My 83 300SD smells like engine vapors inside the cabin. Does anyone know why this might be, or how to fix this?

__________________
1991 300CE Sportline
1983 300SD TurboDiesel (Gone but not forgotten)

Have you checked your injector return lines for leakage. When mine were leaking I could smell diesel inside and outside of the car.

__________________
Dave
1983 300D Daily Driver

Are the injector return lines the cloth/braided flex lines that run in series from injector to injector? Mine seem to be in good order; however, would the leak be liquid fuel (dripping) or vaporized fuel? How do you check them?

__________________
1991 300CE Sportline
1983 300SD TurboDiesel (Gone but not forgotten)

Injector return lines tend to crack at the top of the barb (1/4" or so from the end). One other possibility is the delivery valve o-rings, or it could be a bad fuel line, supply, also indicated by less than stellar starting, or return (look for "weeping")

Good luck,
Jim

__________________
2005 C240 4matic wagon (daily driver)
87 190D - 225K (on loan)
85 190D - 312K (on loan)
2011 Subaru Legacy AWD (Wife's)

did it just start?

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

Could it be diesel on the foot mats?

__________________
92 300D 2.5L OM602 OBK #59

Headgasket leaking oil onto hot exhaust manifold?

__________________
62 220sb
67 250S
72 280SE 4.5
74 280C
77 300D
82 240D
85 190E 2.3
86 300E RIP 12/28/09
85 300SD
92 300D 2.5
00 E320 Current
Over 1,000,000 miles in Benzes, Since66

....and a whole passel of BMW 2002 and Tii

Stepped in puddle of diesel at the filling station and tracked in on the floor mat?

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

My 617 has a crankcase breather tube that keeps coming out and blowing oil fumes out the right side of the hood. Are you smelling oil fumes, fuel smell, or exhaust smell?

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Could be a hole between the engine compartment and passenger compartment letting fumes inside the car.

Look at your rubber seals around the various penetrations thru the firewall.

Tom W

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I think its oil fumes, like crankcase vapor...I'll try to check those seals and the breather vent tubes...

__________________
1991 300CE Sportline
1983 300SD TurboDiesel (Gone but not forgotten)

Yes, it just started about a week ago...It seems to be stronger when I run the heater/vent/ac fan.

__________________
1991 300CE Sportline
1983 300SD TurboDiesel (Gone but not forgotten)

The reason I ask is we seem to have just gotten the summer diesel blend, and I had the same concern right after I filled up. I think the summer blend is VERY stinky right now.

Also, it seems worse when I have the A/C &/or blower on.
But my cabin smells more like an airport, NOT crankcase vapors, so it may be something else....

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

Well, I don't think it smells that bad...actually there is a guy wanting to buy the car, and he's a picky little #$#%^...he says he smells it, so I don't know exactly what he smells (fuel or engine vapors or what)...he said if i can fix that, he will buy the car...I told him I'd knock the price down to $1000, so I don't understand someone who is picky about a thousand dollar car that runs great...I think its a helluva deal myself...

__________________
1991 300CE Sportline
1983 300SD TurboDiesel (Gone but not forgotten)

My 81 300SD smelled inside like fumes for a while. Welded a couple of spots on the exhaust and the smell disappeared.