Exhaust or engine heat through floor
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Exhaust or engine heat through floor
I just purchased a 72 convertible and I love the car accept:
1. A lot of engine hot air enters seating area down by the feet. (Both sides) open floor vent (levers by the radio) helps but doesn't eliminate the heat coming in.
2. clothes smell like exhaust after driving the car for 15 minutes.
3. Eyes burn slightly after driving car for 15 minutes. But I drove the car with a house hold CO detector (placed in various places) and nothing detected.
All these items are with top down..Gotta be something wrong right? My wife won't drive in it because of the slight exhaust smell. I have the LT-1 engine.
Is this a common 1972 problem. I don't want to drive the car if I will always smell like engine after driving it.
Please help
1. A lot of engine hot air enters seating area down by the feet. (Both sides) open floor vent (levers by the radio) helps but doesn't eliminate the heat coming in.
2. clothes smell like exhaust after driving the car for 15 minutes.
3. Eyes burn slightly after driving car for 15 minutes. But I drove the car with a house hold CO detector (placed in various places) and nothing detected.
All these items are with top down..Gotta be something wrong right? My wife won't drive in it because of the slight exhaust smell. I have the LT-1 engine.
Is this a common 1972 problem. I don't want to drive the car if I will always smell like engine after driving it.
Please help
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 721
From: Lafayette Louisiana
Congratulations!
Congratulations and welcome to C3 world!
Hot feet is a common problem, do a search here, lots of solutions to improve. Do them all and you will see a big improvement.
Gas/exhaust smell, might be running rich, exhaust leak ect, lots of sources.
I suggest you check with somebody knowledgeable about C3's in your area like NCRS member, local Corvette clubs so forth and take your Corvette by and get them to take a look. You might have to buy them a case of beer or some nominal money, but you will get some great advice. Also you will get to meet some great similar minded people and meet some new friends. Also enter your Corvette in a local car show, do not worry if it is perfect or not, we go to have fun and not to get trophies. You will meet some great people and get to trade questions and ideas.
This forum is the best, so you have come to the right place.
Have fun! and hope this helps.
Hot feet is a common problem, do a search here, lots of solutions to improve. Do them all and you will see a big improvement.
Gas/exhaust smell, might be running rich, exhaust leak ect, lots of sources.
I suggest you check with somebody knowledgeable about C3's in your area like NCRS member, local Corvette clubs so forth and take your Corvette by and get them to take a look. You might have to buy them a case of beer or some nominal money, but you will get some great advice. Also you will get to meet some great similar minded people and meet some new friends. Also enter your Corvette in a local car show, do not worry if it is perfect or not, we go to have fun and not to get trophies. You will meet some great people and get to trade questions and ideas.
This forum is the best, so you have come to the right place.
Have fun! and hope this helps.
Last edited by 20mercury; Sep 15, 2013 at 05:51 PM.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
20mercury,
Thanks for your post. Because the CO detector gave no indication of CO I assume its safe to drive. I didn't think that maybe it's running too rich. If it is that would certainly add to the smell of the heat coming in from the floor boards right? Maybe that's what bothers the eyes? I'm going to try everything I can to reduce the engine heat entering the car. I wonder if this engine heat was normal when they were new?
Anyways thanks for the advice
jac23
Thanks for your post. Because the CO detector gave no indication of CO I assume its safe to drive. I didn't think that maybe it's running too rich. If it is that would certainly add to the smell of the heat coming in from the floor boards right? Maybe that's what bothers the eyes? I'm going to try everything I can to reduce the engine heat entering the car. I wonder if this engine heat was normal when they were new?
Anyways thanks for the advice
jac23
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,053
Likes: 166
From: Milford Michigan
I'm soon coming out with a woven sock that will slide over an exhaust pipe & will follow any contour - kind of like a hockey sock. It's woven out of fiberglass & basalt & can take any kind of heat, plus you can stretch it to go over even a 4" pipe. It reduces radiant heat 50%, & since it is woven, it allows a hot pipe to cool down, unlike heat wraps. International & Mitsubishi trucks already are using this product on pipe assemblies, but they cannot service these sleeves by themselves. These sleeves are absolutely kick-a$$, and they are made in the USA. I'm planning on offering them in 20" lengths.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 644
From: Lincoln, CA
As for smell, eyes and cloths stinking give it a good tuneup.
Have the carburetor dialed in and if needed rebuilt. Remember these are not low emission cars, so they do smell much more then a modern car.
My car is dialed in perfectly and the wife still asks why the exhaust is so strong.
Many threads on the heat issue, including added valves to the hoses which feed the heater core.
There were some factory heat deflectors but they may be missing or damaged like the Shifter Tunnel Insulation Collar.
Have the carburetor dialed in and if needed rebuilt. Remember these are not low emission cars, so they do smell much more then a modern car.
My car is dialed in perfectly and the wife still asks why the exhaust is so strong.
Many threads on the heat issue, including added valves to the hoses which feed the heater core.
There were some factory heat deflectors but they may be missing or damaged like the Shifter Tunnel Insulation Collar.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 721
From: Lafayette Louisiana
Hmmm....
20mercury,,
Thanks for your post. Because the CO detector gave no indication of CO I assume its safe to drive. I didn't think that maybe it's running too rich. If it is that would certainly add to the smell of the heat coming in from the floor boards right? Maybe that's what bothers the eyes? I'm going to try everything I can to reduce the engine heat entering the car. I wonder if this engine heat was normal when they were new?
Anyways thanks for the advice
jac23
Thanks for your post. Because the CO detector gave no indication of CO I assume its safe to drive. I didn't think that maybe it's running too rich. If it is that would certainly add to the smell of the heat coming in from the floor boards right? Maybe that's what bothers the eyes? I'm going to try everything I can to reduce the engine heat entering the car. I wonder if this engine heat was normal when they were new?
Anyways thanks for the advice
jac23
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 45
From: Cameron Park CA
Sorry A-U, but I have to disagree with you. There should be no heat coming into the interior of the car. I drove my '69 a couple of hundred miles yesterday in 90+ degree heat. My carpet and insulation dates to the early seventies. With the heater controls off, I get no heat from the heater box. In fact, I reached down to feel for hot air because I recalled the complaints I have read about on this forum. Hot coolant circulates through the heater core my car at all times - no valves in the heater hoses.
I had the driver floor vent open, and the passenger dash vent open directed at me. Other than the ambient temp, I was not uncomfortable, no heat came into the passenger compartment.
So..... For the OP, I would check the air door, and the temp door in the heater box. With the heater off, there should be no air, hot or otherwise coming into the car.
This assumes there aren't any air leaks through the firewall and floor.
Exhaust smell tells me you have an exhaust leak.
These cars are old but if set up like they left the factory they should not leak hot smelly air into,the passenger compartment.
Pete
I had the driver floor vent open, and the passenger dash vent open directed at me. Other than the ambient temp, I was not uncomfortable, no heat came into the passenger compartment.
So..... For the OP, I would check the air door, and the temp door in the heater box. With the heater off, there should be no air, hot or otherwise coming into the car.
This assumes there aren't any air leaks through the firewall and floor.
Exhaust smell tells me you have an exhaust leak.
These cars are old but if set up like they left the factory they should not leak hot smelly air into,the passenger compartment.
Pete
Last edited by PeteZO6; Sep 16, 2013 at 12:00 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
I have a 70 convertible which used to have same smell issues.Never knew if smell was coming from the engine area or coming into the cabin from the exit of my exhaust. My mechanic said he thought it was recirculating from the exhaust and I would have to live with it. A friend of mine did pretty extensive adjustments to my carb and the problem is 95% better. On a hot day after rapidly slowing or stopping I get a little exhaust return from the end of the tailpipe.Clothes don't smell like gas or exhaust anymore and my eyes don't burn anymore. Still hot, hot, hot.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
Sorry A-U, but I have to disagree with you. There should be no heat coming into the interior of the car. I drove my '69 a couple of hundred miles yesterday in 90+ degree heat. My carpet and insulation dates to the early seventies. With the heater controls off, I get no heat from the heater box. In fact, I reached down to feel for hot air because I recalled the complaints I have read about on this forum. Hot coolant circulates through the heater core my car at all times - no valves in the heater hoses.
I had the driver floor vent open, and the passenger dash vent open directed at me. Other than the ambient temp, I was not uncomfortable, no heat came into the passenger compartment.
So..... For the OP, I would check the air door, and the temp door in the heater box. With the heater off, there should be no air, hot or otherwise coming into the car.
This assumes there aren't any air leaks through the firewall and floor.
Exhaust smell tells me you have an exhaust leak.
These cars are old but if set up like they left the factory they should not leak hot smelly air into,the passenger compartment.
Pete
I had the driver floor vent open, and the passenger dash vent open directed at me. Other than the ambient temp, I was not uncomfortable, no heat came into the passenger compartment.
So..... For the OP, I would check the air door, and the temp door in the heater box. With the heater off, there should be no air, hot or otherwise coming into the car.
This assumes there aren't any air leaks through the firewall and floor.
Exhaust smell tells me you have an exhaust leak.
These cars are old but if set up like they left the factory they should not leak hot smelly air into,the passenger compartment.
Pete
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 45
From: Cameron Park CA
Hey Pete, are you running hedders or stock exhaust manifold? I have ceramic coated hedders and often wonder if that is the source of my heat problem. Have asked the hedder vs. stock manifold heat question here a couple of times. Got varying opinions but no consensus. Don't know if OP has hedders or stock,
Pete
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Sorry A-U, but I have to disagree with you. There should be no heat coming into the interior of the car. I drove my '69 a couple of hundred miles yesterday in 90+ degree heat. My carpet and insulation dates to the early seventies. With the heater controls off, I get no heat from the heater box. In fact, I reached down to feel for hot air because I recalled the complaints I have read about on this forum. Hot coolant circulates through the heater core my car at all times - no valves in the heater hoses.
I had the driver floor vent open, and the passenger dash vent open directed at me. Other than the ambient temp, I was not uncomfortable, no heat came into the passenger compartment.
So..... For the OP, I would check the air door, and the temp door in the heater box. With the heater off, there should be no air, hot or otherwise coming into the car.
This assumes there aren't any air leaks through the firewall and floor.
Exhaust smell tells me you have an exhaust leak.
These cars are old but if set up like they left the factory they should not leak hot smelly air into,the passenger compartment.
Pete
I had the driver floor vent open, and the passenger dash vent open directed at me. Other than the ambient temp, I was not uncomfortable, no heat came into the passenger compartment.
So..... For the OP, I would check the air door, and the temp door in the heater box. With the heater off, there should be no air, hot or otherwise coming into the car.
This assumes there aren't any air leaks through the firewall and floor.
Exhaust smell tells me you have an exhaust leak.
These cars are old but if set up like they left the factory they should not leak hot smelly air into,the passenger compartment.
Pete
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,601
Likes: 7,046
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
I just joined the forum....but my '36 truck didn't have a fume or hot air in the cab until I installed the A/C and added a couple holes in the firewall for accessory wiring.....
Like the members said....Sealing up all firewall air leaks is a MUST! Then focus on exhaust leaks.......
OOOOps....I said that in reverse.....fix exhaust leaks first.....so you'll be alive to seal the firewall!
(and if it came stock with a "smog pump" make sure the aggravating thing is working properly....even though I can't stand them---with a good cat(s), they work better than Murine!)
Like the members said....Sealing up all firewall air leaks is a MUST! Then focus on exhaust leaks.......
OOOOps....I said that in reverse.....fix exhaust leaks first.....so you'll be alive to seal the firewall!
(and if it came stock with a "smog pump" make sure the aggravating thing is working properly....even though I can't stand them---with a good cat(s), they work better than Murine!)