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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Exhaust niff

My top has been down for weeks until today when a spot of rain made me put the top up.

Immediately I noticed that the exhaust smell was gone. So I must be getting exhaust gasses coming from the rear of the car into the cockpit when the top is down.

Is this to do with the length of the tail pipe? There are no exhaust leaks and also I have not changed the exhaust since having the car. (If it ain't broke don't fix it).

Any suggestions most welcome as the missus always says the car smells of exhaust and I must just have got used to it.
Dave Squire

Not heard that before.
Sounds more like a leak - have you tried putting your hand, very briefly, over the tail pipe and listening for leaks in the system?
Jeremy Tickle

I had similair recently. Also persuaded myself it was coming from the rear and bought a stainless trim piece to push it out further - but made no difference

In the end I found a tiny (almost imperctible at idle) leak at the joint beetwen LCB and Pipe under the passenger floor.
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

on the other side of the coin, dad's midget did this and a little extender piece on the tail pipe mended it...
Rob Armstrong

perhaps drive in forward and alot less in reverse

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

just go faster and keep infront off it
mark 1500 on the road Preston Lancs

if your tail doesn't stick out far enough you'll see the film of soiling over your paint, unless there's already too much other soiling there

smell is often from running over rich or engine putting some of the engine oil out of the back, or perhaps your over rich in ZZ Top or running Castrol R

if your g/f mentions it also gives her headaches then check it out as although carbon monoxide doesn't smell it will give you headaches or worse

also something to check, gear lever seal (and vinyl cover gaiter if fitted) as it might be letting in smells as well as hot or cold air and more noises
Nigel Atkins

I had exactly this problem with a bmw e30 shape. New exhaust and manifold. Open the window, and got gassed from exhaust fumes. I had two of these models, with "identical" bmw original part exhaust systems, and only one of them did it. I never worked out why. I tried various lengths of tail pipe but couldn't cure it.

In the end, I figured there must be a leak somewhere that I just couldn't find. At first it didn't bother me much, but after a while, I felt sick driving the car. However my passengers rarely noticed it, which seemed odd. But then I came to the conclusion, that the more you are exposed, the more sensitive you become, until you notice even the slightest whiff of exhaust.

My solution was to sell the car. :).

Lawrence Slater

Thanks chaps,

I will try extender first. My tail pipe finishes a good 3" short of the rear edge of the rubber bumper at the back. If that's not it I will crawl under and around and carry out tests as suggested.

Cheers, Dave
Dave Squire

This thread was discussed between 05/08/2014 and 06/08/2014

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