Exhaust fumes in cabin solved!!!

[Rocket88]

Great post.

We just got plates on the kid's Z and are having fume issues.

At first i thought it was the evap tank, but after reading this it's got to be exhaust.

The car is fine with the windows rolled up, soon as you roll them down, she starts to get stinky!

[racer88]

I too have exhaust smells in my z when I sit at a stop light with the windows down. I have done all the work that has been discussed on this forum, and the car has no smell inside with the windows up. My question is why do our cars smell so bad in the first place. Is it a common thing with SU carburated vehicles. I have been around old cars and hotrods all my life and have not had one that smells like my 260z. We all spend a lot of time on sealing up our drivers compartments. I wonder if anybody has thoughts, opinions or ideas how to reduce the smell at the source

Bob

[olzed]

More on exhaust smell entering the cabin. On my 72 240 I had done all I could think of to try to remedy this, but it still persisted with the window down. Looking further, I noticed the area where the hatch compresses against the rubber along where the two hinges are, is two different profiles. The hatch rim is straight trying to seal against the rubber thats attached to the flange where the hinges are. At this area the body and the rubber takes a dip down to accomodate the hinges.There was a gap of quater inch wide and five inches long. I stuck on to the hatch sealing area at this point two pieces of self adhesive sponge strip about 6 inches long, at each hinge point.

The gassing with the window down has ceased.

Surely the vehicle wasn't made new like this with a hatch that did not conform to the body shape. I know this hatch is not origional to the car, as it had the rear vents from an earlier model. It fits perfectly apart from the sealing area where the hinges are. Are the early hatches different in this area?

Edited October 2, 2010 by olzed

[ConchZ]

I also wonder why the cars smell so bad. Mine isn't running rich, judging by the nice clean plugs. It still stinks, though. Is this an SU carb thing? Do 4-barrel converted Zs smell better?

Man, you should have seen me charging the AC in my garage, with the garage doors open. Had to slightly rev the engine to get the compressor to suck in the freon, for like 15 minutes. Stank up the garage horribly. Note, the PO removed ALL the smog devices on my 73 car, so maybe that's why it stinks so bad? I also think I need to do a complete tuneup, including valve adjustment, as I haven't done it in about 18 months, or 10k miles. Maybe I should quit my rambling complaining and get to work....

[Derek]

I was thinking about this this morning as I was driving in to the shop. It's starting to cool off here enough to have the windows down and the A/C off. Now I still don't have any fumes when I'm moving but when I come to a stop I can smell a little bit of exhaust. If I'm driving 40 mph and there is a cloud of exhaust gas trapped in the low pressure area behind the car and I come to a stop does the gas come to a stop as well. Or does it keep moving forward.

Also when I drive the speed of light and I turn my headlights on should I be able to see anything?

Thanks

Derek

[jaltman]

Also when I drive the speed of light and I turn my headlights on should I be able to see anything?

That depends on whether your car has inertial dampeners to survive the acceleration.

[ConchZ]

if u drive the speed of light, your car will stop aging. Maybe even stop rusting.

[doradox]

Also when I drive the speed of light and I turn my headlights on should I be able to see anything?

Thanks

Derek

HID or halogen?

Steve

[Inf]

Also when I drive the speed of light and I turn my headlights on should I be able to see anything?

I think you should be more worried about what kind of tires you're gonna use!

[Z train]

This topic started off with sopme great info & "how-to" advice but it is starting to take a "diverging route".Below you can see where my muffler ends.I have ZERO fumes in the cabin issues.Translation:Length of your tail pipe is NOT the problem.

[Derek]

My take on this is if you smell exhaust in the cabin you have a leak. Spoilers, tailpipes, bumper/no bumper all play a part in how bad but the bottom line is you have a leak. Find it and fix it. I'm pretty sure I still have one small leak but I need to pull the gas tank to fix it.

When I first did the smoke test I had previously gone over everything with a fine toothed comb. I was so sure I had everything covered. I wish I had a video of how much smoke and how fast it filled the cabin. It really doesn't take much of a crack to be a problem.

And a little thread levity never hurt anyone!

Derek

[Z train]

It really doesn't take much of a crack to be a problem.

And a little thread levity never hurt anyone!

Derek

How true!