Smelling like fuel and oil after a quick drive?

[BrandonBJ8]

Is it normal to smell like my Healey after each time I drive it? It can just be for a 2 minute ride around the block, but I'll come inside and my wife can smell me from 15 feet away. I don't mind the smell that much, it's just that if I want to go anywhere after driving it (outside of an auto parts store), I need to change clothes and shower. I can also never convice her to come somewhere nice in it (e.g., brunch, dinner, etc.) because of the smell.

Is this just a lovely side-effect or is there something I can fix regarding internal air flow, insulation, etc.?

 

[HEALEYJAG]

Check for exhaust leaks in you system....


Pete

 

[BrandonBJ8]

Good thought. I'll double check but it's been like this for years now and I just re-installed the exhaust since I had to replace the downpipes so I doubt it's the culprit.

 

[red57]

So, What are you smelling? Gasoline, oil, exhaust, or a combination of all three? Top up or top down? Must be overpowering when you drive if your wife notices the smell on you after a 2 minute ride around the block.
If you smell gas, start looking for a leak - fuel pump, lines, carbs.
If you smell oil, start looking for leaks - particularly anywhere oil could drip or run onto something hot like the exhaust manifolds or pipe.
If you smell exhaust, start looking for an exhaust leak, or possibly the positionsing of the ends of the exhaust (there was a forum discussion in the last month or two about exhaust smell in Healeys).
From my experience this is not 'normal'. I drive mine around 5k miles a year and never smell gas or oil and never had a lingering smell on me (at least not that anyone has told me about).

Dave

 

[BrandonBJ8]

The smell is mainly exhaust/fuel. I'll have to recheck the exhaust but I'm pretty sure there wasn't a leak. Outside of where the downpipes connect to the mid-mufflers, what are other areas of leaks that could cause this?

It's hard for me to tell if this is normal or not as I've had this car for 7 years (and my father had it before that) and have always noticed the strong smell.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

... It's hard for me to tell if this is normal or not as I've had this car for 7 years (and my father had it before that) and have always noticed the strong smell.

It's not normal and it's a potential safety issue since you may be breathing carbon monoxide. Ever get a headache if you drive with the hood/top up?

If you're getting a gas smell there may be a leak in your fuel lines, intake system or carburettors. If it's a tiny leak it might evaporate instantly--producing the smell--but you may never see it.

Do you get a lot of popping or backfiring coming down a steep grade or hill in gear? That's one sign of an exhaust leak. It's not uncommon to have leaks at the exhaust manifold-to-downpipe flanges, and Healey exhausts are difficult to get sealed up completely.

Unless they've been replaced, the scuttle (bulkhead) grommets that (sorta) seal the engine compartment may be dry, cracked or nonexistent. That will allow considerable heat as well as fumes into the cockpit.

How well sealed is your gearbox cover?

 

[BrandonBJ8]

I never drive with the top up so I'm not sure how bad it is.

Fuel
I don't have any major fuel leaks but I may have to check for minor ones.

Exhaust
What's the best way to check for exhaust leaks without burning the flesh off your skin? The exhaust gets really hot fast.

I'm not exactly sure what/where the scuttle grommets are so that very well could be a cause. My cockpit does get pretty warm. What should I look for?

I'll check the gearbox cover too. In general, my interior is not in the best condition so I wouldn't be surprised if there's something missing there.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I never drive with the top up so I'm not sure how bad it is.

Fuel
I don't have any major fuel leaks but I may have to check for minor ones.

Exhaust
What's the best way to check for exhaust leaks without burning the flesh off your skin? The exhaust gets really hot fast.

I'm not exactly sure what/where the scuttle grommets are so that very well could be a cause. My cockpit does get pretty warm. What should I look for?

I'll check the gearbox cover too. In general, my interior is not in the best condition so I wouldn't be surprised if there's something missing there.

Next time you drive down a hill or grade leave the car in one higher gear than you normally would (e.g. if it's a 'top/overdrive' hill leave it in fourth). If you get a lot of popping and backfiring you might have exhaust leaks (though there could be other causes like timing or mixture).

The scuttle grommets are the rubber grommets on the firewall--inside the engine bay--that the wiring harness, heater hoses, etc. pass through to get inside the cockpit. You can replace them without taking anything apart by cutting new grommets cleanly at one spot then working them in around the hoses, wires, etc. (best to put the cut side down).

 

[TimK]

I too have an exhaust smell that I notice and my wife detects and makes me change clothes. I believe mine is from too rich a mixture and have acquired a glass spark plug (Gunson Colortune) to try to correct the mixture, but it will have to wait till spring. I have had exhaust leaks in the past at the down pipe connection to the manifold that resulted in the popping/backfire sounds described above. The brass nuts tended to loosen. I have since installed new copper gaskets and tightened the nuts and that problem is solved. I believe most of the smell is coming from the exhaust tips with the top down (99% of my driving is top down).

Shining a light on one side of the fire wall and observing from the other side in the dark will reveal leak paths.

 

[shorn]

Any chance that the carbs are overflowing?
Something stuck in the float jets like rust from the gas tank. Does your fuel pump shut off after several seconds when you turn on the ignition?

 

[tahoe healey]

When you stop the car, check under the engine for overflow via the copper tubes under the manifold. This is kind of normal and that is what the tubes are for. The flash light on the engine compartment will tell you a lot as Timk suggested. You can patch with black silicon sealer without taking the grommets out.

 

[busybrit]

With the engine running block off the exhaust pipes, does it still run ok or does it try and stall out. If it doesn't try n stall u have a exhaust leak. But chances are its a combination of a rich mixture and exhaust leaking.

 

[Healey_Z]

I altered the angle of my exhaust pipes where they exit the car and it reduced the smell considerably.

 

[57_BN4]

Tim K- I loved the smell of your car! It was still in my jumper when I got back home to NZ despite travelling several thousand miles in a suitcase. A mixture of crankcase fumes, hot exhaust manifold and old upholstery. Perfect.

Andy.

 

[TimK]

Tim K- I loved the smell of your car! It was still in my jumper when I got back home to NZ despite travelling several thousand miles in a suitcase. A mixture of crankcase fumes, hot exhaust manifold and old upholstery. Perfect.

Andy.

It was great to share my car with you. I enjoy your posts and look forward to seeing progress on your BN4.

 

[BrandonBJ8]

Tim - I thought that mine was due to running rich as well. I had a Gunson Colortune and used it this weekend. Surprisingly, my carbs were almost spot on. The rear carb was a bit too rich, but only 1/2 turn was all it needed. I'll have to go through and re-check the downpipe to manifold connection. I like the idea of shining a light through the fire wall!

Shorn - I don't think so. Everything appeared to be in pretty good shape. The fuel pump comes on for about 3 seconds and then shuts off.

Tahoe - What exactly am I looking for with the copper tubes?

Healey Z - Did you just bend the pipes so they don't point up as much? Any specific technique used?

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Tim - I thought that mine was due to running rich as well. I had a Gunson Colortune and used it this weekend. Surprisingly, my carbs were almost spot on. The rear carb was a bit too rich, but only 1/2 turn was all it needed. ...

A half-turn on a jet adjusting screw is a fairly large change of mixture setting.

 

[tahoe healey]

There are suppose to be two copper tubes coming from the intake manifold that run down and are mounted to the oil pan and drain below it. It drain the manifold and frequently drips fuel after the engine is off. These tubes are often eliminated on rebuilds so have a look at the Moss diagrams. If you do not see them the are either crimped and cut off or the ports are plugged. Fuel will stay in the manifold if not drained.
TH

 

[glemon]

I don't know, I have owned a bunch of old LBCs, and my wife thought I smelled like "gas and oil" after a drive in any of them, some wives have pretty sensitive noses, bless their hearts.

The cars, even when set to spec and not leaking, are not sealed up (gas tank, carbs) like modern cars, nor is are the emmissions cleaned up.

That being said, I agree that the things to look for are gas leaks, exhaust leaks, too rich a mixture, as any of these will add to the smell, of course I find the smell mildy intoxicating and highly addictive.....

 

[Healey_Z]

I used a pipe as leverage to persuade the exhaust to bend outward, versus inward. It helped quite a bit.