update for the question-I smell ammonia coming from my car?

Question

First Thank you all for your time in answering my question about my Ford Explorer. I have had the car for more than a year and a half first of all and got it for a steal of price, so no one got over on me. Second I know quite a bit about cars and it is not my heater core, nor am I loosing any water out of the system. I used extended life Prestone (anti-freeze/ coolant)(for all makes and models) and did the right mix of 50% anti-freeze and 50% water. It is missing the tail pipe from the muffler back, since I owned the car. It did pass smog with no problem. Since I am in a smog test required state it was madintory. Hope that gives you all a little more info. Also I'm on such a tight budget that $45 dollars just to get it checked will not be an option. So I'm trying to not take it to a shop to get charged $80.00 dollars an hour. Also the a/c compressor is not working, so no a/c.

Answer 1

most likely the cat. converter is starting to go bad. When they start to clog up and go out they sometimes smell like rotten eggs or ammonia.

Answer 2

I've never heard of an ammonia smell coming from a car, simply because I don't think there are any components or lubricants that should smell that way, even when they're going south. The cooling system I can help you troubleshoot. What kind of antifreeze did you put in your car? Look on the bottle (or if you didn't keep it, I hope you remember), and see whether it says something along the line of "pre-mixed" or "50/50 mix antifreeze and water" somewhere on the label. If it doesn't, odds are you've added pure, undiluted antifreeze to your cooling system. Undiluted antifreeze is too thick to circulate through the lines and engine properly. Therefore, it doesn't warm the engine at the correct rate and it stays cold for a longer than usual time, which is I think the symptom you're describing. (The temperature gauge should be reading somewhere in the middle, and it should do so about 10-15 minutes after you've started the car.) If this is the case, you'll need to flush your cooling system and re-fill it with a 50% antifreeze/50% water mixture. This should solve your problem...and if it's coming from the cooling system, the smell should go away.

Answer 3

Put the exhaust pipe back on!

You are smelling emissions fumes inside the vehicle. Not good! They contain noxious gasses which can be deadly in a concentrated area, such as an enclosed car!

Answer 4

It is possible that the battery is getting overcharged. Yes, the cat. converters put off a stink, but if you're sure that's not it, check your battery voltage. Should be right around 13.8vdc. If it's over 15 volts, you'll want to replace your alternator because that's where the voltage regulator is located. Good luck.

Answer 5

I can think of only two things produced by a car that smells like or similair to ammonia.(but really not at all like laundry ammonia)

A battery will smell of rotten eggs if sulfated and the cat converter will smell like a bleach like smell (usally on lean out - (on freeway hills).

Some brands of gasoline .. the additives will make it smell differently if it is a cat

Answer 6

nea....
buy a strong air freshiner or 2.. and clean your carpets. some one could be playing trick on you, ammonia is a common joke, besides fish.
search the inside and follow the smell..

Answer 7

check the catalitic converter could be cracked, funky smells come out of that thing

Answer 8

quit letting your cat sleep in your car

Answer 9

Someone's been pissing in your back seat!

Answer 10

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?UseCase=S001&UserAction=viewSimpleDiagTypeInfo&Parameters=Smells+like|~3