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smelly interior


JUSTIN

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new exhaust system. but the inside of the car smells like the engine compartment . if fact it smells worse. tried air freshiners but when they run out. the smell is still there. the question is how big of a hole in the fire wall will let the fumes in. i know of 2 screw size holes but thats it. maybe its the steering wheel donut. not running the ac or heater. help, my wife says i stink!

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Don't just assume that the fumes are getting in through the firewall. With a moving car there are considerable vaccuums created behind the various bits and pieces; top, bottom and sides. As well as the firewall I'd be on the lookout for holes in the floor and trunk, particularly over any exhaust pieces. Also if this car has a road draft tube watch for holes behind it. Even a small hole in the trunk facing into the exhaust from the tailpipe will act as a direct injection pump for fumes. Good luck!

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I had new exhaust put on a car years ago and they left the tail pipe to short at the rear bumper + my weather striping arownd the trunk was bad... with the vent or any other window cracked open it would SUCK the exhaust back into the car arownd the trunk <BR> w/striping and up inside ,,, Hopes this helps BRAD COUCH 64 ELECTRA CONV.<BR> PS I did"t think my weather striping was THAT BAD,,, but it was!!!

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Guest 70 Electra

Consider the source of the fumes. If the car is old enough to have either a road draft tube (as another respondent mentioned) or an "open" crankcase (mesh type oil fill cap), does it have excessive blow-by? Check by watching for "smoke" from the oil fill hole (remove cap) while the engine's running.<P>A newer car with closed crankcase ventilation (PCV system, and sealed oil cap) will produce very few "fumes" underhood. However, with an older "open" system, excessive blow-by (usually from worn or sticky rings) will create a stinky mess. I've seen this cause a smelly car, regardless of how small the holes in the firewall are!<P>A less likely scenario is if your crankcase ventilation system is plumbed wrong. The crankcase has to be able to "suck in" fresh air (usually through the oil cap or a tube from the air cleaner to valve cover). It then has to be able to "exhale" the oily blow-by fumes (usually through the road draft tube--into the atmosphere, or through a PCV valve--into the engine to be burned).<P>If either the "in" or "out" to this system is plugged or sealed off, the resulting pressure in the crankcase will force blow-by fumes out of the engine into---guess where--the engine compartment.<P>I've seen this frequently on old Chevys: Guy puts a late model block into an early car. He wants it to look original, so he uses the old intake manifold with a oil fill tube and mesh cap. Then he uses the early valve covers with no breather hole. Problem is that the late block has no "exit" provision for the blowby like the original block did (at the rear, by distributor).<P>The result is the crankcase draws in air from the mesh cap, but also forces it back out the same opening--right into the engine compartment! <P>Sorry to be so wordy. Hope this sheds some light on your annoying problem.<P>------------------<BR>Greg Cockerill<BR>BCA #36864<BR>1970 Electra convertible

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I guess I need to fiqure out if its an engine compartment smell or exhaust smell. my exhaust smells too rich. but i have adjusted the eldebrock carb leaner , any leaner and it idles lower (is this bad). both screws are out only 1 1/4 turns. should i lean it more and then set the idle higher?<P>as far as engine compartment and crankcase smell. its a new rebuilt engine and the valve covers have 1 openning in each besides the oil filler cap. the oil filler cap is non breathing. i have pvc valves on the hole on each valve cover going connect to the intake manifold. so its a sealed system. is that bad?

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Guest 70 Electra

Justin,<BR>I have some thoughts, but will E-mail you directly.<P>------------------<BR>Greg Cockerill<BR>BCA #36864<BR>1970 Electra convertible

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Guest 70 Electra

Justin,<BR>I sent a couple of detailed messages directly to you, and it sounds like you're on the right track. <P>Responding to your last posting: A "breathing" cap on one rocker cover, and a PCV on the other is a common architecture for crankcase ventilation systems. <P>However, there's no reason to have TWO PCV valves. In fact having one on the same side as one of the breather caps will just "short circuit" the ventilation system: you want the air to go in one side of the engine, take the looooong path around to the other side in order to get all the fouled crankcase air out! <P>If a PCV is next to a breather cap (like on same rocker cover), the PCV (suction side of system) will be drawing air from the path of least resistance--the nearby breather cap!<BR><P>------------------<BR>Greg Cockerill<BR>BCA #36864<BR>1970 Electra convertible

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Remember, the idle screw settings will only effect idle richness you may be jetted rich. I have the same problem on my car with an Edelbrock Carburator. I have not solved it yet, but I am considering putting the Charcoal Canister back on, and rejetting. <BR>Tomsriv<BR>71 Riv

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ok I plugged the pvc by the breather cap. and my breather cap has a hole in the top so i piped it into the air cleaner. the only pvc is on the opposite side and it goes into the manifold. so i should be normal. and already i noticed that the fould smell is gone. BUT it still smells like "under the hood". it doesnt burn oil. is it possible that a too rich carb (eldebrock) would do this?

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