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Engine / Exhaust smells like cheese

1K views 16 replies 4 participants last post by  silverhawk 
#1 ·
Here’s the deal:
‘18 XC60 T6 w/ 24K miles the exhaust smells like cheese and not in a good way. I’ve got no smell of it in the cabin both with or without the fan / ac on.

When we stepped on the gas while parked you the smell is considerably more pronounced.

service writer seems to think it’s a non issue...

my question for the peanut gallery is what do you think is? Catalytic converter? Something else?
 
#4 ·
I probably don't know the answer to this because I don't know the ins and outs of car parts and their functions like others do on here, but I am intrigued and might have some chemistry knowledge to bring to bear. Can you be more descriptive of what the cheese smell is like? Are we talked microwaved Velveeta or a sharp blue? A lot of pungent food smells (garlic, onion, cabbage, broccoli, eggs, and yes cheese) come from sulfur compounds. If it's a sulfur-y cheese smell, then maybe the catalytic converter is something to look at. I might expect more of a rotten egg smell there though, since presumably you'd be huffing hydrogen sulfide. There are also some sulfur/phosphorous compounds that are used as gear lubricants, so maybe something is going on in the transmission?
 
#5 ·
It's certainly more of a sulfur smelling cheese. At first it smelled more like a curdled milk but certainly sulfur/ cheese now.

What confuses me is the complete lack of codes being thrown. The two things I could see it being are the Cat ? or possibly an over volt / charging of the batteries simply due to the odor.

On the flip side, even though it's been cleaned and run through the car wash (with underbody) I can't help but wonder if it's something burning or melting along the exhaust route.
 
#6 ·
Wonder also if some little varmint might have stashed something in there that’s rotting
Or maybe the critter itself
 
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