Fumes in the cabin + Citroen C5 2004

[frenchbulldog]

Hi, I have been struggling with the problem for at least a couple of months. My car is a Citroen C5 2004 Exclusive 2.0 petrol fuel
I have noticed fumes in the cabin immediately after I picked up the car at a garage where the high voltage coil has been replaced due to a sudden lack of power. I rolled the car to the nearest garage immediately as I noticed the problem. I have the car for at least 5 years and there's never been fumes in the cabin before. I reported the problem over the phone immediately, but the garage refused there could be any connection between the repair at the high voltage coil (a linear piece of assembly in this car, with 4 outputs, one for each spark plugs) and fumes in the cabin. Since then, I checked 4 items but none resolved the problem:

1- torque at spark plugs - checked
2- O-ring (rubber) of fuel injectors - changed
3- Catalytic converter - good
4- Lambda sensor- changed

I perceive the fumes already at the engine bay, from where they reach the cabin either via front windows down, or when air conditioner is turned on, even if the cabin air loop is closed.

So, I am reporting back to my original reckoning: it must have been the high voltage coil piece replaced, that is causing the fumes! There's nothing else possible... It must have some malfunction, or an open gap someplace ( in spite there are no high pitch noises from the exhaust pipes) that's letting the fumes scape directly from the combustion chamber...

I replaced the lambda sensor this week and risked a trip to a beach nearby and we suffered a lot with cabin being filled with CO2 fumes, specially when gas pedal is released and revs quickly lower, that's the worst scenario.

I appreciate any inputs from the Forum if that's even possible to have fumes leaking from the Citroen C5 2004 high voltage coil assembly, or any other inputs to help me follow this up.

Thanks much,
George

[white exec]

So the fumes are exhaust, not fuel?
Just a long shot - check the tailgate is properly closed and its rubber seal is in place.

[xantia_v6]

It could be that the fumes are engine oil weeping from a camshaft cover and reaching the exhaust manifold which is hot enough to burn them (I don't know exactly which engine you have).

[myglaren]

I'd agree with the garage that replacing the coil pack is unlikely to be the cause. More likely a hose has bee disturbed and leaking exhaust if it isn't as Mike mentioned, oil dripping onto exhaust pipes.

I wonder if the PCV pipes have been damaged or dislodged.

[C3Pre Own]

I second the PCV system. Had an Audi a few years back that would sometimes get very faint fumes in the cabin. I eventually discovered a split PCV hose when I was doing work involving the head removal - I'd never have found it otherwise. Replaced that & never had fumes in the cab again. So it's definitley worth a look, especially if there are any hoses in the area that was worked on when fitting the coil.

[myglaren]

Or leaks from the injectors - my first C5 had this,only slight but it could be heard and there was some exhaust under the bonnet, not enough to be detected inside the car though.
Mine are diesels though so the same may not apply.

[frenchbulldog]

Hi ,

I really apologize to all here for not getting back to this thread. I was expecting any posts would have appeared at my registered email, and it didn't happen. I received zero emails warning me of new posts. Maybe this is configurable at my account back-office.

I will take a look at each post and reply to each one...

Best,
George

[frenchbulldog]

So the fumes are exhaust, not fuel?
Just a long shot - check the tailgate is properly closed and its rubber seal is in place.

Hi Cris,

Thanks for the feedback! Yes it is fumes and not fuel smell... I investigated the exhaust system and the catalytic converter and all seems well in that area.

[frenchbulldog]

It could be that the fumes are engine oil weeping from a camshaft cover and reaching the exhaust manifold which is hot enough to burn them (I don't know exactly which engine you have).

The engine is petrol 2.0 with 4 cylinders 16 valve. Yes, this is a possibility and indeed there were some leaks from the engine , but a repair was executed , and the apparent leaks disappeared, but the fumes continued. There are apparently no ongoing leaks after this repair ... I am betting the fumes smell must have to do with a bad fuel mix or engine must be opned and repaired as t may be an internal problem. This is one part , and it was already happenning for a while ( the fumes), however the fumes smell inside the car via the air conditioner fan is something new.

I am thinking that maybe , the closing of the air stream loop at the air conditioner is not working or it is working with a gap .... hence the fumes now reach the internal cabin.

[frenchbulldog]

I'd agree with the garage that replacing the coil pack is unlikely to be the cause. More likely a hose has bee disturbed and leaking exhaust if it isn't as Mike mentioned, oil dripping onto exhaust pipes.

I wonder if the PCV pipes have been damaged or dislodged.

Hi Steve, Yes it seems it is not the coil pack, but not the exhaust as well, I raised the car twice at those service elevators at a exhaust pipe shop and there's nothing wrong with the pipe and the catalytic converter. It may something where the fumes are collected by the exhaust... problem is that it is hard to check something like this without a lot of good will from the repair team.

[frenchbulldog]

I second the PCV system. Had an Audi a few years back that would sometimes get very faint fumes in the cabin. I eventually discovered a split PCV hose when I was doing work involving the head removal - I'd never have found it otherwise. Replaced that & never had fumes in the cab again. So it's definitley worth a look, especially if there are any hoses in the area that was worked on when fitting the coil.

I think this matches what could have happened when the team that replaced the coil pack looked around for leaks and sent me photos of some leaks that I already fixed in other shop . The may have bumped at the connection between exhaust pipes and the engine openings where the exhaust flows ... Thanks for the tip!

[frenchbulldog]

Or leaks from the injectors - my first C5 had this,only slight but it could be heard and there was some exhaust under the bonnet, not enough to be detected inside the car though.
Mine are diesels though so the same may not apply.

I had read somewhere else about this possibility and already checked the o-rings of the fuel injectors . There was indeed one rubber o-ring damaged but the problem continued after I had the injectors verified.

Thanks for the suggestion, anyway.

[xantia_v6]

Hi ,

I really apologize to all here for not getting back to this thread. I was expecting any posts would have appeared at my registered email, and it didn't happen. I received zero emails warning me of new posts. Maybe this is configurable at my account back-office.

I will take a look at each post and reply to each one...

Best,
George

You need to go to your notifications settings at: ucp.php?i=ucp_notifications&mode=notification_options and ensure that the disried options re ticked in the email column.

[frenchbulldog]

Hi ,

I really apologize to all here for not getting back to this thread. I was expecting any posts would have appeared at my registered email, and it didn't happen. I received zero emails warning me of new posts. Maybe this is configurable at my account back-office.

I will take a look at each post and reply to each one...

Best,
George

You need to go to your notifications settings at: ucp.php?i=ucp_notifications&mode=notification_options and ensure that the disried options re ticked in the email column.

Hi Xantia,

Thanks for the link ! I checked all options under email now ...

Best
George