AN SMT PLT EXPERIENCED FUMES IN THE COCKPIT; PROBABLY FROM A LEAKING COMPASS.

Narrative

I WAS DEPARTING CKF ON A FLT TO RDU AND HAD FILED FOR A CRUISE ALT OF 35000 FT. ON DEP I ENCOUNTERED A VERY STRONG SMELL OF FUMES IN THE COCKPIT. THE FUMES CAUSED EYE; NOSE; AND THROAT IRRITATION. I WAS CLRED BY JACKSONVILLE CTR TO 23000 AND TRANSFERRED TO ATLANTA CTR. ATLANTA CTR CLRED ME TO 24000 FT. I WAS FLYING ON AUTOPLT AND TRYING TO IDENT THE SOURCE OF THE FUMES. I RESET THE ALT CAPTURE FOR 24000 FT AND TRIMMED THE ACFT FOR 1500 FPM CLB. AT THIS TIME I OBSERVED A COMMERCIAL ACFT IN A FLT PATH ABOVE ME XING FROM R TO L. I OBSERVED THAT THE AUTOPLT FAILED TO CAPTURE AT 24000 FT AND I BEGAN AN EFFORT TO LEVEL THE ACFT. MY PERFORMANCE IN HANDLING THE AUTOPLT FUNCTIONS OR STABILIZING THE ACFT ALT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN SEVERELY IMPAIRED BY INTOXICATION FROM THE FUMES. I FINALLY PULLED THE AUTOPLT CIRCUIT BREAKER AND MANUALLY TRIMMED THE ACFT TO A PROPER ALT. DURING THIS FLT CORRECTION; THE COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT WAS ABOVE AND PASSING OFF MY L SIDE. I LATER FOUND THAT ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 PINT OF FLUID HAD LEAKED FROM MY WET COMPASS. THE FLUID REMAINING IS BEING ANALYZED; BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT IS GYRO CLEANING FLUID. MY PHYSICAL RESPONSE WAS THAT OF BEING IN A DAZE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO CLRLY THINK OR ANALYZE. EVERY MOTION APPEARED TO BE HAPPENING MUCH FASTER THAN NORMAL AND I FELT SOMEWHAT DETACHED FROM REALITY.