Cat converter failure

I have a very unolesant smell coming from my Disco 4.0L however the water situation is fine, what are the synptoms of cat failure, do they let off unplesant odours.

Ta, Andy.

yes, if cat goes it smells like rotten eggs

Do you think it would be the cause of the hot waterish smell als as I can't think of anything else. And thanks

Andy.

My washer reservoir used to smell ... tried water purifying tablets, bleach ... all sorts of stuff, eventually it stoppped, we still don't know what caused it.

I'll go to my local tyre service tomorrow if I'm able and have a word with them, but thanks for the replies.

Andy.

What does this strange smell actually smell like?

Hot coolant smells like curry.

As your cat is a particulate filter and not a true honeycombe cat I wouldn't have thought it would smell eggy. If a particulate cat is goosed it may Prevent your engine revving and may have hair/fur spilling out yer tailpipe. With a honeycombe cat it too can block the exhaust to limit the revs. It may smell eggy. It may also give sparks/shards out the exhaust when revved.

It smells like hot coolant but she went in the other day and no problems. When the engine cools down there is no trace of any smell, however when I was walking up to her yesterday I could smell a strong smell from about 10 feet away. And when I bent down at the rear a smell from there also.

Andy.

just to clarify the rotten egg smell it is the catalyst working overtime i think from tomuch fule in the cat, it burns off in the platinum fins and if it goes on for to long ti will melt the platinum into ball that will cause an issue with back presureing the engine when it goes down the pipe.

i have only known this to happen in petrol engines when the lamba sensor fails or carbons up

you can check the cat if it bad you can here it rattle around inside when you shake the pipe. or remove it and inspect both ends inside if it looks like a honey combe its fine. you will also find it rots the shell of the cat or it will brake it when you shake it.

as for your smell it aint a smell i have ever smelt from a cat before.

Just a thought is your motor drinking coolant?

could be the head gasket going and burning it through the engine hence the smell from the back of your motor.

if it is drinking it be it a lil or a lot you may want to get a cylinder leak test done.

or some garages can put a tube with a chemical in it over your coolant cap when hot it will check for exsaust gasses escapeing through your system.

a leakdown test is a more acurate test to have done.

hope this helps
baz

Hi

Re smelling cat, have a 300tdi with cat and it has always stunk, I always thought it was just cats in general , especially after a run then backing the car in the garage smells rotten

Regards Pete

Ok, I had cause to pop the bonnet on the Disco earlier as I thought I seen water on the floor, I didn't but what I did notice on the drivers side of the engine it appears to have water on the exhaust manifold, it is either a burst pipe or possibly the overflow for the expansion tank blowing back, yet again it will need to go back in to be looked over.

Andy.