Exhaust fumes

[flying farmer]

I had this problem when I first bought my stag, the problem was that the boot seal had a two or three inch gap in the middle next to the lock, made the car poisionous to drive with the windows open.

Cutting a small section of seal to fill the gap was all that was required, it really does make that much difference.

If you want something realy bad for exhaust fumes try a Triumph estate. New boot seals are not available, and even using my best bodgery and seveal different sorts of seal, driving with the windows open is a definate way of killing yourself, but its fine with the windows closed.

The exhaust fumes are actually drawn up inside the wings, behind the trim panels, and leak out into the cabin that way

Neil

[therat04]

Hi Steve,

that is what makes me think it is a joint, if you could smell it with the windows shut i would say air vents, but if it stops with the windows shut then it sounds like it is pulling it in with the frsh air comming into the car, hense why i thought it was from the engine bay, the air the fan pulls in will exit mostly under the car.

hope you sort it, we have sunshine tomorrow!! so they say, a good day to have a look, if you cant see the leak on the pipes listen for a hissing sound

Hello Alan yes sunshine tomorrow, the one good thing about trying locate a thing like this is plenty of testing so i will be thrashing around the lanes of Essex tomorrow enjoying the search for my smelly problem...Steve

[therat04]

This is a common problem and is usually down to the boot seal, tail light gasket split or a grommet for towbar wiring missing. With the window open, the air rushing past creates a venturi effect and sucks air/exhaust gas from the boot space through the inner wings and out into the cabin through the ragtop horseshoes. Some of you would have had a fuel tank leak in the past and noticed the smell was worse when the windows were open - same reason.

The Weber may be adding to the problem by running a little lean making the exhaust gas a bit smellier - give the back end seals a good check and give the carb 1/2 turn richer.

Russ

Hello Russ good to hear from you, its funny you should mention tail light gaskets i fitted a new set earlier in the year and they were really crap, but as the originals were even crappier i live with the crap new ones, as i do not go out in the rain i did not think it would be problem this will be my first check tomorrow, and also my mind reading friend i also weakened my mixture as well, so 1/2 a turn back on the carb as well, blast, more road testing...Steve p.s. and i have a tow bar hole with no seal grommit Russ you have made me look a right donk, still another road test though...Steve again

[therat04]

I had this problem when I first bought my stag, the problem was that the boot seal had a two or three inch gap in the middle next to the lock, made the car poisionous to drive with the windows open.

Cutting a small section of seal to fill the gap was all that was required, it really does make that much difference.

If you want something realy bad for exhaust fumes try a Triumph estate. New boot seals are not available, and even using my best bodgery and seveal different sorts of seal, driving with the windows open is a definate way of killing yourself, but its fine with the windows closed.

The exhaust fumes are actually drawn up inside the wings, behind the trim panels, and leak out into the cabin that way

Neil

Hello Neil i will check the boot seal again tomorrow but i am 95% sure its ok, Russ has suggested the rear light gaskets and tow bar hole without a seal grommit, (see my reply thread to him) tomorrow is my kill or cure day ( hope its not me!! ) its hard to believe these small gaps can fill the car with fumes...Steve

[Guest]

As a very amateur spanner weilder, I love this kind of thread and it never ceases to amaze me that there is so much knowledge on the forum.

If I had that problem, logic would never lead me to think it was caused by something at the back rather than the front. I was thinking bonnet seal but was thrown by the fact it is only noticable when windows are open.

[therat04]

As a very amateur spanner weilder, I love this kind of thread and it never ceases to amaze me that there is so much knowledge on the forum.

If I had that problem, logic would never lead me to think it was caused by something at the back rather than the front. I was thinking bonnet seal but was thrown by the fact it is only noticable when windows are open.

I to love this kind of thread unfortunately to many of them concern me! but without the clever people on this forum i would have sold my stag many months ago, just having the back up on here lets me attempt things i would not normally dream of trying thus saving me money on garage bills.
This fume problem is on the way to being solved as today i have blocked the tow bar electric hole and refitted the rear light gaskets, thanks Russ, also i re checked the boot seal which i had previously tested by putting some cloth across the boot seal and closing the boot then pulling the cloth, this was a tight fit all round so i thought was sound, today i repeated the test with thinner tissue paper which again was tight all around except on the corner above the exhaust pipes this tissue pulled out with ease so a new boot seal is required, thanks Neil.
Before i tested the boot seal i took the car for a test drive and the fumes were greatly reduced to a trace and almost livable just by the light gaskets re fit and blocking the towbar electrics hole so i am confident the problem will be cured completely when a new boot seal is fitted, thanks again everybody for their input...Steve