Re: I smell like exhaust after driving my camaro

My wife always complained about me smelling like exhaust when I came in from the garage!! I always thought the car was running rich. Come to find out after messing with the distributor, the distributor was faulty and I was not burning all the gas entering the cylinders. Replaced the distributor and it's BETTER but not all is gone. However, I don't think my wife ever complained about exhaust smell after riding in the car. Maybe because she was used to it by time we got home?

Have you used the Google search above? I remember reading about this issue before. Maybe someone else can remember the thread?

 

Re: I smell like exhaust after driving my camaro

I don't. You must detect the odor in the car if you smell like exhaust after getting out. Holes in the firewall, floor pan or trunk? Exhaust leaks? Cowl seal installed? It prevents engine fumes from entering cowl and exiting in the cockpit.

 

Re: I smell like exhaust after driving my camaro

No, that is NOT normal. I'd check for an exhaust leak or possibly the location where the tailpipe actually ends may be causing exhaust to recirculate into the car. Either way it can be deadly due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Please be careful and get it fixed sooner rather than later.

 

Re: I smell like exhaust after driving my camaro

Yes this has been discussed ad nauseum here and other boards.

Yes you can expect running the car in the Garage to smell petrol-chemical exhaust especially as the vehicle warms up. However once at operating temp the exhaust should not push you over. If your vehicle has only the PCV for pollution control - well there is a reason why pollution control laws were passed in the first place.

If the smell continues after warm-up more then likely you have an ignition tuning issue. Too rich in the mix more often then not, but sometimes too cold a plug. Too advanced timing can also increase exhaust odor.

If your timing is correct and tune is as lean as she will fire up on, then yes look for exhaust leaks, Sometimes it helps to burn some seafoam.

 

I had a similar problem with my Edelbrock Carburetor when I adjusted the mixture screws with a vacuum gauge. My suggestion is to turn each mixture screw in about a 1/4 turn at a time, until it no longer smells and then maybe back it out about 1/8 of a turn. Be careful not to set it to lean ! The true way would be to set it with an A/F meter.

 

I've been under the assumption that it's normal to smell like exhaust after driving a muscle car,

This is not parked in a garage, unless someone has a very huge garage..
No one3 doesnt smell of exhausrt after driving a muscle car, be it when it was new , re built old or other wise...
If one does then
1/ They have not rebuilt it right
2/They want to commit suicide
Exhaust fumes in a muscle car, race car what ever is very dangeous...and not permited ...

And who ever maintains it is "normal" should stick to their needle piont.

 

I think someone else said it.... Everybody is used to the new cars with Catalytic Converters.
Even on "newer" cars I can smell if the Cats are removed most times, just by the exhaust smell.

IF you're trying to "get lucky" with the wife, they have stuff you put in your gas to make it smell like (Chocolate,bananas,strawberry's,coconut,ect.)
OR....put cats on it ?

 

This is totally not normal and could be putting you and anyone riding in your car at risk! Where does your exhaust exit the car? If you have turn downs after the mufflers you probably have holes in some form in your floor pans into the interior. A good exhaust over the axle and out the back is the best way to go.

I drove my Nova for a year with big holes in the floors and got no exhaust in the interior because the exhaust exited out the back. Not having any exhaust leaks from the collectors back probably helped too...

The only reason not to fix this issue is if you don't want your wife to smell your girlfriend...

 

Spend a few bucks and have a muffler shop weld the leaks or replace the complete exhaust! As Dennis stated..all the way to the rear of the car is the best way to go.

Kev

 

I think some of you are taking it too serious. I don't think he's saying he is choking on the fumes. I know I get the scent of the Buick on me as well. Old cars did and do have a stronger exhaust smell, this is why the newer cars have Cats, oxygen sensors, fuel injection, etc... Even when the old car is tuned perfect, you are still going to have a stronger exhaust smell than a newer car.

Now if you are getting exhaust in your passenger compartment, that is a different issue that needs to be addressed ASAP.

The "old car smell" doesn't all come from the exhaust either.

 

Royce that old car smell is just in your pores... I do an annual run with 10-15 other classics where we spend 2 days with the wives in the cars touring the various regions of California's back roads and wine country. Nobody smells of "old car" or exhaust or we would not be allowed into some of the establishments we visit and our wifes certainly wouldn't put up with it all weekend...

 

Royce that old car smell is just in your pores... I do an annual run with 10-15 other classics where we spend 2 days with the wives in the cars touring the various regions of California's back roads and wine country. Nobody smells of "old car" or exhaust or we would not be allowed into some of the establishments we visit and our wifes certainly wouldn't put up with it all weekend...

The first part could very well be true, lol. I guess I better stay away from wine country, lol.

I know my car runs rich (purposely) and with the turn "outs" I know why I wear ode' de Buick, but I don't know of any old car that doesn't have a some what smelly exhaust. I put fragrance in my fuel, so I usually smell like a cheap stripper, lol.

 

If you have a clutch, check the boot on the fire wall cause may be torn.

May need some re-jetting. If you're cruising up into higher altitude you're naturally gonna start to run rich if your tune is more for sea level conditions - not much to do about it though assuming you're already iin good tune parameters. Even a thouseand feet can make a noticeable diff - especially at the cruise speed I've noticed.

My wife and I took a nice long ride a few weeks back and covered areas from 5,000ft thru 11,000 ft. In these parts where I live makes for diffiuclt situation for a carb and is why I'd prefer to go EFI one of these days. I've noticed that hotter temps also make a noticeable diff. In the meantime, keep the windows down and your speed up If you start laughing at things that arent' typically humorous then may need to check your cigar and/or pull over and get some fresh air.

I don't think I've ever been in a pre-1970 naturally aspirated car that has been free of "older car smells". Today's emmissions add-ons, EFI and tigher sealed compartments all make for a cleaner air quality in the cabin. Course, all that said, something may be wrong and needing attention like others have mentioned above and you got to respect that too cause you want your wife to be comfortably on board (at least many of us do).

 

Old, carburetated, non-cat V8's certainly have a distinctive exhaust smell that you don't find anywhere around newer cars. I tend to kinda love it- it's something I'd miss at a car cruise if it wasn't there. Anyway, I think some of this simply goes with the turf. If you aren't affected while driving, and it's caused by your garage then you know what to do.... build a bigger garage! :hurray:

Send us pictures of it once complete.

 

My wife is always on my case when i get back from a cruise about the exhaust smell. I always let the car sit in the drive way 30 minutes before entering the garage, because the smell gets all over the garage and the vents to the AC in the house. All though i have not invested in an exhaust system yet. I'm pretty sure i need to redo the pipes from front to end, stainless steel. I thought it was normal till now, its like my very own cologne, lol ..

 

I think only a couple of the posts actually read what the orginal post said...
I repeat

I've been under the assumption that it's normal to smell like exhaust after driving a muscle car,

This is NOT exhaust smell... be it cat or no cat, track or street.
It IS exhaust inside the car....
It is CO , CO2 , NOx.....
All cause disorintantion, bad judgement and death.
It is illegal... on the street and on the track

Even with a couple good cracks around muffler inlets and out lets, leaks up front....or dumping down at the rear
No car should have exhaust gases entering the cabin....or the trunk.

unless one wants to committ suicide, and then may as well put a tube from the tail pipe into the car.

 

Carbon monoxide (CO), is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas.

Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO2) is a naturally occurring chemical compound. (also used in fire extinguishers-Class B) Oxygen deprivation and is why you pass out before the CO kills you.

NOx (often written NOx) refers to NO and NO2. They are produced during combustion, especially at high temperature. These two chemicals are important trace species in Earth's atmosphere. In the troposphere, during daylight, NO reacts with partly oxidized organic species (or the peroxy radical) to form NO2, which is then photolyzed by sunlight to reform NO:

NO + CH3O2 → NO2 + CH3O
NO2 + sunlight → NO + O

 

Confucius says:
Man who stand in front of car get tired.
Man who stand at rear of car get exhausted.
So stop standing at the rear of the Camaro….l

 

If u have exhaust gas in the cabin you have COx NOx PLUS all the unburn exhaust fuels, O2, H2O and whatever else the exhaust smells of
To state COx is oderless, takes nothing away from the idoicy of having a vechile that smells of Exhaust gas and makes the people INSIDE the car smell of it.

A piontless red herring.

 

I had a similar problem. I replaced the body plugs in the trunk. That took care of most of it.
Also, My timing chain had 14 dgrees of play in it and the car ran super rich. Since the rebuild, I have not had an issue.

I also had a '73 MGB GT. The exhaust would get sucked up into the hatchback and fill the car. I had to make a thicker/fancier weather strip than was produced for the car, and extend the exhaust tips more than their normal length. That solved that problem.

 

I'm thinking the people who experience this have cars running rich, since this is I think the smelliest. Of course, if lots of emissions are getting into the car, that's bad. Ho the vehicles where its a problem have exhaust systems that exit at the rear of the car?

Just stuff tho think about...

 

How about throwing some Cam II in there and taking us all for a ride :yes:

Cam II smell is right up there with the smell of Coppertone at the beach LOL

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the OP has a Holley on that thing.

I have rebuilt and rejetted the Holley on my 67 several times and can't ever seem to get it right. Might try to build a Q-jet for it over the winter. Once you get the right jets and metering rods in a Q-jet they seem to stay running right, but every Holley I have ever owned seemed to need constant tinkering.

Agree with others that I love the smell of racing fuel!

 

I hate reading posts like this... A holley is a mechanical device just like any other brand carb and once set properly it doesn't go out of adjustment and require constant tinkering. A Holley does have more circuits meaning more adjustments and it's a bit more complex but when you get past the learning curve they really work well.

 

I've been running Holley's since the late 70's and I've never damaged a power valve.

Nor have I...And althu the power valve pre mid 80s I think it is where prone to backfire damage, and since holley modified to prevent.... like a lot of old wives tales and myths the PV issue just hangs on in there.
Once one understands that a carb is basically 3 carbs in one with a pump to transition between 'carbs' and treat each separate, from there it is simply change jets, correct PV, set secondaries while running and pump gap...assuming one has selected the correct model and size for the use of the car.

 

I never said it was a myth, that was Steps. I said I never had a problem with power valves.

Yep I will put my hand up lol I thibnk the quote has been taken out of context a little ...

And althu the power valve pre mid 80s I think it is where prone to backfire damage, and since holley modified to prevent.... like a lot of old wives tales and myths the PV issue just hangs on in there.

The backfire was not myth. It happened to them all the time, I would see people struggle with it frequentl I don't know if they ever fixed it, I have not run one since the late 80's

As to the Qjet/Holley debate.. Im a holley person, and the only reason im a holley person is because it is the Holley carbs Im most familar with, althu Im now running a Qjet base plate on my current IMPCO .,, Cough cough, choke.. do I realy have to admit to that lol

I may have to check the throttle shaft bushings again, because I seem to have an issue with the idle speed wandering on it, and it seems to want to load up at idle.

Holleys do have a little play.. but 1st have the sec butterflies been dialed in while engine running...holley butterfly shaft 'bushes' last up a good 100K IF istructions are followed re throttle return springs..
There is a current thread about 1 -2 weeks ago re re bushing throttle shafts.

 

My 502 with EFI and a smallish cam still stinks out my clothes. Just the way it is. And it was about the same when it was carbed.

I do know that if you engine burns anykind of oil, it will stink ALOT worse. Probably should also try and get the valve cover breather vented back into the air cleaner like the factory did.