Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihlpl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ihlpl!res
From: res@ihlpl.UUCP (Rich Strebendt @ AT&T Information Systems - Indian Hill West; formerly)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: catalytic stench
Message-ID: <572@ihlpl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Feb-86 17:59:35 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpl.572
Posted: Thu Feb  6 17:59:35 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Feb-86 04:54:13 EST
References: <927@unc.unc.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 17

> Driving my '85 Subaru, I occasionally notice a rotten egg smell,
> particularly after rapid accelerations. I vaguely recall reading here
> that this has something to do with the catalytic converter.
> 
> Would someone be kind enough to explain this again, and suggest whether
> it calls for some corrective action ?

The gas you are burning is high in sulphur content.  The sulphur forms
Hydrogen Sulphide and Sulphur Dioxide when burned in air, both of which
have the classical "rotten egg" smell.  I recently stopped buying gas at
a particular station when my car suddenly started smelling like that.
With the different brand of gas the smell went away.  Worse than the
smell, perhaps, is the formation of Sulphuric Acid in the exhaust
system to eat away at the metal.

					Rich Strebendt
					...!ihnp4!iwsl6!res