A320 fuel/oil smell just after startup
 

Hi all,

On a few weeks ago i was on an EZY "Bus" to Malaga from Stansted. Just after startup i noticed a strange fuel/oil smell which only lasted for about 3-5 seconds but smelt pretty good!

On the return flight i could again, right after startup smell something which smelt like fuel/oil

Now, i only know the basics about flying and i'm not very technical with all the systems, etc....

So, could anyone please explain to me what this smell was?

While the aircraft is being pushed back wards, the APU in the tail is supplying air to the air conditioning system, exhaust from the starting engines is ingested by the APU.

Thanks for the quick reply!

oops
 

Having a re-think, usually the smelly fumes noticed while being pushed back, so the exhaust fumes must be from the APU exhaust, others will correct me if I'm wrong. :confused:

Dream Land first theory was the better one :)

live 2 fly 2 live

Dont EZY only fly 319's or have they gone up in the world?

Usually that happens if the wind is blowing up the chuff of the engine. Exhaust smells are re-ingested into the engine and circulated around the cabin through the air con.

Nah, it's still the Routemasters ;O)

S88:ok:

Very interesting, thanks!

Ive noticed it quite often during push and start.

Is it potentially toxic (especially after watching the panorama episode with the Bae 146 and B757)??

Regards to all,

B99

I thought that at first, but then i thought before posting "Surely, there couldn't be a problem like this on what is the world's most popular commercial airliner, someone must of noticed it before?"

I would be very interested to know if this "smell" is toxic. If so, could it be a flaw with the A320, some A320's with worn parts, the CFM-5B engine with a flaw or a worn part on the CFM-5B engine, etc....?

Should i report this to EZY just in-case?

From the 319 FCOM...

"Turn APU BLEED OFF just after Engine Start to avoid ingesting engine exhaust gases."

Airbus certainly know about it. :cool:

I notice a big whiff during the first engine start while pushing back, turning off the APU bleed is not an option.

We fly A319s/A320s with CFM-Engines and A321s with IAEs.

I regularly observe this exhaust-like smell during startup, usually during the first engine start (no.2 engine), but only on the CFM-powered ships.

Exhaust re-ingestion and distriibution via the air-condition sounds good, unfortunately the packs are switched off automatically before engine-start, so this explanation doesn't stand further examination.

Any orher guesses?

RGDS Max

Good call, the plot thickens. :}

Packs
 

Yes, but on the Ground the valves open again after a 30 Second Delay. In light wind conditions this is early enough for some of the engine start stink still to be around.

regards, OORW

i think i certain amount of the fumes in the cabin can be caused before starting engines with a tailwind. the reason.? because fumes from the apu exhaust are re-ingested by the apu. the close proximity of the apu exhaust and air inlet makes this a very common occurence.

It's the oil smell that removes the APU and Packs from contention in this bout. The oil (and fuel) smell after startup is the first indication of a worn Number 3 Engine Bearing Rear Seal.

Other possibliities include...

Oil contamination at HPC stages 3 and 4, or the 7th stage Bleed Valve.

When any of these happen, the oil smell will be noticed during startup, and to a lessor degree when the engine is operated at Idle (for example, during decent).

Other than the smell, this is not a great concern INITIALLY- except to the airline accountant who can expect to be paying for the removal of the engine in order to repair the problem.

Oils smells from the APU can also come from people not following the securing checklist properly. The batteries shoud only be switched off when the APU door is closed. Do it before and oil from the APU can be sucked into the ducting (not sure why) giving an oil smell when the APU bleed is on. This is of some concern as engine oil fumes are toxic.

Reference please? Mine is the Airbus AMM and TSM (Air maintenance and trouble-shooting manuals)

the amount of oil consumed by a320 APU is very little, unless there is a problem in the apu. normally the apu is only used on average 30 minutes per apu cycle. the apu would only be running in flight if there was a problem with engine bleed on 1 engine. for this reason it is unlikley that the fumes are toxic coming into the cabin from the apu.