Acrid?? Burns the eyes?? My first thought is bad gasoline. These days you can get rotten gas right from the pump depending on how "kept up" the gas station tanks are. Since it's Springtime you may be burning gas from last year. The gas may be starting to turn. I would run her dry, completely empty and see how she does with fresh gasoline. If the tank has age on it ; it does have to be that old, you may have a blob of rotten gas in there. That stuff looks like tar and it will contaminate any new gas. I would run it empty and see how it does with fresh gas. If it still does it, I would try to check the tank to see you you have any tar/varnish/rotten gas in there.
Funny this topic came up when it did. I'm having the same problem just last night. I'm hoping it is bad gas like f-one stated....I filled up at a new gas station just before our trip and had never noticed that smell, irritated eyes and throat before but I had a extra 600 lbs with a car full and trunk full so the engine was laboring more then usual. I pulled a plug this morning just to check, looks great like ir always has, no different. I'll also take f-one's advice and suspect it's the fuel now that I know the plugs look good
My initial thoughts exactly F-ONE. After the first acrid whiff last year, I ran one more full tank from a different gas station dry, checked the tank, looks as good inside as outside. Replaced the fuel filter. New gas, same stank. I’m going to get a read on the plugs today and tweak the screws on the carb to see if as a few have suggested, it might be on the lean side. Thanks for the thoughts Jeff
I replaced the heads on a Y block some years ago that had 6 burned valves. Four of the six looked like 4 leaf clovers and were sunk into the head. That joker was running!, Not good but it was running. I believe a big issue on a Y is valve adjustment. It's been a long time since I had a Y, but I have read it's best to adjust the valves with round or needle type feeler gauges rather than the common flat type. It seems the flat type may not be as accurate. Anyway, if the valves are out of adjustment, they start to burn. I would do a compression check first and then adjust the valves.
i too have noticed a different smell coming out the exhaust, and running a little sluggish. i buy premium no alcohol from the last local owned station in this small town. last november i was winterizing the cars and bikes full tank with marvel and the owner and i got in a conversation about slow gas sales due to covid he stated he hadn't had to fill his premium underground tank in almost a year. i had my answer
Around my area we have 2 Gas station's that sell High Test gas no additive you pay more for it But it's well worth it I always top off my Tank in the Winter with Stabilt & I am good till Spring or when the Weather starts to be Nice.! 1 station is a Steward's gas station & the other is a CEO gas station which is local. Just my 3.5 cents Live Learn & Die a Fool
on a positive note speaking of smell's, went out to the closed up shop this morning were a car that i had primed in urethane primer yesterday was curing overnite. that smell in the air is one of my favorite
Pulled all of the plugs today. Approximately 200 miles on them. Autolite 46’s. They all look like this. Any thoughts?
A little on the lean side and plugs should be a colder one, maybe a #35 but I don't know how the numbers run anymore.
Those plugs look super lean to me. I always look for a light tan color. Maybe this new dishwater they call gasoline doesn’t color plugs the way they used to? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
^^^XXX3 A Good Quality wideband O2 gauge is your friend it will tell you exactly where you are at on your fuel mixture , Looking at plugs WITH gasoline off the pump, your eyes will lie to you
Maybe look for a vacuum leak, if the problem is new. It usually takes some dedication to make the carburetor itself run lean. I agree varnished old stale fuel will smell really gnarly. He mentions trying different octanes &c in the first post.
Looks more like lean WOT and rich idle to me. Similar to example 2 here: http://www.4secondsflat.com/Spark_plug_reading.html From what I understand, the OP's stank problem is at idle - a rich idle will smell fuelly rather than rank. Easy to check though by fattening the idle screw. If it doesn't work, turn it back the same number of turns. Cheers, Harv
Are you getting 60-70 mpg? I’ve never seen the porcelain on a plug that white after it has run 200 miles before..especially with wet ends and dark threads.
What I don’t understand is that this engine is very responsive through all gears. Doesn’t hesitate, lag or bog down at all. It’s just that nasty stank that baffles me. I agree that except for the dark treads, the plugs look unused. I’m going to try fattening up the mixture a bit to see how that works. Stay tuned.
Don't know about the smell, but that plug is too hot for sure, and too lean. See how the electrode is discolored? I'll bet it is red hot when car is running down road.
Hello, The swallows do not always return to Capistrano Mission on time every year. There are now and have always been plenty of places (including our So Cal homes) where they have gathered to make their crazy nests and cubby holes long before the March due date. The resulting patio, floors, brick work and other places underneath those crappy birds take the brunt of the "Swallows Returning to Capistrano." The slogan should be amended to say all of Capistrano Valley area, including personal homes and weather protected garden structures. Jnaki The nests are "protected" while occupied, but the people underneath the bombardment are not. Save the people... HA! If the nests and resulting "stuff" are still standing when they leave, it does get a little rank. There is a great old song called "Can't Find My Way Home..." (BLIND FAITH) that applies to this scenario. Birds without GPS... what a concept. Sometimes, a small, miniscule leak from those "upgraded" mufflers with the legal construction inside do give off a bad smell. Even if your upgraded exhaust system is functioning as it should, small leaks do arise from road usage and could be a problem with the smell. Hopefully you do not have the so called lakes pipes or collectors ending near the doors or windows. YRMV
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