I have made a thead about this before but I never really found anything out so I figured I would try again. When I roll my windows down in my car I get a pretty heavy exhaust smell in the cabin. I have to roll the windows all the way down or else it is pretty unbearable. What would cause this? Also when I turn the car off and get out I smell a very heavy exhaust odor. Anyone have this problem? What was it?

The exhaust on my car is an after market Y-pipe, a 3 year old Catco High flow cat, custom 2.5" piping with a magna flow resinator and muffler.

 

If you're smelling raw fuel burned, and not catalyzed from the converter (sulfur), I would bet you have a pre-cat leak.

I have no cats, so I learned to live with the smell. I can tell if I'm lean or rich by the scent.

 

It does not really smell like sulfer (rotten eggs), I really don't know how to describe it...it just is a really strong exhaust smell.

I have no cats in my 98 maxima and I do not have this problem.

 

Then that means your 98 doesn't have any exhaust leaks, and your current car does have one pre main cat.

 

so either the y-pipe to exhaust manifold or where the y-pipe bolts to the cat?

 

Yeah, while you're under there, check all 3 mounting points of the ypipe. Only takes an extra minute. But more than likely it's where the ypipe joins the cat.

What's the condition and age of the gaskets?

 

I have the y mounted to either side of the exhaust manifold then I have a rod welded on close to the junction of the Y and cat to fit in the exhaust hanger. The gaskets are pretty new, but I do remember that the rear section was really trying to pull away from the Y when it was in all of the exhaust hangers. I am racing the car tonight but I will try to take a look this weekend or early next week.

 

I am going to bring this back up to the top, since I just changed my exhaust and I am still having this smell, when I crack the window. While I put on my new cat back I pulled my y pipe off as well and put new gaskets on that, and I used all new gaskets on the cat back. What else can cause this? Could the EGR be venting in the engine bay? I have a EGR flow code that keeps poping up on my CEL....could this mean something? What about the carcole canister...could that be full? I thought that gave off the sent of raw gas though. Any help would be appreciated I would like to be able to put my windows down with out smelling exhaust.

 

I have this exhaust smell also and I know exactly what you're saying. I have a cattmann Y and Catback and I noticed it again today. After I was driving for 10 minutes and stopped in front of his house, he opened his rear passenger door and I could smell it. I know what you're trying to describe as far as what it smells like and I smell the same thing. I also notice it when I pull into my garage face first...and my exhaust is really at the end towards the outside (only 6 inches to a foot inside the garage).

 

Do you have any known exhaust problems? What about EGR?

 

any ideas?

 

If all else fails raise the car and start it . Then maybe you can see the leak if you have one.

 

it's already been on a lift. I don't have an obvious exhaust leak. We have covered the tail pipe and exahust smoke did not come out of anywhere. I have been getting this smell with what every exahust set up I use. I am currently on my second y pipe and stock cat back, and I get the smell. Before that I was on a different Y pipe and an aftermarket cat back and I was getting the smell. It's a pretty strong exhaust smell when the window is cracked, its not just a minor smell, it's very noticiable.

 

my cat goes 'meow meow'

just kidding. so if you've changed different y's, maybe there's a leak either before the headers or where the headers join the y. those locations would not be immediately noticeable when looking under the car because, well, they aren't under the car.
and the smell would be..... in front of the firewall, hmm i would do more investigating and get back to us on what else you find.

 

I have a 1995 maxima, I have headers on it, lately the car started to make this ticking noise, so I took it to the mechanic and he said that it sounds like a bad lifter, today when I was heading to work the car started to make this wierd sound like pap pap pap it sounds like the subaru boxer engine, which isnt normal in a max, could this be an exhaust leak? please help

 

make five more posts and you can make your own thread. Sure, that could be an exhaust leak.

 

Thanks, I will take it to my mechanic, so he can check it out.

 

i get the same thing with exhaust work too and it seems to me like we are all running rich..really rich.... i know my car is and i got stillen y, megan racing hiflow cat,
stillen B, and greddy sp muffler
straight pipe= running very rich unless u tune your car

 

Best way I've found to check for an exhaust leak...Seafoam.

 

My car is tuned with a VAFCII.

I guess I will try the seafoam thing. I really don't know where I could have an exhaust leak.