Vannin' Home
Posted By: Orange Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 26th 2021 7:31 pm
Hello, Hoping to get a clue on how to remedy a strong sulfur smell in my 1976 B200 with 5.2L 318 engine.
Recently started smelling, usually after 30-45 minutes of highway driving.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks!
Posted By: samhain Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 26th 2021 9:43 pm
I would take a good look at the battery when the problem arises.
Posted By: Orange Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 27th 2021 12:04 am
I put in a new battery a couple months ago, I'll give it a look.
Posted By: Meanmachine Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 27th 2021 1:08 am
Can you narrow down the smell to a specific area, engine compartment, underneath van, rear of van, etc.
Posted By: frscke1 Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 27th 2021 1:54 am
Maybe its the cat burning ...
Posted By: KogonDodge Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 27th 2021 5:29 am
I have a ford explorer that had a really gross propane kind of smell, turned out to be nasty cooked trans fluid. Check all your oils.
Posted By: Ram4ever Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 27th 2021 5:46 am
If it's the exhaust, and you're smelling it inside, you'd better look for holes in the floor, a bad or missing engine cover seal, or be sure to keep any rear cargo door pop-out windows closed while driving.

What color, if any, is your exhaust? Check your choke and choke kick to be sure it's not misadjusted or sticking, causing an excessively rich mixture. Be sure no hoses are tangled in the linkage. A prime sign of an excessively rich issue is black sooty, smelly smoke at startup.

Is there a lot of wet looking oil around the valve covers or down across the spark plugs? Valve cover leaks are extremely common in these engines. If you get oil close to or on the exhaust manifolds it can make an incredible quantity of acrid smoky fumes.

It's fairly common for catalytic converters to unload sulfur on vehicles which aren't driven huge amounts. Once the catalyst gets up to temperature it burns off. That's a fairly long time you're talking about though. I'm really curious for the additional details which Meanmachine asked for.
Posted By: Orange Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 27th 2021 7:21 am
Thanks for all the suggestions.
No dark exhaust or any noticeable smoke at all.
You can smell it while driving, but it's a stronger smell outside the van. I parked it and went back to get something from the van 1/2 hour later and while approaching the van I could still smell it.
I'm going to look into the trans fluid and any other possible oil/fluid around the engine.
I'll keep you posted on what I find and hopefully what the remedy is.
Posted By: 86ed Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 28th 2021 4:10 pm
My ‘75 still has that smell today. I’ve had my van for 13 years now. Stronger on hotter days. Mine is the charcoal canister making the smell. It’s under the floor board passenger seat. Strongest smell by side doors. Worth checking out. Not sure how to fix because I still haven’t
Posted By: Meanmachine Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - June 28th 2021 5:00 pm
The gas smell will be strongest on hot days, even on my newer vehicles I have noticed the gas venting on hot days. I have had my van out cruising this last weekend and when it was shut off and setting, I could smell a gas odor coming from the passenger side of the van. It has been 90 degrees here the last couple days. I replaced my charcoal canister 2 years ago, all the charcoal had turned to a fine sandy like substance. Part of my smell is I need the float replaced in the carb, when the van is hot and after setting for 20 minutes or more, when I start it up, I get a strong smell of gas, like when a carb is flooded. Otherwise the van runs so good, I hate messing with the carb. Guys tell me the old floats, which are original, have a pinhole in them.
Posted By: Orange Re: Sulfur smell 1976 B200 - July 01st 2021 8:53 pm
I put in a new voltage regulator and so far no more smell. I haven't had the chance to go on any extended drives, but haven't noticed anything while city driving.
Hopefully that was the simple remedy.
Thanks again for all the suggestions. If it wasn't the old regulator cooking the battery than I'll be back.
© Vannin' Community and Forums