This is the most compelling reason in my mind to always run cats...and why all our cars have them. 
Inside of car smells like exhaust.
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Columbia, MD
Inside of car smells like exhaust. Any idea why the inside of my car smells like exhaust? When I turn on the vents it gets worse like it comes through the vents too. My clothes smell like exhaust, and I can even taste exhaust when I get out of the car. It's horrible, I have to keep the windows rolled down and freeze my *** off. This has been a problem for a long time, but it's time to do something about it. Any suggestions? Any idea where the smell is coming from? How is it getting in the vents?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Could be a header leak... thats coming through your vents from under the hood. try tightening the bolts (careful not to break them) and check to see if it leaks in the engine bay.. if not check the headers to Y connection to see if theyre tight. put your hand over the connection to try and feel air coming out.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 553
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From: Columbia, MD
Could be a header leak... thats coming through your vents from under the hood. try tightening the bolts (careful not to break them) and check to see if it leaks in the engine bay.. if not check the headers to Y connection to see if theyre tight. put your hand over the connection to try and feel air coming out.
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 553
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From: Columbia, MD
Any idea why the inside of my car smells like exhaust? When I turn on the vents it gets worse like it comes through the vents too. My clothes smell like exhaust, and I can even taste exhaust when I get out of the car. It's horrible, I have to keep the windows rolled down and freeze my *** off. This has been a problem for a long time, but it's time to do something about it. Any suggestions? Any idea where the smell is coming from? How is it getting in the vents?
Thanks.
Thanks.
i know exactly how u feel lmao
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 553
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From: Columbia, MD
OK. Wow, I never knew that cats somehow keep the exhaust-like smell from creeping up into the chassis and air vents. Learn something every day. I guess I'll have to chuck up more $$$ for a new y-pipe, cats, and welding labor. Oh joy.
Keep in mind..on a stock set up..your cats are much closer to the engine...so they have done their cleaning thing before the exhaust goes past the passenger compartment. On my GTO...I had a definate exhaust smell in the car with off road mids. As soon as I put catted mid pipes on it went away.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Columbia, MD
mmm exhaustburgers.... lol. i still think its a leak.. ive got pacesetters (race) no egr/air Offroad y and i dont smell anything inside my car or really outside for that matter.. and i havent got it tuned yet sot that should help a bit. id double check all connections for leaks before i throw more money into it.. have a buddy rev it up while you check for exhaust coming out anywhere its not supposed to.
You definitely have an exhaust leak. I would try to find and fix the leak before spending money on cats. Adding cats is just going to give your exhaust more places to leak. Sometimes you can see the leaks because they will leave a little soot on the pipe where they come out. A LOT of headers leak where the collectors are welded on.
-Geoff
-Geoff
