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?

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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