Possible Gen 2 Solara Problem...

[Titan_X]

Hello, folks! Long-time lurker, first time poster.

I have a small problem with my Solara. It's a 2006 Solara 4cyl, had it for a little over a year, just over 8K miles on it (I don't drive much.)

The problem I'm having is I smell raw gasoline when I first start the car. I only smell it outside the car, not inside. The thing is I only smell it just after I start the car. Once the car is on the road, I don't smell it at all if I open the door or window. Is this a potential problem, or is it normal? I was thinking it might burn more fuel-rich when first starting the car, but I'm no car expert.

I haven't noticed any decrease in performance when driving the car, and my gas mileage is consistent (stays around 23.8 MPG, I do a lot of stop-go city driving). The only thing I hear is some hissing coming from the engine compartment when accelerating (I'm assuming this is just the air intake), mostly in first and second gear. Once the automatic shifts into third and above, the hissing stops.

Am I just being paranoid or should I take the car to the shop to have it looked at?

[Gangis]

Well, I think since it's at 8k miles, it's still covered under Toyota's warranty? I'd take it in to Toyota and have it checked out.

[boaclub923]

hum... my car has the same situation as well...
but the smell goes off as soon as the car is warm.
the smell is the worse early in the morning.
so i guess it has something to do with the temperature of engine.
i had same situation on my 2001 accord as well,
but solara stinks more.
i don't think it's a big issue,
but still go check with dealer if u could~

[NeFaRiOuS_SLE]

Welcome to SolaraGuy!

So far I've noticed it's a trend in a lot of Toyota cars, but it usually means that your catalytic converter hasn't reached operating temperature yet, combined with high idle in order to reach operating temperature faster and Toyota not using heated cat-cons, so the process should take about 3-5 minutes.

[Sebas007]

I know Toyota have a TSB about sulfuric odor or something like it...I don't find it anymore...I've the same issue...early in the morning when the temp is colder.

[Titan_X]

hum... my car has the same situation as well...
but the smell goes off as soon as the car is warm.
the smell is the worse early in the morning.
so i guess it has something to do with the temperature of engine.

Well, the funny thing is I don't have this problem early in the morning. The problems occurs more in the afternoon when I'm driving for work, or in the evening when I'm going home. I usually leave the car sitting for 12 hours overnight, and the next morning there's no gasoline smell, but in the afternoon there is a smell.

Thanks a bunch for all the helpful replies. I really appreciate it. I'm taking my car in to the dealership tomorrow morning to have them inspect it.

[Down2TheC]

Does the I4 have a different fuel control? I know the V6 dumps too much gas in for startup. I get a whiff now and then on a cold start. As long as it goes away quickly I'd agree that it's not an issue.

[Somedude]

when I started my car today ion a cold morning today, I smelled the same thing too. Its a 2004 4 cylinder. I didn't think it was a problem.

My windows were down.

[gasolara2002]

It should be the catalytic converter(spelling might be wrong) My mom had to get her's replaced on her 07 highlander because of the rotten egg smell.

[Titan_X]

Ok, well I took it into the dealer and explained the problem. The hissing noise I hear when I'm accelerating is just the engine air intake (just as I thought), and they weren't too concerned about the gasoline smell. They said I could bring the car in and leave it overnight so they can start it the next morning and see if they have the same problem, but if I don't have a check engine light on my dash, they said there's probably not a problem.

I guess I'm just being paranoid. I mean, the car only has 8200 miles on it and I have three and a half years of payments left on it.

[PhreakdOut]

It should be the catalytic converter(spelling might be wrong) My mom had to get her's replaced on her 07 highlander because of the rotten egg smell.

There was a silent recall on many Toyota's for the "Rotten Egg" smell. They would replace the converter assembly only when a customer would complain about the issue. Dealers won't admit it or give you anything in writing. A formal recall of that type would cost a fortune. (We're talking upwards of $100M.)

I worked for an exhaust supplier to Toyota. We'd make the center assemblies that contained the converter but we didn't make the converter itself. Toyota's own company called TABC does that in Long Beach, CA. They supplied the converter and we welded it in. When the issue hit, TABC designed a new loading for the converter substrate to light off at colder temperatures. They had us make a bunch of "service only" part numbers that specifically addressed this issue.

Keep pressing the dealer and keep saying the smell makes you feel sick. They will replace the converter "under warranty" and the issue should go away.

Just in case, if you're buying cheap fuel from a no-name gas station, try switching before the converter is replaced. Sulfur comes from the gasoline. It can not be burned in the combustion process thus it flows into the exhaust. The EPA regulates the maximum allowable sulfur content but this is breached from time to time with cheap gas stations selecting the low cost fuel suppliers. Companies like BP and Shell are very careful to control sulfur content since they are also the refiners.

The sulfur in the exhaust attaches to the converter and only releases when it is formed into sulfurdioxide. (The rotten egg smell). Until you stop introducing more sulfur into the converter, you won't be able to get rid of it. The new converter design has a different loading on the substrate to reduce the attraction of sulfur to the honeycomb. If you don't try changing fuel supply, even a new converter will experience the same thing. (Just not as bad as your original converter.)

[Gadgetjq]

Titan,

You have enough miles on the car to know its habits (as long as you haven't changed yours). If you never smelled fuel before, take it to the dealer if only so you can get a paper trail started on the issue. Worst case you have a fuel leak that will be repaired under warranty.

BTW all gasoline powered internal combustion engines run richer when cold but with direct port injection you shouldn't be able to smell the extra fuel as compared to an older carbed engine that might have required a couple of pumps of the gas pedal to get going on a cold day.

Cheers

[bbsolara06]

ok all i have to say about this is yeah it is a common problem, i work for toyota and i too have had this problem since i got my 06 se as well. ive asked my advisors about it and since there is no recall or any other common reports toyota wont do anything about it but yeah the smell goes away in my car too after a little while...every now and then i get a small hint of it just driving down the road, but its been checked many times and no one can find any problems, so its just a solara thing

[Titan_X]

Thanks, bbsolara06. I figured it was a common problem. Where I work, half the people drive a Toyota, and one of my co-workers was driving past me in his '05 RAV4 and I smelled the same gasoline smell that my car gave off. Same thing with an '04 Camry, an '07 Tundra and a couple '06 Corollas.

Doesn't seem to be exclusive to Toyota either, since I smelled the same smell from an '06 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I guess I was just being paranoid. Good to know my Solara is working normally.

Thanks, everyone!

[crispone]

It should be the catalytic converter(spelling might be wrong) My mom had to get her's replaced on her 07 highlander because of the rotten egg smell.

There was a silent recall on many Toyota's for the "Rotten Egg" smell. They would replace the converter assembly only when a customer would complain about the issue. Dealers won't admit it or give you anything in writing. A formal recall of that type would cost a fortune. (We're talking upwards of $100M.)

I worked for an exhaust supplier to Toyota. We'd make the center assemblies that contained the converter but we didn't make the converter itself. Toyota's own company called TABC does that in Long Beach, CA. They supplied the converter and we welded it in. When the issue hit, TABC designed a new loading for the converter substrate to light off at colder temperatures. They had us make a bunch of "service only" part numbers that specifically addressed this issue.

Keep pressing the dealer and keep saying the smell makes you feel sick. They will replace the converter "under warranty" and the issue should go away.

Just in case, if you're buying cheap fuel from a no-name gas station, try switching before the converter is replaced. Sulfur comes from the gasoline. It can not be burned in the combustion process thus it flows into the exhaust. The EPA regulates the maximum allowable sulfur content but this is breached from time to time with cheap gas stations selecting the low cost fuel suppliers. Companies like BP and Shell are very careful to control sulfur content since they are also the refiners.

The sulfur in the exhaust attaches to the converter and only releases when it is formed into sulfurdioxide. (The rotten egg smell). Until you stop introducing more sulfur into the converter, you won't be able to get rid of it. The new converter design has a different loading on the substrate to reduce the attraction of sulfur to the honeycomb. If you don't try changing fuel supply, even a new converter will experience the same thing. (Just not as bad as your original converter.)

What's UP Brian??!!

I was just WAITING for you to step in with that insight to this issue!

Spent SEVERAL nights in the area up there... and made NUMEROUS trips this past month on some engineering issues...

I LOST your number when I transferred my list to the "Crackberry", so I couldn't CALL!

Drop me a PM w/# if you could. I'd like to get in touch again sometime... perhaps for some "Matsuchan's" men sometime? (That sounds BAD if you don't know... HA HA HA!)


RE: FUEL SMELL (rotten egg, as well...)

Brian is right on. Particularly the "sulfur" scent. I agree that a switch in fuel can make a difference, and have never had enough issue with this to worry about it. (My old -'94- toy 4x4 w/exhaust, etc... is REALLY bad for this... makes you ill... and my straight-through set-up on the Supra is out-n-out irresponsible... so the 'lara seems particularly "tame" to me. )


Regional fuels will ALSO be different, due to formulation variability from processors. (State-level laws, etc...)

In Ohio and the region, I burn SHELL "V-POWER" 93 or BP 93 (Amoco Fuels) with little issue. I also frequently (nearly ALWAYS in the Supra and EVERY TANK in my bikes) burn BLENZALL (formulation #485) GOLD LABEL or an MMT additive, which OVERWHELMS the scent of "normal" gas anyway!


-crisp