Can our cars get "Gas Gas"?

[Raymond]

I hadn't owned a car with no emission controls for a couple decades, but I don't remember car exhaust exhibiting the range of smells that I have noticed the past three years.  I am wondering if the igredients in today's fuels can give our cars, "gas" the way a scicilian crust, double pepperoni and pepper does to your uncle Moe?

Sometimes the fumes from my car are really acrid and other times it seems normal.  

The car is running really well. I always run high octane fuel, but I have used a variety of brands.  I presume that additives must have distinctive odors when burned.  Does age of the gas in the tank affect the smell of the exhaust?  Does letting the car sit six weeks between drives help make the gas stink?  (Not driving it stinks but only in the metaphorical sense)  
Could their be some volatile contaminent that vanashies from time to time?


Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[Ricardo]

Raymond
I can't answer your question regarding different components of modern gas, but I can sure relate regarding the range of acrid odours, I have experienced too, that is until I started shifting to neutral almost any time I'm slowing down....it's the unburnt gas that stinks and since changing my clutch/shifting habits to avoid deceleration or engine braking, I almost never smell that smell....

[Benz Dr.]

Not a very good idea to shift to neutral for any reason while on the road. I was with a guy that used to do that at every traffic light.

 He's not with us any more. He got hit at an intersection by an out of control dump truck. The cops couldn't figure out why he didn't try and back up or move out of the way as he had plenty of time. They found his car in neutral and still running which meant it couldn't have been in gear nor would it have popped out of gear.
The cop said that he would have been at fault for not having full control of his vehical at all times. He said if you stall your car and get hit you would be considered in control of your car although it stalled. If the car is in neutral then you can't get out of the way.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[Ricardo]

Well.... maybe if they found his car in neutral and shaving cream all over his face......I mean how much faster can you shift from first to reverse than from neutral to reverse....I guess they charged him with failing to remain at the scene  :x
Now careful Dan...laughing too hard will tear your stitches and they'll have to start over again
 :twisted:

[Benz Dr.]

Well..... beter that than something the local newspaper wouldn't want to print. Maybe it was whipped cream they found.... (?)

 That would keep me in stitches for a while...

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[Ben]

Not to be pedantic but in every rulebook I know of you are told to bring the car to a stop, shift to neutral and apply the handbrake whilst waiting at a junction !

The idea is that is you are hit your car wont move off and hit something or someone else !

Yeah.........like we alkl do that right ! I haven't used the hanbrake on any of my cars for a long time ! [:0]

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[harleydan]

Ben,

Having lived in England for 7 years, that is the way that people there are taught (to be in neutral and apply handbrake while at a stop). It was also odd that people are taught to make a turn without never crossing over the hands.   Of course, my American colleagues and I never did use either of those techniques.  However, it was great living over there.

Cheers,
Danny
1970 280SL silver Euro manual