tmak26b

Hey what's up guys. I got a 90 NA with a bonez high flow cat and a RB cat back. I put them on a week ago, but for some reason the car smells when I drive with the sunroof open. I know that is usually signs of exhaust leak, but I am pretty sure that I dont have one since I just put it in last week and I checked to make sure there wasn't one. COuld it be possible that the gfas would come back into the car even if the exhaust dont have a leak? Or did a new leak develop?

Juan

iTrader: (28)

Same thing happens to me. I have rb header, presilencer, hks exhaust and I can smell my fumes when the sunroof is open. I dont know whats up with that. I dont have an exhaust leak either.

Scott 89t2

close it

Felix Wankel

Check the rubber boot around the shifter. If it isn't sealed, the air going past the sunroof will suck exhaust fumes up through the hole.

mazdaspeed7

Thats funny, my car has no cats, and does not smell bad at all when its warmed up.

Mark S

iTrader: (1)

It just means there's a small leak somwhere in the cars cabin. Around the rear lights, or the shifter bushings, rear hatch... it could be anywhere. I just keep mine closed, or open all the winows at the same time.

Even better, go by a GTUs, and you'll never worry about your sunroof again...

RETed

Here's what's happening...

When you open your sunroof, the airflow over the sunroof causes a slight vacuum inside your car!&nbsp Any leaks (especially the rear tailight area) will suck in outside "air", including the exhaust...



-Ted

copandengr

Ted is right on as usual...I have noticed that most rexes have the rubber drain tube missing from the spare tire well. Matter of fact I have never seen what was actually supposed to be there. There is a hole roughly an inch in diameter there. The well hangs down low enough to drag often so the rubber drain thingy (or plug or whatever should be there) is taken off.

Check this and see if it is missing. I glued a rubber plug in the hole to seal it on my 86NA and have not had exhaust fumes in the car since.

Other areas to look at are the drain tube that is attached to the radio antenna and also the drain tubes (one on each side) for the hatch cover. If these tubes are not hooked up or if they are missing they will provide a hole for exhaust to be sucked in as well. The last place to look would be the hatch gasket and then the tail light gaskets.

Do not overlook any hole no matter how small it is.. It takes only an amazingly small hole back there to suck in a world of fumes.

MCLELLANRX7

IF THE EXHAUST IS NEW THAN IT WILL SMELL FOR A WHILE, MY APEX DID FOR 3 DAYS, YOU MAYBE HAVE A LEAK IN THE CABIN TOO

tmak26b

What's a good way to trace the leak? It's kinda hard to check all the stuff that you guys mentioned since it can be really small. Also I noticed on every RX-7. On the rear hatch itself. There is a tap at the lower center part of it, that tap is always busted, making a hole. Could this be the souce of my leak? Or something else?

UniqueTII

The same thing happens with my car...CO makes it a little tough to concentrate on my driving.

copandengr

There is no way to "sniff" a leak with anything sophisticated enough to pin-point it. What is so hard about looking in the bottom of your spare tire well to see if the hole is open? Same thing goes for the drain tube from the radio antenna and the hatch tubes as well. All you need do is get a flashlight and look. You will need to pull the carpeting away to look at the drain tubes.

If there is a gap in the hatch gasket simply tape it up and see if the exhaust still gets into your car. If it stops the smell then you know where it is coming from.

rx7gtu

don't forget sunroof drains. I used compressed air to clear the drains on one of my past cars (some were so blocked that I had to replace them).

tmak26b

I will go check it out, its bloody cold out there. I am thinking it could be my broken tail light too. I have a little hole on my 90 light I might try to tape it up and see if its coming from that

copandengr

You should have mentioned the broken tail light. That is almost certainly where the gasses are seeping in.

tmak26b

I was going to tape it up on my way home. But it was too cold out there. I couldnt even hold onto the tape

RLBRX7

Occasionally I have been noticing what appears to be the exhaust as well. The drain tube on my drivers side hatch was missing when I got the car and when it rained the jack area was getting all wet. So wet the padding and the carpet were soaked. Had to remove the padding so it would dry. I put a new tube in because the water was also laying in the body area where the hatch meets the body and I could see rust possibly beginning. I would agree that any holes in the rear would let the fumes in, but if you plug up the drain tubes the water won't drain out, it will just sit in that area and thats not good.

RLBRX7

I also plugged up the hole in the bottom of the spare tire well. After thinking about this I would not see that fumes could enter thru the hatch drain tubes. After all, there location is outside the hatch molding and with the hatch closed during driving they could not deliver fumes into the car.

Gene

iTrader: (1)

yeah, brand new cats tend to stink. give it a week or two

copandengr

RLBRX7 we are not on the same wavelength regarding the drain tubes. The location of them is indeed outside of the sealing gasket on the hatch. If these tubes are missing, you will have a hole from the outside of the car straight into the rear cargo area and thence into the passenger area. The same goes for the bottom of the tubes not running through the car body to the outside.

Obviously I did not make myself clear here. What I meant regarding the three drain tubes was not to plug them but to make sure they are connected at the top to the opening, and go through the car body at the bottom. If not then there will be an avenue for exhaust to enter the car.

RLBRX7

I did mistake what you were saying. Gotcha now.