Uhhh...the subject title is just for attention.

I've been getting pretty bad milage lately, which I first think is the O2 sensor. However, I sometimes smell a bad BAD smell. Kinda like exhaust/oil. Mainly smells like I'm pumping exhaust fumes into my car sometimes...but I think thats just by bad cat that needs replacement/upgrade this spring.

The O2 can do that too. One or the other.

Just a thought over here, it may not help, but it might get some explanations.

Just after I bought my new cat converter last November I was getting sulfhur oxide smell. I figured that it was the converter breaking itself in, but it persisted up until I had the rest of my exhaust system changed, now it doesn't stink anymore.

I figured that it was the O2 sensor not doing its job, or the plugs or fuel filter or something not burning the fuel properly.

Not to take away your steam Allmachtage, I'm just throwing kindling on the fire and seeing if anyone else is having these problems that we are.

Well I'll take care of the O2 sensor and the cat all in one shot this spring so I'm sure that will correct the issue. And its not the plugs or ignition, believe me...MSD is my friend.

Had a very sililar problem on my '97 SSEi. Finally found the problem. Ther was a hose disconnected from the charcoal canister for the emissions control system . Its located under the computer located on the left side (driver'* side) of the enginge compartment. The computer is a plastic box located right next to the airbox. Take out the air box, loosen the computer retainers and move it up and out of the way (without disconnecting anything). You will see the top of the charcoal canister with two hoses connected. One of the hoses brings gas fumes from the gas tank and the other, I think hooks up to a valve that allows exhaust gas to be reintroduced into the throttle body to be reburned. I found one of the hoses was disconnected and once reconnected, the gas/'ehaust smell in the cockpit disappeared. FYI, I also found the hose cracked on the valve it connects to up near the throttle body. I fixed that as well. By the way, if you have running lights and want to disconnect them, there is a ceramic resistor/relay/switch (i don't know what it is) mounted on the fender located behind the computer. As long as you have the computer out of the way, you can pull the wire connector off of this. =No more running lights but headlights and all other lights work fine.
Let me know how it goes. Rick

The computer on the 94 should be under the front passenger'* hush panel. It didn't move out to the engine bay til 95 or 96. The connector you're talking about is the DRL module. Only cars with daytime running lights would have that. 96 was the first year for that, but it sort of depends on where the car was originally sold.

I'm not sure about the charcoal (recovery tank) causing this smell. It only collects excess fumes and saves them.....as it condenses back into a solid, it'* routed back to the tank.

The smell is a result of reactions in the Catalytic converter. Usually means the cat is bad or for some reason you're running too rich. That'* where the O2 sensor comes in.

My mistake for not noticing the earlier model year. I have a '97 so I only know '97. As for the charcoal canister, they are small hoses, but when one or the other is disconnected, the fumes are strong and get pulled inside. It took me a long time to track that sucker down. Was driving me nuts!! Even though there is a rubber seal between the hood and the firewall, I'm thinking the inside air intake in the cowl must pull it in when the A/C/ heater fan is running. Rick[/list]8)

P.*. Wouldn't a bad O2 sensor through a code??

What if there is an egg smell?

A weak O2 sensor will NOT throw a code. It can be bad for months before you get an indication other than the smell and bad mileage, or failing an inspection for emissions.

The egg smell is the same smell as the sulphur smell. That'* what we're talking about.