Hi everyone!
I'm new to this chat/forum thing but I have been getting so much helpful info when I google any question it leads me straight to these sites. So I thought I would join up myself.

So here's my deal:
Just got an 85' 300D Turbo and its a beautiful ride! Very clean, one elderly owner, colonel in the military, almost 200K...really nice car.

My problem has been a really toxic smell when I drive. I had the engine steam cleaned right after I bought it because the owner told me he sprayed Armor All in the engine compartment. Then my mechanic said there was a small leak and replaced that cloth covered tube/hose? We also put some brand new veggie oil in the box/cube and mixed it with diesel. That was fine.

Anyway...I keep getting sick whenever I drive my cool new car!! I am extremely chemically sensitive, this is true. But I have owned an '81 SD myself, my stepdad has an '84 300 Turbo, and I worked at Lovecraft Biofuels when I lived in LA. So I dont think I'm allergic to diesel. I've been around plenty of them all my life. But when I have driven it I get dizzy, headaches, burning eyes, throat, nose and almost a weird metallic taste in my mouth. My dad's girlfriend said she smelled and tasted it too. But no one else notices it as much.

Anyone have ANY suggestions?! I am exasperated I almost want to sell the car!!

 

I steam cleaned the engine. It is spotless. I really dont think there is anymore armor all on it.

Any my Mercedes mechanic who put the veggie oil in has been doing that way on his and no problems. He actually said it was good for the car because diesel does not have a certain lubricant in it anymore since the EPA took it out. He's been working on Mercedes for 50 years.
Also the guy who started Lovecraft Biofuels told me that he has been doing that with his diesel van for over 25,000 miles and it runs great. He has converted over 2000 MBZ diesels and said you dont even need the conversion to run this way.

So I dont think that is my problem. I just feel a chemical reaction when inside the car. I dont really have a sense of smell, its just the way my body feels when I am around chemicals. This happened with my last car. The former owner sprayed some chemical on the engine presale and I thought I would have to sell it but it burned off. This is NOT burning off and I have cleaned the engine so I am at a loss.
Just thought I'd ask to see if anyone had anything similar happen to themselves of someone they know.

Thanks!

 

Check the hood seal around the inside of the hood.

I have a old Land Rover that every time I would clean the motor off
the smell inside was very bad from the fumes.

After I replaced the smell was gone.

Good Luck.

 

Hey 2slowcdi
Thanks so much for the reply.
Do you mean the hood pad? If thats even what its called? I noticed yesterday the pad under the hood was filled with like grease or something? My step dad said that was just emissions and diesels are very dirty. The strange thing is, is that it seems almost intermittent the smell that is.

I'm going to try and take it to my mechanic again this Thursday but just wanted to see what you guys thought. So much great advice on here! Let me know if anyone can think of anything else it could be.

Thanks!!

 

What I was talking about is a rubber seal that is close to the windshield under the hood it keeps the fumes from under the hood getting pulled in where the outside air comes in to the car.
Look to see if you have a good seal, on my old Land Rover it had one but it had seen better days and after I replaced it all the smells in LR stopped.

Good Luck.

 

Thanks for you input, Forced. The car I was referring to wasnt diesel by the way. It was a 4runner. The other diesels never made me sick.

 

Thanks, 2slowcdi
I know the pad under the hood is really saturated with black greasy stuff.
I will look to see if it has a seal. I'm hoping youre right.

 

You could have gotten some degreaser down inside a vent when spraying the degreaser, hoods up, cowling vents are open.

 

Thanks, wrecks79!
I think my mechanic used Simple Green when he steam cleaned the engine. It smelled like that for a while but I am getting a more chemical smell. Kind of like what Forced said about how diesel can make you feel, "headache and sore eyes" I get dizzy and my eyes, sinuses and throat are burning. And a weird taste in my mouth, like metallic.
But I also heard of something called the 'cabin filter'. I may check and see how dirty it is and change that.
I closed all the vents in the car, fan is off.
I heard too that sometimes when the trunk seal isnt completely tight, fumes can come up thru the back? I heard that can be fairly common?
The trunk seal doesnt look too bad to me but I will look into everything and leave no stone unturned. I really dont want to get rid of this beautiful car. I just got her!

 

Sometimes with cars that have exhaust that point to the rear, If there is an air leak anywhere in the back of the car, when you drive, it will suck exhaust into the driver compartment. Hope you find it!!