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| Exhaust smell in cabin (Page 1/1) |
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danahart
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AUG 24, 07:52 AM
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I have an 88 v6 Formula that I purchased early this year. The previous owner removed the cat. I've noticed that there is a decently strong exhaust smell in the cabin even when the windows are closed and I'm driving. I am thinking I have an exhaust leak somewhere and assumed it would have to be on my side of the firewall. However, I wanted to check with you guy to see if could just be a normal result of running without the cat. I wouldn't expect that catless exhaust smell to get into the cabin when driving but let me know if that is normal. If so I might get a high-flow cat on it which I've seen mentioned on this board as having no performance effect on the car. I just am tired of the exhaust smell in the cabin...can't be good for my health.
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1985 Fiero GT
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AUG 24, 08:59 AM
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I don't know about the lack of a cat bringing exhaust into the cabin, but when my front exhaust manifold was cracked in two, everytime I opened the sunroof without having the windows down, it was just pouring in, if the seals around your firewall wiring and shifter cables aren't very good, it could enter in there by the ECM
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Jason88Notchie
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AUG 24, 09:43 AM
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olejoedad
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AUG 24, 11:46 AM
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As mentioned, shifter cable seals and gaskets/fittings for the wiring.
Sunroof with windows down or cracked open.
The cat delete will definitely change the smell of the exhaust.
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Patrick
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AUG 24, 11:51 AM
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Make sure you're not being fooled and are actually smelling gas vapor fumes. 88's and 87's have a fuel expansion tank located inside the passenger side fender area beside the battery. There are metal tubes that run directly below the battery. Can you guess where I'm headed with this yet?  Over the years, battery acid can eat through these metal tubes... thus releasing gas fumes. I had this problem with my Formula. As these cars age, it's possibly becoming more of a common issue for 88-87's.
These are the tubes running from inside the fender to under the battery.
| quote | Originally posted by GT-X Here:
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82-T/A [At Work]
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AUG 24, 12:57 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Patrick:
Make sure you're not being fooled and are actually smelling gas vapor fumes. 88's and 87's have a fuel expansion tank located inside the passenger side fender area beside the battery. There are metal tubes that run directly below the battery. Can you guess where I'm headed with this yet? Over the years, battery acid can eat through these metal tubes... thus releasing gas fumes. I had this problem with my Formula. As these cars age, it's possibly becoming more of a common issue for 88-87's.
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These tanks are becoming extremely hard to find too. My 87 Fiero really has like absolutely no rust anywhere, but when I took everything apart years ago, the expansion tank, just as you said... was pitted and close to leaking (if not slightly already). I found a rust-free one in the junkyard, and I have that as a spare.
I assume you can just bypass them altogether if it's rotted out?
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Patrick
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AUG 24, 07:22 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
...the expansion tank, just as you said... was pitted and close to leaking (if not slightly already).
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Well, I was actually just referring to the metal lines immediately below the battery that get corroded from battery acid... but yes, the tank itself can certainly rust away from the elements.
| quote | Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
I assume you can just bypass them altogether if it's rotted out?
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I don't know if that would be such a good idea. The system in '87-'88 was designed to allow fuel/vapor expansion into that tank. Removing it might lead to some unwanted/unpleasant consequences.
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cartercarbaficionado
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AUG 24, 09:21 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Patrick:
I don't know if that would be such a good idea. The system in '87-'88 was designed to allow fuel/vapor expansion into that tank. Removing it might lead to some unwanted/unpleasant consequences. |
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you can actually replace it with a custom radiator overflow tank and remake the lines with steel or nicop. putting one on the 84 and cutting the tank to allow for a little more fuel volume from the relocated filler[This message has been edited by cartercarbaficionado (edited 08-24-2024).]
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