Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999
Dear Glenn,
I'd just like to introduce myself and tell you that I have been a regular visitor to your website since acquiring my latest toy - a shiny red '71 P1800E. The car looks great, and there seems little mechanically wrong with the vehicle other than the usual minor oil leaks, etc., that you'd expect from a nearly 30-year-old machine.
However.... When driving with the windows up, the interior of the car gets very "fumey" (if that's a real word). The smell is very reminiscent of an old Volkswagen I owned many years ago: A heady mix of oil and gasoline that in small amounts I find comforting, but this a little too much of a good thing. I've checked the exhaust system and it looks to be in good condition all the way through, so I don't think that's the problem. Do you have any ideas or is this fairly normal?
Cheers,
Jamie Thompson
Jamie - There are a few things I would look for to eliminate fumes in the interior of your '71. First, double-check the engine compartment for exhaust leaks. With the engine running, look for leaks where the exhaust manifold bolts to the head and where the headpipes bolt to the manifold. You can also use a mechanic's stethoscope to listen around these joints, but of course be careful not to burn your hands.
Another likely culprit is the PCV system. Check the hose running from the oil filler cap to the manifold and make sure it is snug. Same for the hose to the flame trap on the side of the engine. Also check the hoses that go to the expansion tank for gas vapors. Most of these hoses are shown in the Haynes manual on page 69.
Various sources of gasoline leaks are: hoses to fuel injectors (tighten clamps and/or replace hoses); other fuel hoses in engine compartment and to/from fuel pump; leaks in gas tank (usually on top where the filler neck joins the tank).
Check the hood seal and replace it if necessary. Engine fumes can flow from the rear of the engine compartment into the fresh air vent if the seal is bad.
To further reduce fumes, check all the grommets in the firewall and replace any that are not doing the job. If it is very difficult to remove the hoses and linkages that pass through the firewall, you can use a suitable automotive putty to seal them.
I urge you not to drive the car with the windows sealed until you have eliminated the fumes. Occasionally catching a whiff of something petroleum-based is not uncommon with these cars, but fumes should not be noticeable most of the time, and definitely should not build up when the windows are closed. For your safety, I recommend leaving the passenger side window rolled down a couple of inches to vent fumes away from you. -Glenn.
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