Exhaust smell
 

Remember me asking about what to do with the exhaust smell on the stinky Z? I was soposed to post the pictures of what all I did to fix her, but hadn't done it yet, due to the loss of my camera. anyway, I have a new camera and am going to post pics this weekend. I have replaced the gaskets around the tail lights, the gasket around the hatch, turned the tail pipe slightly (will show pics soon) and took her to a performance exhaust place and had a leak fixed. Now, as long as the windows are up its good, windows down, very bad. sooo bad! This is not a California car, there is no Cat on her, maybe that is part of the problem I don't know. My Dad said it might be burning oil... I am giving up. :-( I just want to ask, if anyone thinks that maybe this car is not tuned properly? and If you think I should turn back the tail pipe to go straight back? I'm really sad to have to sell her now. She is Z number 5, so there will be Z number 6 in my futrue, I just hate to be Zless!
my mechanic loaned me his 97 540i bmw for the last 2 weeks, and got my car back last night, and was so happy to be back in it! I would take a 76 datsun over a V8 Beemer any day! ha ha ha!!

Wow... I'd take an E39 540i over a Z any day. :D

A cat is a big part of your prob. The cat on my 280zxt is removable... when I drive w/o a cat, I come home REEKING of exhaust. When the can is installed, no exhaust smell.

And your tailpipe isn't going straight out the back? Where does it exit???

it's just got a slight bend, pointing to the corner of the bumper. I am posting pictures soon. :-)

I love the v8 beemer don't get me wrong, but I just have a crazy unnatural love for the early Z cars! I can't help it! they are so damn cute!

so, not my regular, but a different mechanic said putting a Cat on it would clean it up alot.... the problem I'm having now is I can get a loan from my Mom (a good size one) to buy a better car, but I have to get rid of the z to get it! Damn strings attached!

curious, how old are you?

also, you sure there are NO MORE exhaust leaks? i just dont see how the car can be getting the smell with the windows down if there's no leak. do you have the charcoal canister? and please get a camera post your engine bay, the exhaust and thats all i can think of now. i have straight pipes 3 inch exhaust and do not smell like exhaust in my shittily sealed 260 turbo with the windows down unless i go in reverese. my 280Z even with it missing part of its exhaust cause i removed the axle back section doesnt have this problem either. only time i had exhaust smell prob was when i ran an open down pipe on my 260. you sure you smell exhaust in the car? lol.

I have seen exhaust leaks at the manifold that leak into the cabin area through the firewall. There are lots of rubber gromets and what not in the firewall that could be deteriorated.

And make sure the smell IS exhaust like snw said. Take a few people for a ride and see what they think.

:-) I am 41.
I should post a pic of me too! LOL anyhow... I think I should crawl under the car myself to make sure. I'm 99% sure I have a charcoal canister... but to double check, where is it? this whole thing is so wierd... like I said this is my 5th and have never had this problem. my mechanic is cool, but I get upset because I don't think his heart is into fixing my car. It's a car, everything can be fixed ya know?

pics very soon.

The charcoal canister is in the engine bay, on the passenger side near the front.

that's what I thought. yeah I have one. should I replace it first? is there something inside I should replace?

I am going to sell this car. If anyone knows anyone who wants it, let me know. I'll give a good price to a z lover.

lol, i only ask cause i thought you were older than me but then when you said "asked dad" i couldnt help but wonder if you were more my age or something.

So how old are you? :-) my Dad is pretty smart about cars sometimes.

lol, wastn my point, i just picture like 17/18 year old people asking dad for help. lol. im only 20. your 2.05 times my age. :D

I getcha, I don't look 2.5 times your age though :061:
I have been asking the world about this thing. Well, I'll be posting my pictures this weekend, and it's already for sale, so Z #6 will be on the way in a year or so if I can wait that long!

2.05 times. not 2.5 lol. yeah pics will help. cause i just dont see how you can still be getting the smell if all your body seals gaskets and gromets are good. no exhaust leak and all the vacumme lines and charcoal canister are hooked up properly. its absolutley mind boggling.

It IS absolutely mind boggling! It has been driving me mad! I know it can be fixed... someone will figure it out and be getting my baby! (love this car!)
Pics for sure tomorrow. maybe it is the canister... I could only wish for someting so easy...

The charcoal canister is suppose to remove gas fumes. If the vacuum lines to it are not right the fumes will get in the engine bay. When you open the windows it sucks them in. Check all the firewall grommets and the shift boots.
I'm older than both of you but when I get in my Z, I rev it up, side step the clutch and poof! I'm 18

Here are some pictures... they sealed around that square piece of vinyl that is on the hatch lid.. those 2 round gromets are new... the gasket (wich still isn't perfect, and I'm so mad and over my mechanic, I hate him rite now!) I put a piece of real dense foam with adhesive to the top of the hatch to seal it even more... the tail pipe, (wich I don't think I will leave it that way)

check out my canister, and if you need a different angle on my engine compartment let me know I will send another picture. Oh, I am so frustrated! do I need to replace the charcoal canister sometimes? Help!

I think that the third picture over is the canister... If not let me know please!

thats the canister. looks to be hooked up right.

I completely removed my charcoal canister and ALL emissions accessories on my 260z, and I had no exhaust smell. I dont see why a bad coarcoal canister (if they even go bad) would make you have exhaust smell in the cabin.

I am 99.99% sure you have either bad weatherstripping, rubber shift boot, and/or an exhaust leak.

I have replaced the rubber shift boot. the dude swears I have no exhaust leak, he just fixed it up. so that just leaves the weatherstripping on the hatch rite? Does anyone know if charcoal canisters go bad?

It's the aerodynamics of the Z that draw the fumes in the cabin. You can't completely get rid of the smell, but if you extend your muffler tip past the rear bumper by a few inches, it drastically reduces the amount of fumes since the exhaust will enter the turbulent stream of air coming off the rear of the Z. That and make sure all your seals are in good shape. We did this on my friend's 71 240 and now we don't smell like we doused ourselves in gasoline every time we ride in his Z.

Hi,
I called my parts friend who use to have a z, and asked him about that charcol canister. he said they don't normally go bad and asked me to bring the car down he'd take a look. I have some leaky fuel hoses! he said he was 90% sure I am smelling the fuel from these hoses, it comes out of the engine compartment when I roll the windows down. I'm so discusted with my mechanic! I thought he cared and liked me! LOL all he wanted was to sell me his f'n beemer. anyway, my next move is to put new hoses on my injecters... I saw that one was wet once and told my mechaninc to look at them. I can't believe he had my car for 2 whole weeks and didn't find those hoses! I think I'll go back to fixing her myself... well, I'll keep ya'll posted on how it goes after I get new hoses. Thanks for all your help.

yeah^^^^ that will cause it. ALOT!

i had a fuel leak under the car even and it smelt up the car. doesnt smell like exhaust though smells like fuel. thats why i asked, you sure it smells like exhaust? lol. live and learn

i have some fuel smell too. and the injectors are a tad wet...