Exhaust fumes in the car

[cup182RB]

Morning all

I'm getting exhaust fumes in the car which worsens the harder it's driven.
It's a stripped out 182 track car and I've checked the exhaust for leaks but can't find anything.
Could these fumes be making their way in via those flappy little vents under the boot lid? Why are they even there?
Any suggestions would be appreciated before I fall asleep at the wheel!
Cheers

 

[Chrisgti6]

The vents are there to allow the pressure to escape as you close the doors. I doubt it's coming through there, maybe whilst stationary but not whilst moving. Maybe its the cat/manifold join and is only opening up under load?

 

[Goodj]

loose join / hole in exhaust.

 

[loggyboy]

Ive had this ever since I de-cated my car. Was so bad I re-cated it as assumed it was the reason - but it continued to smell. Eventually traced it to the flexible joint between cat and manifold, I added a washer or 2 in the joint to tighten it more, but still not managed to solve it fully. Now after a few mins it gets much better as the gasket expands as it gets hot and seals the gap.
I have considered getting a proper flexi welded in.

 

[Christopher]

It'll be a blowing exhaust. Probably on the manifold to cat/decat joint most likely.
My 182 had the same issue even with a full interior. It stunk until I bought a new fitting kit.

 

[leeds2592]

I don't have the smell inside the car but no matter what I do, I can't get the mani to cat joint to not leak.

Recently fitted a decat, had a brand new genuine fitting kit a few months back, banged some sealant around it and it's still blowing. I'm going to go to my local custom exhaust place and see what options I've got. Thinking either a flexi welded in, a v band welded in or just get the mani welded to the cat but obviously it will be a pain if I ever had to remove the cat etc.

 

[Christopher]

I don't have the smell inside the car but no matter what I do, I can't get the mani to cat joint to not leak.

Recently fitted a decat, had a brand new genuine fitting kit a few months back, banged some sealant around it and it's still blowing. I'm going to go to my local custom exhaust place and see what options I've got. Thinking either a flexi welded in, a v band welded in or just get the mani welded to the cat but obviously it will be a pain if I ever had to remove the cat etc.

Engine mounts okay?
Could be making the manifold joint sit out of line. Just a thought.

 

[leeds2592]

Engine mounts okay?
Could be making the manifold joint sit out of line. Just a thought.

Yeh they seem decent, would probably benefit from changing but everything from the manifold to the tailpipes are pretty much all in line so I can't see why it's still doing it. Think I'm going to try adding a couple of washers to the gasket kit and tighten as much as possible without getting to the end of the thread.

 

[Christopher]

Yeh they seem decent, would probably benefit from changing but everything from the manifold to the tailpipes are pretty much all in line so I can't see why it's still doing it. Think I'm going to try adding a couple of washers to the gasket kit and tighten as much as possible without getting to the end of the thread.

Fair enough, yeah.
If all else fails just weld it up. Lol.

 

[leeds2592]

Fair enough, yeah.
If all else fails just weld it up. Lol.

That may be what is required as it's been doing my head in for ages. Just sounds crap with the windows down.

The exhaust guy near me is brilliant, his custom exhausts are works of art so I'll probably go have a chat with him.

 

[Christopher]

That may be what is required as it's been doing my head in for ages. Just sounds crap with the windows down.

The exhaust guy near me is brilliant, his custom exhausts are works of art so I'll probably go have a chat with him.

CGR?

 

[leeds2592]

CGR?

Nope, but I've seen there work is very good.

I go to STG Performance, if you search on Facebook, he uploads quite a bit of his work on his page. Some ace looking stuff.

 

[cup182RB]

My exhaust has had the original downpipe flange cut off and replaced because it was falling to bits.
So it now goes downpipe - decat pipe with flat flanges then it goes in to the rest of the exhaust which is only a couple of months old.
I wonder where the smell gets in to the car?
Through the vents? Gear selector tower?

 

[Goodj]

Exhaust gasses leaking into cabin = Exhaust gases are leaking from the exhaust system, somewhere.

 

[flebay]

decat pipe

They all stink with a decat pipe, waste of time and money,windows down stink, sitting in traffic with air con or heaters stink, one of the best ways to make a car worse.

 

[Goodj]

They all stink with a decat pipe, waste of time and money,windows down stink, sitting in traffic with air con or heaters stink, one of the best ways to make a car worse.

But they do make you sound like you've got a broken exhaust and deliver nearly a whole 1hp, you can see why it's done

 

[leeds2592]

They all stink with a decat pipe, waste of time and money,windows down stink, sitting in traffic with air con or heaters stink, one of the best ways to make a car worse.

I've noticed this since fitting the decat, really does stink of fuel.

 

[Louis]

I quite like the smell of the decat.

 

[Christopher]

I quite like the smell of the decat.

Same.
Smells like motorsport.

 

[White16valver]

Leaky exhaust?

Don't leave it...

http://cliosport.net/threads/the-darwin-awards-thread.738542/page-18#post-11352559


Would some of that high temperature wrap stuff put round the joints be any use?

 

[Goodj]

http://cliosport.net/threads/the-darwin-awards-thread.738542/page-18#post-11352559

Locked thread?

@Sunglasses_Ron

 

[flebay]

Same.
Smells like motorsport.

indeed

 

[Darren S]

Feel like I should add to this.

For the last several weeks - the fumes when sat in traffic are really quite bad. With the A/C on, they don't smell as bad, but in stationary traffic, it's a definite windows down a bit.

I've had an exhaust place look at it and as a separate task on top of my MOT yesterday. Nothing obvious was found, but in the past it has been the gasket and connections just after the CAT. Can't really go through winter with the windows down all the time

@Christopher - do you know of anywhere close to us that's decent with exhausts, mate?

 

[Christopher]

Feel like I should add to this.

For the last several weeks - the fumes when sat in traffic are really quite bad. With the A/C on, they don't smell as bad, but in stationary traffic, it's a definite windows down a bit.

I've had an exhaust place look at it and as a separate task on top of my MOT yesterday. Nothing obvious was found, but in the past it has been the gasket and connections just after the CAT. Can't really go through winter with the windows down all the time

@Christopher - do you know of anywhere close to us that's decent with exhausts, mate?

Top Gear in Stockport or JP Exhausts in Macclesfield.

 

[Darren S]

Top Gear in Stockport or JP Exhausts in Macclesfield.

Nice one - cheers. I'll give one of them a shout.