Copper smell causing illness
Discussion
My brother has just finished a track day at Anglesey and he said he could smell copper coming from the air vents, he and his mate are now feeling very sick, they have headaches, sore throats and are being sick.
Anyway more importantly, I have a 50% stake in the car and wondered what it could be? Its only a Saxo VTR, no engine mods but its stripped out and has better breaks so no-one has been messing there. I put new oil and filters in it after every track day and thats all it gets used for. Apart from the brakes getting very hot he hasnt reported any other problems and the car has performed fine.
Anyway more importantly, I have a 50% stake in the car and wondered what it could be? Its only a Saxo VTR, no engine mods but its stripped out and has better breaks so no-one has been messing there. I put new oil and filters in it after every track day and thats all it gets used for. Apart from the brakes getting very hot he hasnt reported any other problems and the car has performed fine.
Yeah they have a doctor visiting them at the hotel they are staying at.I did hear that if aircon gas and grease mixed it could create mustard gas, is this true? sounds like an urban legend to me but the smell of copper coule be copper grease.
Edited by LeeThePeople on Saturday 24th January 16:54
Very strange. The only thing I can think of right now is that someone has plugged a leak in the rad at some point with a copper-based sealer (like K-Seal). Maybe you have a small coolant leak, which is causing evaporated water along with K-seal particles to be drawn through the interior air vents?
LeeThePeople said:
What would cause that? thought its meant to be without a smell? this can kill cant it?
Exhaust, I think it can be without a smell but I'm sure it can have a smell too. I dont know for certain, I'm no chemist but it just seems their symptoms, as far as I know, are similar to carbon monoxide poisoning.LeeThePeople said:
What would cause that? thought its meant to be without a smell? this can kill cant it?
Read thishttp://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/carbonmonox...
Symptoms very similar, I think its this
LeeThePeople said:
What would cause that? thought its meant to be without a smell? this can kill cant it?
It can kill, and even if it doesn't it can cause permanent damage to the nervous system and heart. Given the remotest possibility that you're getting CO inside the car I'd suggest you get a CO detector and check the car out. I've no idea what this is myself. I'm just thinking that anything that you breathe, that can make you sick, has to be some fairly severe form of poisoning. But for the fact that you're saying it's just a car, I would have said "radioactive", which is often said to leave a metallic taste. Taste and smell are very similar.
Clearly that's not it, but it's gotta be pretty nasty to make them physically sick.
Clearly that's not it, but it's gotta be pretty nasty to make them physically sick.
Edited by dilbert on Saturday 24th January 17:40
He's seen a doctor and has been taken to hospital with co2/co poisening, they are only going there to be put on oxygen and for observation. They are gunna be fine and its very mild apparently.
Thanks for the heads up though, car is going to be towed back and ill look into it some time when its a bit warmer outside.
Thanks for the heads up though, car is going to be towed back and ill look into it some time when its a bit warmer outside.
LeeThePeople said:
He's seen a doctor and has been taken to hospital with co2/co poisening, they are only going there to be put on oxygen and for observation. They are gunna be fine and its very mild apparently.
Thanks for the heads up though, car is going to be towed back and ill look into it some time when its a bit warmer outside.
Good news its only mildThanks for the heads up though, car is going to be towed back and ill look into it some time when its a bit warmer outside.
check that you haven't got an oil vapour pipe venting out to atmosphere, i know some times k&n filters do those crap little oil beather filers and when you remove the air box to fit the k&n filter theres no place to fit the oil breather pipes back into the air box so they give you a little fiter, but they just vent load of gas and oil vapour under the bonnet and being that your prob driving fast most of the time its being drawn into the cabin, hence bad smell and feeling ill.
air con gas and naked flame causes mustard gas or phosgene here.http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/phosgene/basics/facts.asp
, so the car would have to be on fire.Guessing that you have not sealed the bulkhead tight,so fumes from the engine area are somehow getting in.Hope they are all well soon.
, so the car would have to be on fire.Guessing that you have not sealed the bulkhead tight,so fumes from the engine area are somehow getting in.Hope they are all well soon.
skid-mark said:
check that you haven't got an oil vapour pipe venting out to atmosphere, i know some times k&n filters do those crap little oil beather filers and when you remove the air box to fit the k&n filter theres no place to fit the oil breather pipes back into the air box so they give you a little fiter, but they just vent load of gas and oil vapour under the bonnet and being that your prob driving fast most of the time its being drawn into the cabin, hence bad smell and feeling ill.
and crankcase fumes is nasty stuff 
LeeThePeople glad there OK 
could have been a nasty car accident.Gassing Station | Engines & Drivetrain | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff