Boot weatherstripping

[Green67Alpine]

Sure smells like exhaust fumes, I've re- checked (a few times) fuel leaks on the manifold which were there when first setting up the engine but I believe that problem has been solved. As far as a poor seal on the headers I did use the "crushable " gaskets although not the extra bottom bolt. I'll be under the car soon as it's time for an oil change , of course there's an oil leak or two and I can see where it's been on the exhaust, the smell is more exhaust than oil burning off hot pipes. With the top down/off fumes are not a problem. After the oil change and I get the top back on a trip to the exhaust shop appears to be on the schedule.
Thanks again for the tips and ideas to help track this issue down.
Tom j

 

[Jay Laifman]

I must be the lucky one.... No fumes or odors with or without the hard top. Only rarely a whiff of exhaust with no top

Same.

That small upper crossover tube that Bill mentions is a common issue. I also had a fume leak at the joint into the filler cap downpipe - the joint itself was bad not the tube. And when I restored the car and decided to change the rubber tubes between the tanks and the lower crossover tube, I had one of those leaking for a while. Should have left it alone!

But, is there also a possibility that the exhaust itself is perhaps extra smelly? Could the rings or valve guides be worn that a lot of oil is burning in the exhaust itself? Does it happen with the windows up and down? Is it while in motion or at idle?

Before making all those cut outs to seal off the trunk, maybe use some plastic sheeting and wide masking tape to temporarily seal it. See if it is still happening. Oh I see Mike already suggested just taping the trunk itself.

Just seems to me that first for exhaust to get past the seal around the trunk lid itself, then in through the soft top area, with either metal doors or the vinyl cover, there's not going to be a lot of smoke that is going to get through there.

 

[Asm109]

went so far as to replace the rubber hose that runs from top to tank to top of tank with copper tube.
Bill

Did you run the tubing through the same channel as the rubber hose? I have had thoughts about doing the same. Old rubber with Ethanol laced gasoline is not a happy combo.

 

[DanR]

Old rubber

Just replace the old stuff....

 

[Shannon Boal]

I pressurized my fuel tank with a hand pump from HF and a big rubber stopper from a home-brewing supply (they have a size that fits the water cooler five gallon bottles, about that size for tank filer). Then I sprayed soap suds and looked for bubbles. That located a leaking tank sender gasket (my alpine has a VDO sender) https://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use-transfer-pump-63144.html If you could pressurize the trunk with a hair dryer or something maybe find leaks with car wash soap suds.....

 

[Bill Blue]

We finally decided that our exhaust fumes occurred while driving slowly with the wind. The wind was literally blowing our exhaust into the car!
I decided that snaking the copper tube to follow the path of the original hose would be impossible. So I elected to bend the tube into a "U" shape that ran the tube forward, then across the trunk, then back to the tank. I fabricated straps to hang the tube in place and isolated it from the worst of the vibrations. It does not touch the body and I used short lengths of quality gasoline hose as connectors.

Bill

 

[puff4]

I must be the lucky one.... No fumes or odors with or without the hard top. Only rarely a whiff of exhaust with no top

I don't get any smells either. I used to smell gasoline, but I replaced the upper tank-to-tank vent hose ages ago - it had been perforated when a DPO drilled the rear valence during a new soft top installation.

 

[bulldurham]

The next thing I would look at is the intake to head seals.

 

[Green67Alpine]

Well I don't have a fuel smell in the cabin, the cross over pipe is metal (its painted so I can't tell what type.) I've installed the shock top rubber covers( thanks a ton Steve) but the hard top is off so until we put it back on there's no fume problems.
Again I'd like to thank everyone who chimed in with thoughts and ideas about my car problem, after the hardtop is re-installed I'll report back with the results
Tom j