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Exhaust

redneckgrl

redneckgrl

355
12
Southern Oregon
I tried to get some help with this before at the "other" place but never really got anywhere. So I will try again.

I have a 87 F250 manual with a 302. Every time I drive, I smell like exhaust after. Pretty strongly actually. The only time I actually smell exhaust when driving is if I romp on it pretty good.

I went to an exhaust/muffler shop and the guy said I don't have an exhaust leak. He said I need to extend my tail pipe. (I don't think thats the issue). My tail pipe ends right at the rear end, and has a down tip (not sure what thats called?) on it.

Any ideas???

Thanks in advance guys,

Charlene
 
Skandocious

Skandocious

Post Whores Make Me Sick
19,076
655
California
I've tried to help you with this before Charlene, it's pretty tough. The only hole from outside to the inside of the cab that would be big enough SHOULD be the vents... Yeah there's sometimes holes in the firewall but they're very small and probably wouldn't let enough exhaust through to stink up the cab... So the vents would be the first place I'd look...

Try getting a friend in the car and have them put their nose right in the vents when you romp on the gas (with the air on, of course). If they can definitely smell the exhaust coming through the vents then I would venture to say you've got an exhaust leak somewhere in the engine compartment and possibly a hole in your blower box that's drawing air from the engine compartment...

Could very possibly be a warped passenger exhaust manifold. That's a fairly common problem on these trucks.
 
redneckgrl

redneckgrl

355
12
Southern Oregon
Skandocious said:
The only hole from outside to the inside of the cab that would be big enough SHOULD be the vents... Yeah there's sometimes holes in the firewall but they're very small and probably wouldn't let enough exhaust through to stink up the cab... So the vents would be the first place I'd look...

Try getting a friend in the car and have them put their nose right in the vents when you romp on the gas (with the air on, of course).
Click to expand...

It doesn't make a difference whether the vents are open or closed or the air on or off.
 
Skandocious

Skandocious

Post Whores Make Me Sick
19,076
655
California
redneckgrl said:
It doesn't make a difference whether the vents are open or closed or the air on or off.
Click to expand...
Jeez... That's strange. So it sounds to me like your best bet is going to be a smoke test... Find somewhere local that's got a smoke machine and use it. Run the truck up to speed and you'll see where the smoke is leaking out of your exhaust system. If you've got a dump at the rear axle there ain't no way its creeping back to the cab from there, you've got a leak somewhere.
 

NeXtras

973
11
your catalytic may be shot. If it is it will reek! Cats smell bad when here gone or going, and if you only smell it when u mash the gas, it sounds like its the cat. more gas=more exhaust, more exhaust through the cat, the more it will smell
 
Fellro

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
7,953
361
Iowa County, Iowa
I have a cracked manifold on the passenger side, which is right in front of the air box... the air box pulls out of the cowl and passenger fender, so I would concentrate on that area. Should be a little bit of a black mark, not as bad as a diesel, but a little bit, to show where the leak is.
 

Brian_B

blank
6,833
84
Mountain Home, AR
The most common leaks are as where Fellro mentioned. Cracked exhaust manifolds. I have also seen them leak where the Y-pipe bolts to the manifolds or even against the block (gaskets).

If the smell is more like rotten eggs...I would suggest the catalytic converter (as mentioned above.). After you smell what you do...take a look at it and see if it is hot (seen them glow red if real bad).

Then again...on an 87...you probably don't have one still (if a guy owned it at one point in time).

I do not like the exhaust dumping under a vehicle. If you sit in traffic a lot...the exhaust will rust out the underside of the bed. My uncles (other brand) rusted out right over the exhaust pipe. The rest of the bed was solid.

EDIT: My 56 was dumped right in front of the rear axle when I bought it. As soon as I got tires on it (drivable), into the exhaust shop it went. 30 minutes and $30 later...it comes out behind the rear fender where it was factory. Rust would not be a huge issue, but the bed wood would not like the exhaust under there.
 
Last edited:
redneckgrl

redneckgrl

355
12
Southern Oregon
Brian_B said:
The most common leaks are as where Fellro mentioned. Cracked exhaust manifolds. I have also seen them leak where the Y-pipe bolts to the manifolds or even against the block (gaskets).

If the smell is more like rotten eggs...I would suggest the catalytic converter (as mentioned above.). After you smell what you do...take a look at it and see if it is hot (seen them glow red if real bad).

Then again...on an 87...you probably don't have one still (if a guy owned it at one point in time).

I do not like the exhaust dumping under a vehicle. If you sit in traffic a lot...the exhaust will rust out the underside of the bed. My uncles (other brand) rusted out right over the exhaust pipe. The rest of the bed was solid.

EDIT: My 56 was dumped right in front of the rear axle when I bought it. As soon as I got tires on it (drivable), into the exhaust shop it went. 30 minutes and $30 later...it comes out behind the rear fender where it was factory. Rust would not be a huge issue, but the bed wood would not like the exhaust under there.
Click to expand...

It doesn't smell like rotten eggs. And the truck actually has 2 cats.

Question - If there is cracked exhaust manifolds, wouldn't you hear the leak?
 

95F350XL

Master Junk Tech
3,000
49
Belle Mead NJ
You should hear a small tick, sometimes it isnt lound enough to hear. When I did the head gasket on my brothers Talon the exhaust manifold was all cracked and you never heard anything. Id do the smoke test as Chris said.
 
andym

andym

Real men are fanatics
604
33
Roseville, CA
Where exactly does the exhaust exit? Do you have a cap on your truck?
 

Brian_B

blank
6,833
84
Mountain Home, AR
redneckgrl said:
.....Question - If there is cracked exhaust manifolds, wouldn't you hear the leak?
Click to expand...

I can honestly say...I seriously doubt I would ever hear a small leak. :rolling laugh:


Long time members know why I am saying that. smilietease


Now...other people probably would hear it just fine.
 

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