Oily smell inside cabin when stopping on lights/junctions/roundabouts

[crism]

Yes, my problem is dragging for about 2 years now, and I am really, really fed up with it.
As in title: when stopping on lights, junctions etc, can smell choking fumes of burning oil/plastic getting inside cabin through ventilation fan. These are not exhaust fumes. I have spoken to service several times and had a turbo element replaced, as they diagnosed oil leak into intercooler. It didn't work in the end. Smell was still there. Then have bought a carbon pollen filter to minimize the smell to 'acceptable' level.
Then I had exhaust flexi pipe replaced as a crack appeared on it and was giving a rattling noise when accelerating. They though it could have been a root of the 'smelly' problem. Again they were wrong.
Now, during 40000 miles service, they replaced all filters, to include cabin filter where used just standard, pollen one. And here disaster. Smell that when wearing carbon filter was acceptable, now made me to stop 6 times during trip Bournemouth - London, because I was almost choking inside of my own car..
What can it be?
When open the engine cover, the smell is strongest between back of battery and engine, somewhere near egr valve, then ventilation fan is dragging it into the interior. I forgot to add it appears only on warm engine, never after start. Also warranty runs out march 2011 so need to sort it out before then....

[felixx]

You didn't say which car you have,however if it's the CDTI with the 150 engine,could it be that the swirl valves are leaking?,if you do have the 150,I would check that the swirl bar is still in place and that the pots are not letting fumes out.Other than that I can't think what it could possibly be,sorry.What mileage have you done at the moment?. FELIXX.

[crism]

sorry my bad.. yeah I'm driving 1.9 cdti sri 150, my mileage is about 40k miles.

[crism]

I was thinking about that Felix , especially that we are talking inlet manifold. I was also thinking about that http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110061 but instead of just cleaning I would replace it; if I right understood from the thread, there are gases moving inside of the throttle body, and if this is leaking then that would hence the smells around the throttle body... I'm sure service manager is fed up with me already, but it's not him who'll pay for repairs if something should go wrong after warranty runs out?

[mparks8590]

i'd be checking the inlet manifold as above + egr to manifold gaskets, throttle body to manifold gaskets and egr to flexi gaskets

make sure all nuts are tight, even a small gap is enough for a leak.

also check the flexi hose right the way to the bottom for another leak

otherwise have you got an oil leak that is dripping on to hot exhaust???

just some musings

[crism]

mparks8590 that's what I will check. There is no leaks at all in the engine bay; there's no oil dripping onto exhaust pipe.
Is there any chance for any pictures what exactly to look at that you may know about guys? I'd like to have a look myself before moving to service, just not to be told again that there's nothing wrong going on with the car... thanks for your help!

[Grimo72]

that will be the swirl valves playing up, get ready for a new inlet manifold

[felixx]

I was thinking about that Felix , especially that we are talking inlet manifold. I was also thinking about that http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110061 but instead of just cleaning I would replace it; if I right understood from the thread, there are gases moving inside of the throttle body, and if this is leaking then that would hence the smells around the throttle body... I'm sure service manager is fed up with me already, but it's not him who'll pay for repairs if something should go wrong after warranty runs out?

One way of finding out if your swirl pots are leaking is to spray some WD40 or washing up liquid around the valve seats,then if they're leaking they will bubble.I suppose you could do the same at any point that you think you might have a leak. FELIXX.

[crism]

Ok, thanks for the advice guys but.. most importantly... how do I make the service manager to replace the manifold if will come out to be broken? When I have spoken to him first, I suggested check of the manifold what they actually did, before they got to change of the turbo.. Afterwards they told me that nothing has been found. Now he will suggest the same, I'm sure.. Probably the parts are too expensive and too much work is necessary to get it done. I'm sure they prefer quick and easy jobs like major service for 320 quid...

[mparks8590]

you should have the updated manifold anyway being a 2008 model

take the vanity cover off the engine top. look behind the glow plugs and down, in there you'll see the swirl bar.

if its off, your swirls are goosed.

also if there's greasy oily gunk around the swirl tops then its likely they're failing

if its not get someone to rev it for you and see that all the swirls move in unison.

if thats ok then manifold probably ok for now

if its dead, then Vx should replace under warranty really,

there is a field remedy on TIS thus they know about the problem but.....this really applied to pre 2007 models before the manifold was updated.

have a good look in daylight then get back to us....