For as long as I've owned my car for the last 45 years I've always had the problem of the interior having some level of fumes. My car is now restored, has 6,000 miles on the new engine. Doesn't burn oil. Still have the issue after all these years when I get out of the car after driving for 30 minutes my clothes smell like exhaust. It's not at the level that it gives me any headaches or makes me sick but it's a little annoying.
Is this just something we all live with as owners of vintage muscle cars with no catalytic converters or is there something I can do about this? My car has a 383. Everything is new, TTI headers and exhaust system right back to the tips. Exhaust system sounds healthy with no leaks. Wondering what others have done to remedy this situation?
the bodies are full of gaps and holes and misalignments. Coupled with poor aero, and you get all kinds of turbulance and whatnot pulling fumes back up under the car and around the car.
If the exhaust has no leaks anywhere, then make sure you have all the trunk gaps, seams, etc sealed up.
not saying that you can cure the symptom... maybe nothing can be done about it. My car was the same way when it was on the road. We'll see what happens once it's rust holes are fixed, seams are sealed, and exhaust is tightened up.
You forgot to mention it's a convertible...I don't think there's any remedy .....except maybe a clean burning 392 Hemi :)
Doh. Didn't realize it was a vert
Sorry, with the way the wind comes under the car and whips up across the tail panel... I don't know that there anything you can do
The 2 hard tops I've had does that too. Only when the window is open. It's like the fumes wrap around the car and go right in the window. I figured it's E body cologne. No problem with the A/C on.
I think it's just a lot more noticeable now that we're older and spoiled with cleaner burning vehicles on the roads....the other day I had the windows open in my truck and when I started following an older classic Mustang, I had to roll the windows up...the smell of unburnt fuel was so bad...back in the day we used to love that smell....can you even imagine what it was like in the 70's when every car was pouring out that stench... :drunk:
I'm just proud you got over 6000 miles on that car already...that's awesome :worship: :clapping: :clapping: :twothumbsup: :drinkingbud: and that was the plan :stayinlane:
Are there any free flowing aftermarket cats that can be added to the exhaust? Will a cat live behind an engine with a carb? I realize they were added to carburated engines starting in 75 but those engines were leaned out and weren't built for performance.
Even in a convertable, if the trunk seal isn't sealing like it should, fumes can be drawn into the interior. Take a look at the seal and make sure it's sealing all the way around.
Alan, I get so much enjoyment out of the car whether I'm driving it or tinkering with it, you cannot imagine. Thanks for all your hard work!
Quote from: 70rag383 on September 09, 2021, 05:51:59 PM
Alan, I get so much enjoyment out of the car whether I'm driving it or tinkering with it, you cannot imagine. Thanks for all your hard work!
Thanks imagine, you could have it seven years earlier if you had of met me before hooking up with Shawn...and body shop hell :o
EFI will make a difference.
And keep the top down?
I've also thought about that stuff some racers use in their fuel to make it smell good. Not sure how expensive it is. You can get it from Summit.
Quote from: Burdar on September 09, 2021, 08:11:19 PM
I've also thought about that stuff some racers use in their fuel to make it smell good. Not sure how expensive it is. You can get it from Summit.
I think that only works with race gas. but race gas exhaust smells so good by itself anyway!
Quote from: anlauto on September 09, 2021, 05:27:10 PM
I think it's just a lot more noticeable now that we're older and spoiled with cleaner burning vehicles on the roads....
and a lot of guys got spoiled by modern EFI that starts right up no matter the time of year. :))
Guys that forgot about having to pump the pedal to prime the carb before starting it, having to set the choke. Having to learn what an engine wants, one pump when it's warm outside, 4 or 5 pumps when it's cold outside, etc.
Most of my gasoline cologne issues have been eliminated with some carb tuning, although I still get some smell in the car right after a short full throttle blast. What kind of carb are you running?
Quote from: DeathProofCuda on September 13, 2021, 01:37:56 PM
Most of my gasoline cologne issues have been eliminated with some carb tuning, although I still get some smell in the car right after a short full throttle blast. What kind of carb are you running?
Running an Edelbrock carb.
Is it still clean and shiny ? :) You asked for "bling" remember 8) :rofl:
Yes sir, still nice and shiny! :yes:
Quote from: 70rag383 on September 13, 2021, 01:55:27 PM
Quote from: DeathProofCuda on September 13, 2021, 01:37:56 PM
Most of my gasoline cologne issues have been eliminated with some carb tuning, although I still get some smell in the car right after a short full throttle blast. What kind of carb are you running?
Running an Edelbrock carb.
Have you done any tuning (dyno, wideband meter, or plug reading) to ensure that you're not running too rich?
Quote from: DeathProofCuda on September 13, 2021, 03:19:37 PM
Quote from: 70rag383 on September 13, 2021, 01:55:27 PM
Quote from: DeathProofCuda on September 13, 2021, 01:37:56 PM
Most of my gasoline cologne issues have been eliminated with some carb tuning, although I still get some smell in the car right after a short full throttle blast. What kind of carb are you running?
Running an Edelbrock carb.
Have you done any tuning (dyno, wideband meter, or plug reading) to ensure that you're not running too rich?
Tuned the carb (leaned it very slightly), the plugs were the right colour, sort of tan-brownish and not a black and sooty. No dyno testing. What is wideband meter testing? Not familiar with that. Thanks for the feedback.
Just a wide band air/fuel ratio meter. There are lots of options out there.
This is the one I am currently using:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N3VGPYS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
QuoteI think that only works with race gas.
QuoteJEGS Grape Fuel Fragrance is a highly concentrated formula made for mixing with motor fuel to eliminate the foul smell of exhaust fumes. This additive is completely safe for all internal combustion engines including gasoline, methanol or diesel engines, 2 or 4 stroke, with or without nitrous.
Place a carbon monoxide (CO) detector in your trunk. The type that is in newer homes. If it goes off you got leaks. If it doesn't, move it to another location in the car, until you discover where the leak is. CO fumes are unhealthy and dangerous.
Quote from: IRON MAN on September 14, 2021, 10:43:41 AM
Place a carbon monoxide (CO) detector in your trunk. The type that is in newer homes. If it goes off you got leaks. If it doesn't, move it to another location in the car, until you discover where the leak is. CO fumes are unhealthy and dangerous.
\
how would you power that?
Quote from: Cudajason on September 14, 2021, 12:19:35 PM
Quote from: IRON MAN on September 14, 2021, 10:43:41 AM
Place a carbon monoxide (CO) detector in your trunk. The type that is in newer homes. If it goes off you got leaks. If it doesn't, move it to another location in the car, until you discover where the leak is. CO fumes are unhealthy and dangerous.
\
how would you power that?
Most run off of a 9v battery so they still work when home power is down.
Quote from: Burdar on September 09, 2021, 08:11:19 PM
I've also thought about that stuff some racers use in their fuel to make it smell good. Not sure how expensive it is. You can get it from Summit.
That stuff works, have several bottles on the shelf. Cotton Candy
Quit using it when I went to the Fitech EFI, no more stinky clothes
Quote from: Katfish on September 14, 2021, 12:30:13 PM
Quote from: Burdar on September 09, 2021, 08:11:19 PM
I've also thought about that stuff some racers use in their fuel to make it smell good. Not sure how expensive it is. You can get it from Summit.
That stuff works, have several bottles on the shelf. Cotton Candy
Quit using it when I went to the Fitech EFI, no more stinky clothes
Home Depot also sells hand-held meters for measuring the amount of Carbon monoxide in the area, which you could use while driving.
Had the same problem. I adjusted trunk lid, lowering it, so that the seal is sealing better and the problem is now solved. To 99% :)
Have you considered mounting a Go--Wing rear spoiler to see if it reduces or eliminates exhaust fumes from entering the car?
Quote from: IRON MAN on September 16, 2021, 03:45:39 PM
Have you considered mounting a Go--Wing rear spoiler to see if it reduces or eliminates exhaust fumes from entering the car?
the thought of a go-wing never crossed my mind. do you have one laying around? ;)
I really like the traction my post received. thanks for all the ideas guys. :thankyou:
Quote from: DeathProofCuda on September 14, 2021, 09:26:25 AM
Just a wide band air/fuel ratio meter. There are lots of options out there.
This is the one I am currently using:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N3VGPYS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'll never try to dial in air/fuel ratios without one of these again. Tune your idle? easy enough to do. but to properly tune your part throttle cruise or WOT, you have to shut the engine off and come to a stop, pull a plug because otherwise, as you return back to idle and pull into the garage, your idle mixture may clean up the plugs and make them look "good" again.
the wideband O2 sensor allows you to monitor actual air fuel ratios real time. So go drive down the road and see what you're getting. read what you're at for idle, see what you're at when WOT acceleration. I use an LM-2 which is a bit older now, but still works great. The cool thing about the LM-2, is that if it's a modern vehicle, I can plug into the OBD port and capture anything from the engine computer--vehicle speed, engine rpm, coolant temps, intake air temps, intake manifold pressure or mass air flow, etc. And I can add analog inputs to the LM-2 for an older vehicle, which allows me to capture the same things.
And I can record it to view it later on a computer screen as graphs, so I can see that at 2500 rpm I'm lean, then rich at 4000 rpm, etc. without having to watch the wideband while driving, which can be dangerous at WOT.