Hi,

I have a problem with my mini and It has Been bothering since I decated (millteck down pipe catless + manic stage 2+ alta inter cooler + AEM intake) ,Whenever I open the windows the smell comes in and it's very strong, is like exhaust smell and it's only when the windows are down. Then I change my millteck catless to a cated Akraprovic (100cells) down pipe, and the smell continued but a little less.
My other brothers have the same mods and the smell never get into the car.

(I could really use some help with my problem,) so, if anybody has any idea of how I can fix this problem, please let me know. Any kind of information will be useful.
Thanks, and I'll be around.

 

If your brothers have the same mods but do not have the smell in the car, that points to a possible exhaust leak (if I had to guess). You smell this while at cruising speeds too? When I ran decat for a month or so I would smell the exhaust at stoplights with windows open. It's just a side effect of being decatted.

 

The smell is only when I make a stop, and sometimes when I go so slowly like 5 miles / hour, the problem here is that I'm not complete decated, Actually I have an Akraprovic cated dp (100 cells) and the smell still spear sometimes 70% of the stops

 

Try changing your brand of gasoline. Some brands may have a high sulfur content and can cause bad smells.

 

Sorry I forgot you had the Akra dp. I'm just doing some logic in my head but so far we have stock DP=no smell, and catless DP=strong smell. It seems reasonable to conclude that a hi-flow cat which is in between stock and catless will be somewhat smelly.

If you're only smelling it at a stop with the windows down I don't think it's necessarily something wrong with your car (besides some sort of exhaust leak). Maybe the wind is blowing from the hatch to the hood and thus blowing the exhaust into the cabin. With a hi-flow DP this is most likely something you'll just have to deal with, unfortunately. Try Dave's suggestion of different gas and if that works, then great! I am sadly out of other options though aside from going to a mechanic and having them check over the system for leaks.

 

I'll change all my DPback for a Remus, Wish that this solve the problem in case that the problem was a leak, thank you about your replies, the only think that still anoying me is that my other friend with same mods don't have any smell, I'll tell you what happen when change the exhaust

 

Bad smells when you decat is par for the course....but usually limited to the poor soul behind you or if you have a slight tailwind....
I would suggest you smoke the EXHAUST....aka, put you smoke or low pressure compressor air up the tailpipe, and check the gaskets and flanges....bet you have a small leak. Best to catch it BRFORE you get codes.

 

What in the world is "decated" ????????

 

Decated = decatted = no catalytic converter in the downpipe. Less restricted exhaust, more power, more emissions and smells.

 

The issue is the quiet start (cat heating cycle is removed) with Manic Stage 2. It's causing the cat to not get hot enough, hence the smell.

If you switch to stock map. The cat heating cycle will engage and the smell will be gone.
Talk to your tuner about removing the "quiet start" option.

 

Hi Bro, I still have the Cat heating cycle, I never remove it, when I start the engine every day, the Car start the cycle as always for a few minutes, the problem is that the smell still be there, but not always, 70% of the stops the smell get into the cabin, sometimes the smell gone away, but the most of the times is there. I don't have any codes, but I'm thinking about a fail on one lambda sensor, what do you think about ?

 

But I have a lot of friends with the sames Mods, and anyone have this smell into the cabin /:

 

I will check all the exhaust, Because not always the smell get into the car, but the most of the time, If I stop only one second, the smell get into the car, you think that I can have a leak on the manifold ??

 

How's the smell when you switch to stock map?

 

From what I am reading its sounding like you have an exhaust leak, I would try to take a look at it and check if you can hear an exhaust leak.

That being said, catless cars are going to have a different exhaust smell, Often when I have my windows down and come to a stop the smell will catch up with me, if that is the case, nothing really to worry about, just need to get used to it, but if you are stopped and the smell is filling the cabin that is a pretty good chance there is an exhaust leak, Id start by checking turbo-downpipe connections, as well as downpipe to exhaust connections.

Tyson