Why does a small car's exhaust smell strong?
2 Answers
The reason for a strong exhaust smell in small cars is that the engine is not yet warmed up, the catalytic converter is not functioning properly, combustion is incomplete, and the air-fuel mixture is incorrect. Introduction to automobile exhaust: Automobile exhaust is the waste gas produced during vehicle use, containing hundreds of different compounds. The pollutants include solid suspended particles, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, lead, sulfur oxides, etc. Exhaust treatment: Due to the highly dispersed and mobile nature of vehicle operation, certain limitations are imposed on purification technologies. In addition to developing in-engine purification technologies, significant efforts should also be made to develop external purification treatment technologies.
I've got plenty of experience with this! Last month, my car suddenly started spewing black smoke with a sour stench, and I almost got cursed out by the driver behind me. After checking for a long time, we found out the oxygen sensor was dead. The mechanic said this thing controls the fuel-air mixture, and when it fails, it causes black smoke. For older cars, you should also check the spark plugs and ignition coils—misfiring and incomplete combustion can make the exhaust pipe drip black oil. The worst is putting in the wrong fuel; some shady gas stations mix water into their 92-octane, and you can smell the weird odor. A clogged catalytic converter is even more troublesome—the repair shop quoted me 2,800! My advice: check the trouble codes ASAP, don’t wait until it fails the annual inspection like I did.
