. emissions tests check for NOx emissions but don't (yet) check for SOx
or H2S emissions.


--
John
ThunderSnake #59

Soooo, the suggestion to find a fuel brand that doesn't generate a noticable
smell means finding one with low sulfur contamination. Too bad you can't
shop fuels and compare "ingredients" the way you can food in the grocery
store. Ok, I'll try Mobil on the next fill up folks! That's an easy enough
experiement!

John

"John" > wrote in message
...
> The reduction section in your catalytic converter, the part that changes
> NOx (nitrous oxides) and some CO (carbon monoxide) back to N2 (nitrogen)
> and CO2 (carbon dioxide), also has the tendency to start absorbing SOx
> (sulfur oxides), when its internal temperature drops below about 500°C.
> As BYM inferred, sulfur is a natural contaminate in most fuels which, when
> burned, are emitted as oxides of sulphur.
>
> When the engine is required to put out more power and the catalytic
> converter heats up over 600°C, the catalytic converter starts releasing
> the SOx as H2S and SO3. The SO3 has no odor but the H2S (Hydrogen
> Sulfide) gas does, which is what you smell. That usually means the
> reduction section of your converter IS working, regenerating itself, and
> purging the accumulated sulphur. The older your O2 sensor and catalytic
> converter is and the slower they react, the more H2S you'll tend to get.
>
> Because sulfur reduces the catalytic converters efficiency in converting
> NOx, it's conentration in gasoline and motor oil is being reduced in the
> U.S. (eventually close to zero) by EPA and CARB pressures. Most standard
> U.S. emissions tests check for NOx emissions but don't (yet) check for SOx
> or H2S emissions.
>
>
> --
> John
> ThunderSnake #59
>
>