I just bought a '72 Cutlass convertible with a 350 and dual exhaust. It has the 442 rear bumper. The exhaust fumes are so bad, with the top up or down, that my wife won't ride with me and I'm really concerned about how strong the fumes are. I've looked at the exhaust system and it appears with everything tight.

In fact, it's so bad that our clothes smell after about a 10 miles ride.

Any ideas?

 

Nice looking car , is it running rich ? Low on power ?

 

That's what my car is like , running to rich . I've had some input on how to adjust the carb and timing , but I never did that before and kinda need my car to get to work .

 

If you've a vacuum guage, 9/16 wrench, and a timimg light, there's only about 100 people on here that could talk you through a 15 minute adjustment!!

 

Cruise naked with the top down.

 

I bought the car from a very reputable classic car dealer and they are trying to work though the problem. Any factory timing specs, or vacumn info along with carb settings (original Rochester) would be greatly appreciated.

It's got the 350 4BBL if that helps.

By the way, I'm new to this site and I really appreciate the help from all of you.

 

Yeah, like they know anything!!
A friend bought a '65 Biscayne with a factory 396 - would almost quit running 10 miles away!
The 'reputable classic car dealer' replaced the cam and lifters, as it went flat, and it did it again!!
Told him it was his problem, as they fixed it once, and charged him $7500 for a 540 crate motor, PLUS INSTALL!! AND HE PAID IT!!
Turns out, the 65 396 is the only year and model that needs a groove in the rear cam journal - the reason it was eating cams - no oil!!
In the Chicago suburbs, on Ogden Ave!!
Just another set of 'Used Car Crooks" that don't know $hit!!

 

Keep in mind that an old car will not be like a new car. It comes with the territory to a certain degree.

 

Yup - those guys are out there. I know of another car dealer in the Chicago area that had a Hurst/Olds for sale. Great car supposedly, 41,000 original miles. I flew from ATL to Chicago to look at it. Looked good until they started it. It leaked from the valve covers, oil pan gasket and the main seal between the engine and tranny.

I walked away from that one had a few choice words for them - like they cared.

I'm not really worried about the folks I bought my car from here in Georgia. They'll take care of the problem.

 

At the risk of offending some here:

That's an oxymoronic phrase if ever I heard one.

That being said, I am having trouble understanding how you can be offended by exhaust fumes, to the extent that they permeate your clothing, in a moving convertible. The exhaust comes out the back, and is left behind.
A-body convertibles don't pull in air from behind - they blast you with air from the front.
I know - my first Cutlass had no roof at all, and I drove it in all weather.

Methinks there's more here than meets the eye.

- Eric

 

LOL - Well I like the dealership. Anyway, I agree that the exhaust goes out the back end - but it's coming into the cabin from somewhere and as I mentioned the exhaust looks tight.

Without trying to offend you - do you have any ideas that are helpful?

 

Yeah, like the cardboard under the carpet or trunk lining burning up!

Where are you, and where did you buy it??
Maybe another member can help you out!

 

Bought it in ATL, GA

 

If significant exhaust is getting into the passenger compartment of a moving convertible, then you have an exhaust leak, and a pretty big one.

Put the car up, let it cool, start the engine, crawl under it quickly, and feel the pipes, from the manifolds back, especially the parts you can't see, to see if there are any leaks.
Start at the engine because that will heat up the fastest and make you the most unhappy if you touch it hot, then work backward, trying to move faster than the heat. You may have to do it in more than one try, with cooling spells in between.

If you have a big enough hole to get that much exhaust out of, you should be able to feel it and hear it.

Do you have very loud mufflers on this car?

- Eric

 

Well , my exhaust has leaks .... I think the point of this is to fix the rich running motor , and the leaks will smell more pleasant and then fix the leak

 

Flowmasters, but they aren't really loud. Looks like a whole new exhaust system, but I'll pass your info on to the mechanic. Thanks for the input.

 

If you have non-stock (hot-rod) mufflers, you won't be able to hear an exhaust leak.

... And if your mechanic needs this information, then you need to get a new mechanic.

- Eric

 

I dont know where in ATL you are but if they can not figure it out I would be happy to look at it. I work for a restoration shop in Clermont (between Gainsville and Cleveland to the east of ATL). I have a 70 cultass SX convt and I never had any issues like that or on any of the other cutlass's I have had. let me know if I can help.
steve

 

If it's stinking that bad it's in serious need of a tune up, carb. rebuild or some sort of cam/timing issue. Any reputable mechanic would know that in 5 seconds of smelling it. I know it and I am 2,000 miles away.
Mike

 

Welcome Rick, What the others are trying to say in there own particular way. Is to check the floor and firewall for holes and missing plugs where fumes from the engine compartment may enter the cabin.

The other suggestion was to look for an exhaust leak. Tailpipe position is very important also, the rear of the car acts like a vacuum and any holes in the trunk floor or a bad trunk seal can let fumes in.

Then check your tune!

 

What kind of vacuum guage?

What is the process?

 

My Delta was doing that, turns out the gasket between the cat and the exhaust manifold was non existant

 

Set your timing to factory specs.
Disconnect your vacuum advance at the carb, and plug-in the vacuum guage.
Turn the two front mixture screws until you reach the highest vacuum reading, on a clockwise turn.
Adjust your idle, and you're done!

 

Exhaust that stinky could also be a lean condition. Just for thought.

 

Steve,

Thaks for the offer. I may take you up on it. The place I bought it from is going to rebuild the carb next week and then retune it. This weeknend I'll look around under the car for any holes.

 

not sure about the " setting the timing part to factory specs " but I can handle the other part , sounds easy . would it be ok just to skip to the second part ? and is the vacuum that main line out of the front of carb ?

 

@rickman48 was that shop a vette shop ? i work right next to that shop if it's in downers grove. they make em nice but from point a to b is scary from what i have heard. I have this issue with my car but i dont mind since its a hard top but try a cheap gas with less detergents. Im running bp 93 since its right by the shop where i store it and it is by far the stinkiest fuel i have ever ran it is running perfect and the plugs are all golden brown but it stinks like it's runnning pig rich.

 

Copper - right place!! Maybe you saw the car - this guy was a Mopar __ck, don't even know why he bought it, as he had a mint road runner, too!!
X 3 on BP - my Dad said the additives eat ford gaskets - he was a Ford mechanic!!

 

yep i work right next door in a collision shop their cars look nice but anyone who know what to look for can have a feild day picking em apart. I normaly run speedway gas its 93 and has less additives most mom and pop shops will have lesser "grade" gas all it really means is less additives.

 

can you rent one of those vacuum guages ? and is the vac advance the main line in the front of carb , or do I not have a clue ?

 

intake vacuum source if i remember correct. You could also just buy a cheap vac. gauge from summitracing. The kind you mount in the car .

 

I got the fumes straightened out finally. It was a couple of things. The choke pulloff wasn't working correctly so it was running really rich.

After the carb was rebuilt, the choke pulloff problem fixed and the engine re-tuned it's running smooth and the fume odor is gone.

The other thing they found was that the gas cap, which was an after market locking cap, wasn't sealing the way it was supposed to be so there were fumes coming from the tank as well.

The only reason I'm posting this is because if you are experiencing strong fumes, this post may give you a few places to check.

 

Thanks ... I may have to have mine worked on some day or rebuilt . I would try some of these things myself , but the we'll help you part is what i'm scared of . I would not want to take things apart or do something I never did before , to end up on trying to figure it out on your own .

 

I also took liberty to read this thread over from the beginning , and all I can say is .... wow ! I did not realize how brutal some people are ! Oh and congradulations on getting your exhaust finally fixed Rick H.

 

99.9% of the people on the site are really nice and will try and help you out. The other few........well......you just have to consider the source.

 

Can't speak for anyone else, but I'm a mean jerk who will go out of his way to help people when he can.
I just don't exude warmth and happiness while I do it .

- Eric

ps: I'm still baffled as to how enough exhaust from a rich-running car with no exhaust leaks was getting into the passenger area of your convertible to bother you (without a 70 mph tailwind).
You're SURE there are no leaks, right?

 

He has to be. He beats up everyone who doesn't like his pink car.

 

It's kind of a "Boy Named Sue" thing.

- Eric

 

well , with mine , the exhaust starts coming in the minute you crack the window . The wind can be coming from any direction , and it seems you can be going any speed also and smell it .

 

It's a mystery to me too. The exhause is brand new from the engine to the tips. Anyway, it's gone.

Now if i can just get that stupid temp guage from the Parts Placeto work like it should. I switched from idiot lights to the Rallye guages and the temp guage starts to go up as the car warms up and goes right on up past "H" and pegs there after a few minutes.

Maybe I've got a temp problem, but there aren't any other indications.

I've got a few things to check out as other people have had the same problem.

Anyway - thanks toall of you who had good ideas to try about the stinky exhaust.