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SL2 Cabin filling up with Carbon Monoxide, after fender bender?!?!?!??!

HI there

I have a '93 Saturn SL2. Nice car. I recently rear ended someone who cut me off (it looks like's he's the liable one). He was driving a Toyota

4Runner and the left front of my car went right under his. His truck had no damage, but my front bumper and the hood need to be replaced, as well as some frame repair.

Now, here is the weird part. Since the accident, whenever I turn on the fan, the driver cabin gets flooded with either a rich gas smell or a rich carbon monoxide smell. It's making me quite sick and is a hazard for sure.

But my insurance adjuster says that because he can't see how this corelates to the accident, he can't get involved in this, unless proven otherwise. This is seems strange to me too as I also don't see any leakage or etc.. in the engine.

I thought I was smelling the other cars around me through the damaged hood, but nope, the smell comes when I"m parked, or at the stop light with no one in front of me.

Does anyone have any ideas about what's going on?

Reply to
eb7g
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Not sure how you know the cabin is filling with Carbon Monoxide since it is a completely colorless and odorless gas...

The gasoline/fuel smell is likely due to a fuel leak. Possibly in the high pressure fuel line, maybe the fuel filter fittings, or the rail to the injectors? I'd definitely get this in to be looked at by a competent mechanic ASAP since if you can smell the fuel, it is an accident waiting to happen.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

First off, I can tell you that carbon monoxide is completely odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Exhaust gases contain CO, and you're likely smelling the non-CO components. Arguably, it is the CO that is the most dangerous component, however.

Did the shop who fixed your car check to see if there was any damage to the engine or the exhaust system? Or did your insurance co only allow you to go to a "body shop"?

It is _possible_ that your exhaust manifold is cracked and when you turn on the fan you're sucking those gases trapped under the hood into the cabin. I don't remember where the cabin air intake is located. However, IIRC a cracked exhaust manifold would exhibit many other issues including a lot of noise. You're right tho - exhaust gases in the cabin can be an extremely dangerous situation. The part you can't see and smell is hurting you.

Check for damage under the hood - intake manifold, fuel lines (?!), exhaust manifold, tailpipe and muffler assembly, etc. Look for leaking oil around the seals and gaskets. Better yet, take it to a shop that you're familiar with who will check it out for you a little or no cost. They will likely be able to tell you if any damage they find is coincidental or a result of the accident.

Depending on the severity of the impact with the 4Runner, you may also want to inspect or have your seatbelts inspected for stress damage.

HTH

-rj

98SL2

eb7g wrote:

Reply to
richard hornsby

Thanks for the replies!!

I figured out what it was. It was actually engine oil that I was smelling.

You know the top of the Saturn motors, there is a release value of some sort, right in front of the carburator? Well, I guess the accident impact pushed it completely out and I was smelling hot oil!!! I put it back in, voila, no more smell.

And JUST IN TIME TOO, I checked my engine oil, as a precaution. Yep, those 3-4 days of the motor not being a closed system had evaporated (or I inhaled it all) almost all the oil and my car was overheating like mad. I dumped some more in and accidentally put too much (I am an idiot I suppose) and I get some other problems now, but nothing major.

richard hornsby wrote:

Reply to
eb7g

I realize that some may consider this picking a nit, but there is no carburetor on your car. It is called a throttle body.

Ken

odorless,

damage to

(?!),

damage.

Reply to
Napalm Heart

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