Smell of natural gas...not lpg!

hey guys, i have a 2000 2.5dtse p38. last night after a 20 min journey pulled into a car park, put it in reverse and got the smell of natural gas!!! i don't have lpg conversion or anything. when driving the smell isn't there, just took it out now, was fine when driving but when i got home just put it in Park and got the smell again... what the hell is this??? i have a small oil leak, could this be part of it help please...

Cat's make rotten egg smells when working hard... could be that!

lerk said:

Cat's make rotten egg smells when working hard... could be that!

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could it be that even when cold? thanx

maybe for a couple of seconds as it purges the gas left in the exhaust whilst stood, but not really...

Hydrogen disulphide, you sound like you have got some high sulpher content diesel, either that or it's the missis farting.

Datatek said:

Hydrogen disulphide, you sound like you have got some high sulpher content diesel, either that or it's the missis farting.

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strange you say that, i had only just filled up at a service station that i've never used! only since then have i had the smell whenever i drive, never before...then again it cld be the missis:hysterically_laughinice!!!

Datatek said:

Hydrogen disulphide, you sound like you have got some high sulpher content diesel

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drscoundrel said:

hey guys, i have a 2000 2.5dtse p38. last night after a 20 min journey pulled into a car park, put it in reverse and got the smell of natural gas!!! i don't have lpg conversion or anything. when driving the smell isn't there, just took it out now, was fine when driving but when i got home just put it in Park and got the smell again... what the hell is this??? i have a small oil leak, could this be part of it help please...

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Oops, missed the first bit and was concentrating on the second bit... thought you were a petrol lover! :doh:

seems that the smell is only there when i change gear lever, it's an automatic, could it be my clutch that the smell is coming from? big job? or (hopefully!!!) that the level is just down in the gearbox and needs topping up...

drscoundrel said:

seems that the smell is only there when i change gear lever, it's an automatic, could it be my clutch that the smell is coming from? big job? or (hopefully!!!) that the level is just down in the gearbox and needs topping up...

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Not sure what you mean, as it's auto you do not have a clutch as such. Even if the internal gear selection clutches are slipping, I doubt you would smell anything as it's all inside the gearbox.
Maybe you have a small oil leak going onto something hot like the exhaust?

Datatek said:

Not sure what you mean, as it's auto you do not have a clutch as such. Even if the internal gear selection clutches are slipping, I doubt you would smell anything as it's all inside the gearbox.
Maybe you have a small oil leak going onto something hot like the exhaust?

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will check that thanks, gears aren't slipping so hopefully you're right just a leak...

hypoid gear oil has a smell similar to natural gas, check for leaks from the axles as they use this type of oil in them . most likely from the oil seals.

Landrovers leak for two reasons

1. to let oil out

2. to let water in

Thanks Tufty,

Right, here goes...

Seems i have a diff oil leak coming out passenger side axle around boot, not huge leak, didn't need much to top up diff.
Have ordered a seal, are these hard to fit???

Also, i have a gearbox oil leak, looks to be dripping off the cooler but the hoses which are above it are soaked in oil too! one of them has a loose connection(between rubber hose & steel hose) leak could be coming from here. I've seen that these hoses come as one piece, can they be tightened between the joints? didn't want to twist it in case i make it worse...
it took a bit of oil to top up the gearbox!

after topping up diff and gear oil i now have no smell(smelled of propane before)

i presume it was the low gearbox oil that was causing the smell, parts rubbing etc...

Now...do i need a new gearbox
if i drive without foot to floor she changes smoothly
But, if i give it a bit of drive in 1st(not foot to floor) it gets to about 3700 revs, nearly changes, drops about 300 revs, goes back up to 3700 then changes hard. Also, if i drive it hard thru 3rd up to 4th sometimes the diff doesn't lock up. If i drive relatively gently it does lock up but takes 30 seconds or so to get up to 60MPH from 40MPH
please help...

tufty said:

hypoid gear oil has a smell similar to natural gas, check for leaks from the axles as they use this type of oil in them . most likely from the oil seals.

Landrovers leak for two reasons

1. to let oil out

2. to let water in

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By diff lock I assume you mean torque converter, lock occures at different speeds according to throttle opening, road speed and revs. On a light throttle opening, lock up occurs at about 53mph on mine.

The 2 pipes leaking sound like the engine oil cooler pipes, seems to be a common problem. You can get new hoses crimped to the metal parts or fit new hoses. It is unlikely you will be able to remove the pipes from the oil cooler without destroying it!

Datatek said:

By diff lock I assume you mean torque converter, lock occures at different speeds according to throttle opening, road speed and revs. On a light throttle opening, lock up occurs at about 53mph on mine.

The 2 pipes leaking sound like the engine oil cooler pipes, seems to be a common problem. You can get new hoses crimped to the metal parts or fit new hoses. It is unlikely you will be able to remove the pipes from the oil cooler without destroying it!

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Ya sorry, torque converter:doh:
If i take off quickly at lights etc... once i get up to 60 - 70MPH the converter only kicks in now and then, i could be driving for 15min at same speed, no lockup!! i have to come to a stop, then take off gently and slowly go up through gears.

The 2 pipes seem to go into the gearbox cooler behind the fog lamp, it's definatley gearbox oil, might try crimping new hoses onto original as you said, hope it's not the cooler, more money no holiday this year

drscoundrel said:

Ya sorry, torque converter:doh:
If i take off quickly at lights etc... once i get up to 60 - 70MPH the converter only kicks in now and then, i could be driving for 15min at same speed, no lockup!! i have to come to a stop, then take off gently and slowly go up through gears.

The 2 pipes seem to go into the gearbox cooler behind the fog lamp, it's definatley gearbox oil, might try crimping new hoses onto original as you said, hope it's not the cooler, more money no holiday this year

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You've got a fog lamp in front of the gearbox oil cooler? Not a good idea, the auto box oil cooler is there for a reason and blocking the airflow to it is asking for trouble. Originally there would have just been a grill in the hole in front of the oil cooler not a fog lamp

Datatek said:

You've got a fog lamp in front of the gearbox oil cooler? Not a good idea, the auto box oil cooler is there for a reason and blocking the airflow to it is asking for trouble. Originally there would have just been a grill in the hole in front of the oil cooler not a fog lamp

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No no, don't have a fog lamp there, just meant that was the area the cooler is...
had a proper test drive last night and since topping up fluids torque converter kicks in no problem all the time
Still have problem changing to second if i'm pushing it too hard, could this be the brake band on that second gear? is this do-able by amatuer mechanic...:crazy: