Strong Exhaust / Gas Smell in Cab
09-25-2009, 04:53 PM
#11
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Hills of California
Posts: 5,208
Those trunks were not sealed from the cab from the factory....Even new there were quite a few places trunk air could get into the cab....I took extra time to seal my trunk off using that expanding foam stuff. It will never be air tight but you should strive to minimize the amount of air that can vent from the trunk to the cab..
happy hunting
-Gun
happy hunting
-Gun
09-25-2009, 04:55 PM
#12
6th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 5,232
If you depend on the tray or rear seat to seal fumes out of the car, quit now. Not gonna happen. The rear tray is probably loose because someone threw away the thick jute sound deadener that's supposed to be under it.
09-25-2009, 05:01 PM
#13
6th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 5,232
Pacer, ugly, and weird, the RH door is significantly longer than the LH door.
El Camino, rust problems that make Mustangs look rustproof.
09-25-2009, 05:36 PM
#14
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The garage (near SF bay- Calif)
Posts: 469
I think the early Mustangs didn't have a PCV system. They just vented the
crankcase gasses from a tube on the valve cover to an open vent under the car.
It's possible the tube broke somewhere, or the breather is clogged.
The gasses are as bad or worse than exhaust. You might concider installing a PCV
which puts the gasses back thru the carb to be burnt again.
They're not expensive, relativly easy to install and with no loss of performance.
crankcase gasses from a tube on the valve cover to an open vent under the car.
It's possible the tube broke somewhere, or the breather is clogged.
The gasses are as bad or worse than exhaust. You might concider installing a PCV
which puts the gasses back thru the carb to be burnt again.
They're not expensive, relativly easy to install and with no loss of performance.
Last edited by 1971mach1; 09-25-2009 at 05:43 PM.
09-25-2009, 07:34 PM
#15
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Az
Posts: 1,090
Hmmm…
I would venture to say you have more than one problem, but one of them is serious enough to be dangerous.
Even if your exhaust smelled like stink bomb, and you were to pour gasoline over the trunk lid, you should smell none of it while driving. The fact that you do smell it tells me the back part of you car is not properly sealed. This is not just unpleasant, the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly.
There are a number of things to check.
Trunk lid seal----mine is hard as a rock
Trunk floor and extension plugs--have none
Strip caulk between gas tank and trunk floor---here I'm good
Back up lamp wire plugs---ok
Foam seals between body and bumper brackets----have none
Caulk between quarter extension nuts and body----um...what?
Foam seals between tail lamps and body----none
Cork seal between gas filler and body---don't see this as an issue, only to not scratch paint
Gas filler to tank hose---na
Bumper guard bolt hole caulk---um...what?
Fuel hose at the lower front of gas tank---could be a problem, drivability issues?
Oval caps above shock absorbers----missing
Splits in caulk on floors and panels----several
Rust holes of any size under car
I would venture to say you have more than one problem, but one of them is serious enough to be dangerous.
Even if your exhaust smelled like stink bomb, and you were to pour gasoline over the trunk lid, you should smell none of it while driving. The fact that you do smell it tells me the back part of you car is not properly sealed. This is not just unpleasant, the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly.
There are a number of things to check.
Trunk lid seal----mine is hard as a rock
Trunk floor and extension plugs--have none
Strip caulk between gas tank and trunk floor---here I'm good
Back up lamp wire plugs---ok
Foam seals between body and bumper brackets----have none
Caulk between quarter extension nuts and body----um...what?
Foam seals between tail lamps and body----none
Cork seal between gas filler and body---don't see this as an issue, only to not scratch paint
Gas filler to tank hose---na
Bumper guard bolt hole caulk---um...what?
Fuel hose at the lower front of gas tank---could be a problem, drivability issues?
Oval caps above shock absorbers----missing
Splits in caulk on floors and panels----several
Rust holes of any size under car
Sorry, but once again, I must disagree with this way of thinking. If you have a properly tuned engine, that doesn't leak, you will not smell things.
You say your engine has hesitation issues but, "your mechanic didn't find anything wrong"??? I think I'd look for a new mechanic.
09-26-2009, 08:40 AM
#16
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 4,462
What about the rubber where the filler neck meets the gas tank? I didn't see that mentioned. I know almost every Mustang I have ever seen smells a little like gas when you open the trunk. See if that rubber is all cracked or if the hose clamps on it are loose.
09-26-2009, 10:47 AM
#17
6th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 5,232
Sorry, but once again, I must disagree with this way of thinking. If you have a properly tuned engine, that doesn't leak, you will not smell things.
You say your engine has hesitation issues but, "your mechanic didn't find anything wrong"??? I think I'd look for a new mechanic.
You say your engine has hesitation issues but, "your mechanic didn't find anything wrong"??? I think I'd look for a new mechanic.
You are 100% right about the mechanic. Anyone who can't straighten this mess out should not be allowed to work on cars.
09-26-2009, 11:36 AM
#18
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Az
Posts: 1,090
Also, lets look at it from another angle...You said you smell it while driving, but not sitting still? (may have read that wrong) This tells me that the smell is from the front of the car and you are "driving into it". I would look at carb issues. Or, it could be a bad plug or wire since you said it runs rough and hesitates.
Start it up and run around back and smell the exhaust....does it have a noticable smell? Do you see any "black" in it, maybe just black "puffs"? Don't sit there and breath it though, just smell it. Then stand back a bit and look at it. Have someone give it some gas and see if it changes.
After rereading this it don't seem to make much sense..all over the place, but see what you find.
Start it up and run around back and smell the exhaust....does it have a noticable smell? Do you see any "black" in it, maybe just black "puffs"? Don't sit there and breath it though, just smell it. Then stand back a bit and look at it. Have someone give it some gas and see if it changes.
After rereading this it don't seem to make much sense..all over the place, but see what you find.
09-27-2009, 08:56 AM
#20
6th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 5,232