If I pull my 2008 into my garage right after starting, it stinks the whole garage up with what smells like a rich running motor. If I do this after driving an hour, it does not smell. Every part related to air/fuel has been checked a dozen times. No codes, short and long term fuel trims within range. Is it normal for it to stink until it's warmed up?
any engine will smell somewhat on warmup, they do run rich. there may be adjustments you can make, idk. with old cars, things are just worn, nothing works like new.
A gas smell is ways different than a cold engine exhaust smell? Which one is it? More to the point, the catalytic converter doesn't clean your exhaust until it gets hot so that's why it smells so bad if you aren't talking about an unburned gas smell.... During this period, the engine releases high levels of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds such as benzene, formaldehyde, and toluene. These substances are linked to cancer, nerve damage, and respiratory problems. Because the catalytic converter isn’t yet working efficiently, these poisons escape directly into the air—making cold starts and short trips disproportionately harmful to both human health and the environment.
It's definitely a gas smell. I'm old enough to remember how many EFI fords from the mid 80's to mid 90's would often run rich and smell terrible when waiting at a light. But it's not running rich all the time, just during the time it takes to warm up to normal operating temp. I read somewhere once the computer does something to like the timing and a few other things until the engine heats up.
Have you confirmed the gasoline smell is coming out of the exhaust pipe? Sometimes even the tiniest of fuel leaks can stink up a whole garage.
It changes the valve timing for the first 70 secs (or so) on a cold start. It configures the engine to run lean so that it initially runs hotter to decrease the engine warm-up time. So, I don't think that's your problem.
This is the open loop scenario; the ECU/engine ignores any emission target to warm up the engine before it even reads any AFR or checks any catalyst functions. It’s terribly smelly but very mechanically sound. Older Prius2 pre facelift smell the worst, but it’s a programmed feature active before it reads AFR data and then moves to closed loop in my understanding.
You've just answered your own question. I was going to ask if that's your FIRST car, being from a northern state - you should be used to that. Now think how bad it would be without EPA emissions standards.....
