Funky smelling car

[getnhi1]

My Aspire smells like exhaust and gas, especially like gas when I first open it in the morning, then when I drive it I get the exhaust smell. The gas smell I think is from the non operative purge can. But the exhaust I don't know, I can smell exhaust on my clothes when I go inside after driving, I noticed theres a vent in the body in the right rear corner, right by the exhaust, is this a common problem for exhaust to come through there? I can't see any other way the exhaust can get in. The hatch seal is tight and in good shape.

[packrat427]

When I first started getting gassed ,I found a cracked flange at the front pipe where it connects to the converter.
Since it was fixed I have not noticed it ,
It always got worse when i cracked a window ,it helped suck it in.

[Guest]

yeah exhaust leak.. When I first put my header on I had a crappy gasket.. I replaced it and I don't smell it anymore.

[ericsmith32]

yeah exhaust leak.. When I first put my header on I had a crappy gasket.. I replaced it and I don't smell it anymore.

Are you sure you don't smell anymore? My aspire smells like oil since the old engine burn it so bad, but i've never smelled gas inside before. I have a exhaust leak but I can't smell it because of the old oil smell.

[Guest]

painted that header w/ header paint and smelled cooking paint for a week..

[mechanicaldj]

just remember to BREATHE DEEP next time

[gdawgs]

How is your seal on the hatchback? I have hauled things with the back open, and the exhaust gets sucked right in. If you have a bad seal, the exhaust might be coming in from the back. Just a thought.

[jeffdjeffd]

I agree it's probably an exhaust leak around the cat. The exhaust can come in easily through the shifter area of the tunnel.

What year is your car? On the carbed cars, there is a vapor collector in the rear, just behind the gas filler. It is accessible from the inside. If one of the hoses is loose or broken (in my cas, one of the nipples on the vapor collector was broken (hehe, I said nipple)) it will fill the passenger compartment with gas vapor. Check that, too.
jeff

[getnhi1]

I'll check the exhaust today, but visually I don't see any black soot, and don't hear any leaks. Its a 97 aspire, the hatch is good and tight, like german virgin nooky.

[Safety Guy]

Getn, your Aspire also has the fuel vapor cannister in the back. For some reason, the four door Aspires didn't.

I had to take apart my fuel vapor lines to get to a hole where one of them vented to a body cavity and then to the outside. I had to indelicatly chisel open a larger hole to put a socket in to get my rear suspension bracket off the car. When I put it back together, I just laid the gas vapor vent line over the larger hole. I now smell gas vapors now and then.

Like Jeff mentioned, this could be your problem. Look in your shop manual and you'll find your car has a fuel vapor can too.

Karl

[miami man]

smell

my 1991 festiva had a smell of exhaust then removed the spare tire and found a rust hole in the well.

[jeffdjeffd]

I'll check the exhaust today, but visually I don't see any black soot, and don't hear any leaks. Its a 97 aspire, the hatch is good and tight, like german virgin nooky.

Yup, you even mentioned it was a 97 Aspire in the first post. Missed that, sorry.

German virgin nooky??? ops:

[Tim]

Mine smells like pine needles when you turn the hater on.

[jeffdjeffd]

Mine smells like pine needles when you turn the hater on.

Don't hate, Tim! It'll shorten your life

[getnhi1]

Re: smell

my 1991 festiva had a smell of exhaust then removed the spare tire and found a rust hole in the well.

Whats rust? :lol:

Mine smells like pine needles when you turn the hater on

And we pay good money for the pine air fresheners. pine > exhaust