W211 E280 Diesel Smell

[abecketts]

Hi,

Our recently acquired e280 seems to smell a bit too much of diesel when you stand by the bonnet. I've got no fluids leaking from the vehicle but at the front of the engine where I assume the egr valve lives the metal tube is partially covered in an oily residue. Am I likely to have a breather pipe leaking or something more serious? Car is a 2009 and has a full service history fwiw and is driving perfectly save the smell. Any points would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[m80]

The V6 often has an oil drip from the air duct at the turbo spigot. I would start there for diagnosis.
It does mean getting fairly deep into the top of the engine. Use a white tissue to wipe around the duct to look for the 'wet' oil, rather then muck build up.

 

[W1ghty]

Injectors leaking ?

 

[W1ghty]

Any oil leaking down the back of the engine onto the transmission housing ?

 

[abecketts]

Any oil leaking down the back of the engine onto the transmission housing ?

nope can't see anything, nothing ending up on the floor either

 

[abecketts]

Injectors leaking ?

will check

 

[johnsco]

I've had two minor diesel leaks on this engine (now at 180,000 miles).
- One of the flexible pipes on top of the fuel filter - New pipe and clip fixed it)
- One of the fuel connections to the high-pressure pump.
Both were minor - But - A little diesel smells for a long way.

 

[Blobsta]

Do these have the rubber 'leak off' pipes between the injectors? I've had a couple of old diesel BMWs that have then and as they age, they allow a little diesel to seep through, they're reinforced with a woven fabric outside that soaks up the diesel and it really smells, (as Johnsco suggests, it doesn't take much). Very cheap to replace and any time I have a diesel now it's just part of my routine to replace them.