If you smell gas on cold start up and you may see black come out of the tail pipe after a short engine rev. Even if your engine check light does not turn on change your o2 sensor or sensors. Especially if there is allot of km/miles. Do it your self it is stupid easy. Then do a computer reset for your car (go to YouTube type how to reset the car to get rid of chech engine light. It will be something like turn you ignition key till the lights come on do not start it, pump the gas peddel three times the the computer resets its self.
If you smell oil and you will smell a sharp strong smell and see oil it is purple blue when burning on a cold start and at stop and go driving.
Have a buddy follow you they will see the exhaust floor the car to build up allot of compression. If black smoke is seen it is fuel mixture. If your car is fuel injected it is o2 sensors. To see some soot on tail pipe is ok to smell and see it you should fix it for better gas mileage.
Purple smoke well scrap the car sell it for parts.
running too rich check the air filter could also be defective injectors
Catalytic converters clog due to the carbon that the car produces. Usually, when the carbon has built up inside the cat., black smoke will come out of the tailpipe when you rev the engine. In extreme cases, black soot is visible on the ground next to the vehicle's tailpipe. Crystal Woll
It usually means too much fuel or not enough spark.
Running rich, depending on year of vehicle it's possibly a o2 sensor, fuel system problem, carb if so equipped. Time for you to do some diagnostics
Soot is typically black in color.
You have worn valve seals and posibly bad valve guides.
The city bus emitted a steady stream of black soot from its tailpipe.
Black soot in the tailpipe typically indicates incomplete combustion of fuel in the engine, leading to the formation of carbon deposits that are expelled through the exhaust system. This could be caused by issues such as a clogged air filter, malfunctioning fuel injectors, or a problem with the ignition system. It is best to have a mechanic inspect and diagnose the issue to prevent further damage to the engine.
soot
The black substance that comes from burning wood is called soot. It is a carbonaceous material that is produced when wood or other organic materials are incompletely burned. Soot can be harmful to health and is a component of air pollution.
Soot is a noun. It is the black residue left behind by burning some substances.
"Stain with soot" means to leave a mark or discoloration on a surface due to the particles or residue created from incomplete combustion, typically from burning coal, wood, or oil. Soot is a black, powdery, or flaky substance that can easily transfer onto surfaces.