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Triumph TR6 - Does anyone else smell exhaust all the time?

Top up top down,windows up or down, I always smell exhaust. My exhaust pipes exit the rear of the car and jut out from the bumper by 1 inch.Is this something
just with Triumphs?
Christopher Trace

Check that it's not an oil leak from the valve cover running down to the exhaust manifold.
Brent B

I do! Smell exhaust all the time, that is. My 1971 TR6 is real new to me and this has been a concern. I think it is leaking a little oil somewhere and that is contributing to it. But, man, what a blast to drive! My other car, right now, is a 2 year old Corvette--faster, slicker, etc, but not nearly as much fun to drive. I had an MGB in college and then a Jensen Healey later on and I think these LBC's just get into your blood. If it's raining, or I have to go a long way, or get there on time, it's the Vette or my wife's SUV, but if I'm chilling, it's definitely the TR6!
JohnB

In a word: yes. But its not necessarily an indication of a leaky exhaust. Oil dripping onto the manifold, differential lub onto the muffler, tranny oil onto the pipes cold all be part of the problem. And in these cars, 'if it isn't leaking oil, its out of oil'.
Bryn

Burning oil and exhaust fumes smell different to me. I too frequently get a whif of oil being vaporized by the hot pipes. Are you sure your manifold is secure and not cracked? Are your pipes from the manifold back without holes and securely plumbed-in?

Rick O.
Rick Orthen

I also have the "exhaust smell problem". My exhaust system doesn't leak - but I believe the exhaust fumes are being pulled back from the exhaust tips into the cockpit by the air flow when you're driving. I think???

I read that when the car is rolling there is airflow coming from the back. One of these days I will try to experiment by putting a piece of plexiglass behind the seats to try to restrict the airflow.

But for now, I just wear the exhaust smell on my clothes as a badge of Tr6 courage.

Aivars Berzins
Aivars Berzins

That nice flat back works something like a vaccum. If you look at present day wind tunnel and smoke tests of vehicles there is air traveling past the car over the rear fenders and a small draft going with the car actualy up the back across the center of trunk and towards the seats. Real strong with windows closed and back window unzipped.

Anyone with a half ton can test this by opening the back slider with the windows mostly rolled up at highway speed and duck all the litter from the bed floor blasting in around your ears.

I don't know how the windbreak devices like CharlieB made affect? I think they would make it worse though. Let us know Charlie.

Chris the TRs original pipes are off to one side and a bit down allowing air flow past. Yours like mine on the truck are centered and close right in the depression area and I get the same thing.

Bill

Bill Brayford

Chris
This will teach you for having those 2 extra ponnies under the hood.
Maybe it is time to add a spoiler to the boot.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Thanks guys,
Aivars, and Bill I think you are right about the backward suction effect. I know there are no leaks,
no drips, no cracks or untightend bolts.
I'm thinking I will have my muffler man create two
new pipes from the mufflers that will bend almost
at a right angle and will exit just behind the rear wheels but just a couple of inches beoynd the bumper.
That way the wind coming off the side of the car should
pick up the exhaust and carry it away with it.
I just did the trip down to the Roadster Factory summer
party and although I had a great time, the carbon
monoxcide poisioning wasn't much fun.
Christopher Trace

Chris - I missed you at the VTR & Summer Party. Was that you who got the 2nd fastest time at the Drag Strip running 109 mph behind the TR8 who got 112 mph ?

BTW, your e-mail address @primus.ca is not working.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A (Black with red interior), Montreal

Don Elliott

Chris-I have always had a slight trace of exhaust smell in the cockpit and it is stronger in the trunk. It must be coming in around the left tailight or the trunk seal. Unzipping the rear window seems to eliminate the smell in the car. When we travel, I wrap the luggage in a trash bag. Maybe I should carry a canary as a CO detector.
Berry

Berry,
My luggage went in the trunk because it would smell
like exhaust, what I usually smell like, my wife's
went behind the seats, a little more air.
Don, no I was not, alas, second. It was a very humbling
experience. I came eighth in field of twenty three
Triumph drag cars. About half of us that made it to the drag strip before the rain came down were modified.
Me with a 5.1 litre V8, others with V8's, turbo's,
supercharger's and nitro kits.
I don't know who was fastest that night but was probably a metalic turquoise TR8 with with supercharger
and who knows what else, he ran in the low 12's
and had the quickest reaction times.
Les Shocky of the south didn't run well that night
due to a new transmission and probally lack of sleep
with his 11 hour driving stint to make the event.
Les ran that weekend in the mid 12's but has recorded
10.9 seconds in the quarter mile! Astonishing for a
TR6. My best time was mid 14's, but... I had never
draged raced before and all three of my runs were
started in second gear( for some reason I thought
it would be faster?) Next year I'll have some new mods.
and will shoot for low 13's.
I'm sure Don Elliot can back me up on this,
Pennsylvania has some of the best sports car roads in
North America. Superb. Up down turns, twists, combinations, and best of all, we saw three State
Troopers in one thousand miles of Hwy driving.
Thanks to all.
Christopher Trace

I would venture to suggest something is amiss if one smells exhaust inside the car. All of the above is true re tail end suction yet with all my sports cars (and my current favorite 74 6, which, the interior being unfinished, has open space around the shifter) Never a whiff of exhaust, even with a strong tail wind, common here with the eternal Trade Winds.Must be a leak or oil burning somewhere (which really stinks and is especially apparent after a run when you stop.)

Peter 74 TR 6
Peter Gooch

This thread was discussed between 26/08/2003 and 29/08/2003

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