Exhaust Smell is Rough!

Dakota · Oct 2, 2010

For the first time in years, I have a top on my rig (Bestop). After being really super pleased with the fit of the top (I recommend it), I took her out for a spin.

Wow, the exhaust smell is strong in the cab. I have an intact exhaust system, so there is no leak under the truck. The tailgate seal is not perfect on the top, is all that smell circling back up the rear of the truck and coming in that crack?

When I drive it now, my clothes reek when I am done. Thoughts from the peanut gallery?

NYLES · Oct 2, 2010

wheres it routed? out the back?

rmfreeze · Oct 2, 2010

I had to seal the Bestop to the top of the tailgate before i got the smell down (exhaust routed out the back). Running it out the side would be better. You could always put a catalytic convertor on it. ;D

Dakota · Oct 2, 2010

It is routed out the back, cut off right next to fuel tank back side.

NYLES · Oct 2, 2010

seal up the back seals really well or turn it out the side, that full top rolls and sucks the exhaust round and round the rear of the truck and itll find a way in.

blue bronco66 · Oct 2, 2010

i have the same problem. i routed my exhaust out the sides, its alittle better but i too still reek of exaust when i get out of my truck.i dont even want to put my kids in it for fear of poisoning them.thinking bout dual cats but i dont want to cut my horsepower

DirtDonk · Oct 2, 2010

Close off the stake pockets too. They're a straight route for the exhaust to take right up into the cab no matter how well everything else is sealed.
If you're never going to have a hard top on again, you can even use moderately expanding foam. But whatever you do, seal it good.

Obviously too, any gaps in the top near the rear need to be handled somehow. I was going to sew little flaps on to my Kayline where the zipper ended because they left too much open space there.

Until then, run with the sides rolled up or removed so you don't get all that crap in your lungs. After all, even you young'uns only have one set of lungs in your account.

Paul

Dakota · Oct 2, 2010

I thought I may have been off my rocker on this post, but you guys come through again! I am going to seal the crap out of my stake pockets. I just loosened and raised the tailgate too, to make that seal a bit tighter.

Maybe I will just caulk the thing shut!

Thanks for all inputs!

farzadmip · Oct 2, 2010

Just a friendly howdy neighbor, what part of SoDak you from?

blubuckaroo · Oct 3, 2010

A good tune-up and proper jetting will help a lot. I was getting a bit with my rear hatch open. I went one step leaner on the metering rods and it helped a lot.

John Marinan · Oct 3, 2010

Pipes straight out the back are a problem on any vehicle with a deep trunk or a tailgate. Turn them out just behind the rear wheels.

nabes68 · Oct 26, 2010

What about turn downs mine is to the side and it still gets in the cab somehow I was thinking about a turndown after my mufflers

DirtDonk · Oct 26, 2010

Nope, not going to help. Not much anyway. That gas has to go somewhere, and it just gets all turbulated (today's new scientific term) all around under there. If you have your exhaust routed anywhere under the truck, it's going to find it's way up to you somewhere.
A hole in the floor, the stake pockets, a leaky gasket or open window, etc. It may or may not do it constantly, but under the right circumstances, it's going to come in.
Same for out the sides ahead of the wheels. Not quite as bad, but the exhaust just loves to hang along the side of the truck and suck up inside any opening in the rear corner.
The only way to reduce it to a more manageable level is out the sides BEHIND the tire(s). Even that's not a guarantee of course, but depending on the angle, it's the best solution so far.

Turn-downs have another negative. If you wheel the rig, you'll be sitting there waiting for someone to get moving, or just going super slow on a trail, and if it's dirty or dusty, you're going to be churning up a nice cloud of trail into the air.
Great for the YouTube video, but not so fun for the camera operator. Or your spotter!

If you run open all the time, it's not a big issue. You will still get an occasional whiff, but not as bad as when you're running a full top. The air currents are just against you.
Big-rig stacks anyone?

Paul

orangecrush4u · Oct 27, 2010

I have the same issue bad exhaust when the windows are open and kinda rough when the tops off. I do have turn downs and hate them. I plan on having the exhaust run out the back and behind the wheels

bfluegel · Oct 27, 2010

My PO had pipes straight out the back, no cat. No problem while it was topless. After I put on a hardtop and moved it home, 6000 feet higher elevation, it became a gas chamber on wheels. Rejetting helped a lot, and diligent weatherstripping helped some. Plugging the stake holes helped a bit, too. None of those compared to rerouting the exhaust out the sides behind the wheels. That first drive home after picking it up from the muffler shop, I would have happily paid them anything.

orangecrush4u · Oct 27, 2010

Sounds good to me, will try to get a price soon

ObscureMachine · Oct 27, 2010

When I bought mine, the exhaust exited to the side behind the wheels, but they were too short, which meant that the pipe ended about and inch and a half INSIDE the edge of the body. Plus there was an exhaust leak from the drivers side muffler. And, there was no passenger side vent under the hood, and anything that leaked on the engine, got hot, then came into the cab. I think it took 4 years off my life.

nabes68 · Oct 29, 2010

Mine is turned out in back of rear tire still bad I was thinking about running out the side like it is but at the end turn them down a bit just to reflect the exhaust

av bronco · Oct 29, 2010

I had mine out the right rear corner and it was killing me, just routed it out to behind the right rear tire, about 6 inches diffrence, worlds better.

nabes68 · Nov 4, 2010

i was thinking turn downs after it leaves the side after the tires just put a 45 at the end or something might help when i build mine i will try it out i have a 68 with a 302 with edelbrock efi kit going to run 2 1/4 with not sure on mufflers yet any thoughts? kinda in the same subject

Exhaust Smell is Rough!

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