Rotten Eggs - Catalytic Converter

[SCOPESYS]

Seems to be a common complaint -- ROTTEN EGGS smell coming from GenX Civics.

Rotten Eggs
The smell of rotten eggs is due to a compound called hydrogen sulfide. This comes from the small amount of sulfur that is present in the fuel. Normally the sulfur is converted to sulfur dioxide, which has no odor. When the converter breaks or the filtering layers have worn down inside the converter, the sulfur is not transformed into the odorless form. Therefore a strong rotten egg smell is produced. Another possible cause for this smell may be that the converter is plugged. Unfortunately you cannot repair a converter but need to have it completely replaced. Two other causes of rotten eggs besides a broken catalytic converter include an engine that is running too hot or a broken fuel pressure regulator. You can easily deal with the fuel pressure regulator by replacing the fuel filter.
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I am no expert here, but it would seem that the Catalytic Converter is not suitably sized to deal with conversion of Hydrogen Sulfide to odorless Sulfur Dioxide.

The gas has a given small amount of Sulfur, and the Catalytic converter SHOULD be sized big enough to deal with that.

For example, my 32 year old Maxima NEVER smells of Rotten Eggs, and has the original Catalytic Converter.
Our Si often gives off a Rotten Eggs smell -- not that bad, but certainly detectable vs the Maxima that has absolutely no sigh of a Rotten egg.

Is there another factor here ? Something that is preventing the Catalytic converter from doing it's job, or is it just that the GenX Catalytic converters are "USLESS"

Maybe a bad batch or Converters, similar to the bad bunch of Condensers ???

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[EkSean]

I am also curious as well since when ever I do a decent pull, rotten egg smell for a minute or two after.

 

[frontlinegeek]

Nothing from all the GenX units everywhere where I live. We do have really low sulfur gas here so... IDK

 

[xcivicx]

guess i'll pay more attention, the few times i smelt it lately i haven't associated with me, being new and all.

 

[David Harper]

not only the civic but other cars sometimes do this as well. I had a Nissan and an oldsmobile which both sometimes smelled like rotten eggs from the exhaust. Wouldn't worry about it.

 

[PhilF]

Kinda an unknown, here in Central Pennsylvania, most gasoline, regardless of brand, comes from 2 terminals. The additives that make it brand specific are added to the tanker making the delivery. The Toptier fuels in this area, Shell, Mobil-Exxon, Sunoco, & Costco, which get a different additive package than say, Sheetz, Giant, Rutters, non-brand independents & others, have been my choice ever since I learned about Toptier. When I travel, I keep a list of Toptier stations and use them exclusively. Sulphur levels may differ by geographical areas, but at least in my primary areas of travel, Central Pa, to upstate NY and out as far as Indiana, I've never noticed any sulphur smell from my Hondas. I have noticed cars from Maryland, when following them going up a steep hill on I83 South occasionally get stinky, but not sulphur smelling. Could be individual cars/manufacturers, could be fuel from certain refineries, I've not smelled a sulphur exhaust in at least 10 years. I think catalytic converters and related sensors go bad occasionally, could be a cause?

 

[jayzon831]

I've never smelled it once on my sport hatch.

 

[Masked]

My car smelled like rotten eggs big time when I was testing TSP Stage 1 tune and my engine was misfiring like crazy. On the stock tune, I never smelled it though

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