Hi
I have a Range Rover 2001
There is a (very)bad smell in the car when I start it- and I use it about 3-4 times/ mo. so it sits a lot.
Could be leaking from the manual transmission? (yes, there is a wet spot on the garage floor under the car...)
Can somebody give me an advise regarding this? (other than simply "go to the mechanic"?)- not that I would do my own servicing but at least I should know what to expect (more so because I am a single woman and usually mechanics take advantage of me big time!)
Thanks

 

Can you describe the smell at all? Sour or sulphurous or acrid? And is the spot under the vehicle oily or is it more water-based?
It's not unknown for small animals to build nests in vehicle ventilation ducts, so it may be possible that your problem isn't exactly mechanical at all.

 

Thank you, savior!
At least somebody heard me crying...Can't tell you how much I appreciate!
I had a dead "something" in one of the pipes a while ago (came out in the form of cooked fur pieces pulled out with a coat hanger).
I thought all winter that the smell came from some "left-over" further down the pipe (I actually didn't know about the mess until I noticed that the snow in the pipe didn't melt- so the exhaust was completely blocked on one side).
During the winter months didn't smell too bad; now is warming up and today, when I started the car it was terrible!
I have no idea what sulphur smells like- I assume like rotten eggs?
No- the stink is like cooked poop.
The spot under the car is oily -I assume- because doesn't dry up.
This could be something else because I was told that the gaskets are leaking (advice was actually leave them as they are and sell the car- which sounds good to me except I cannot sell the car with that stink!)
I've read horror stories about transmission leaks/replacement/etc and I was dead scared so I planned to go to a mechanic next week (which in terms I cannot really afford because I am unemployed and single)
Sorry to explain so much and take your time.
Can I hope to be still the dead monster "under the bed" chasing me?
I thank you again, in advance.

 

In your original post you say it smells at start up. Does it go away after a short period of time?

What size leak, as in diameter of oil spot? Rovers like to leak and it could be minor especially since it sits for so long.

Open the hood and look for rats nests. They like to use the under hood insulation for bedding.

Finally, try cooking the poop smell away. If it's really cooked maybe it will burn off. You are going to need to explore the nooks and crannies.

Good luck

 

one moe question:
if there would be a leak in transmission fluid shouldn't I get a computer message? (because I don't)

 

Check where the spare tire is for water. Mine had a slight leak and the water in there would start smelling and stink up the inside.

 

thanks, jh- it's a good idea but that wouldn't explain why it smells at starting and not at all times, would it?

 

if you start up the vehicle with the blower off does it still stink?

 

Thanks for reply, Dave.
Didn't think of that yet- I just tried that and no, there doesn't seem to be smelling with the blower off.
What does that mean? What I would be looking for if the smell comes through the vent?
Thanks again.

 

Sounds like something died in your heater ducts and is decomposing in there with the warm weather... The reason it only smells when you have the blower on is because it's forcing the stink into the cabin.

Might be worth posting in the D2 section on how to get into the system to see if you can pull out whatever is stuck in there. Another option would be to just live with it until whatever is in there decomposes to the point that it's not going to smell (this could take a while though!)