Noxious odor, Creeping into my cabin Options

[davidcalvin]

That is.. in my 914. It smells like a solvent or exhaust or something. Its not coming from the engine room er compartment. It not a cleaner or anything. Best I can tell is its coming up through the gap that the heater lever sticks out of.

If I run the fan, I get no smell. Obviously with the top off, I get no smell.

What could this be? I am guessing its exhaust leak from the underside leaking up into the cabin. The gf gets headaches when we ride (she has to have the top on).

Any guesses? Suggestions? Other than riding with the top of :-)

David

[GWN7]

Check for leaks/holes into the passenger compartment. Replace gaskets/weld patches as required.

[McMark]

Very often the heat exchangers are saturated with oil and smell every time you drive the car. Best solution would be acid dipping them to clean them and kill all the rust then ceramic coating them to keep them from rusting. Or just get a set of stainless exhangers.

[bob91403]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Yep, oily heat exchanger. You might also want to replace your pushrod tube seals. It's a common oil leak source. It's the rust on the heat exchangers that soaks up the oil and causes it to spread out over the surface of the heat exchangers. Stainless steel will cause the oil to run off the surface. They might still get a little oil on them, but that small amount will burn off them quickly when they heat up. You can have them surface treated a few ways, ceramic was mentioned, I think that's the same thing as the high temperature powder coating I've heard of. Rather pricey. I'm going to do mine soon. I plan on getting them dipped, then painting them with a high temperature exhaust paint. You then need to cure the paint, by running the engine to heat it up, then shut it off, let it cool down, and repeat a couple of times. See the Platings, Heat, and Cost thread. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wavey.gif)

[Rusty]

Yes, I agree. Sounds like oily heat exchangers. Pull them, take them to the local quarter wash and spray the hell out of them, inside and out. Repair any oil leaks above them.

You can have them surface treated a few ways, ceramic was mentioned, I think that's the same thing as the high temperature powder coating I've heard of.

No, it's different.

Rather pricey.

No, it's not.

I'm going to do mine soon. I plan on wire brushing and sanding the rust off, then spraying them with a high temperature exhaust paint. You then need to cure the paint, by running the engine to heat it up, then shut it off, let it cool down, and repeat a couple of times.

Wire brushing and sanding the rust off heat exchangers? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)

See the Platings, Heat, and Cost thread. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wavey.gif)

Yes, I suggest you do.

-Rusty (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

[davidcalvin]

Where would the best place be to get stainless exchangers? Pelican?

Since I am not a mechanic.. I'll be paying someone to do this work. Sounds pretty labor intensive?

Thanks,

David

[SGB]

They are no longer in production, but pop up often in the classifieds here and at PP as well as evilbay. Expect to pay about $400.

[davidcalvin]

Thanks for the reply.

How much labor is it to remove, clean, and replace exchangers?

Can I replace with any 914 exchangers? My 914 is a 1976 2.0L. I realize that there is additional equipment plugging into the exchangers, but are the core device still the same? Can earlier ones be fashioned to work, or do I need to make sure that the exchangers that I replace them with came from (or were designer explicitly for) a 1976 2.0L 914?

Thanks for all the help!

David

[bob91403]

I thought the '76 2.0 heat exchangers were stainless? Degreaser. Fix oil leaks.

[davidcalvin]

Were they? I dunno. There are a pair for sale on ebay that appear not to be stainless that the seller says came from a 76 2.0L.

Why would they have put stainless exchangers on them in 76? They couldnt have figured people would keep these cars for 30 years.. could they?

[nebreitling]

the late model HE's are easier to pull than the earlier ones -- IF you don't pull the header stubs off as well (don't -- but do check that they're in good condition). make sure there are no leaks whatsoever. replace with new hardware and gaskets. check the condition of your heater tubes and such as well.

meanwhile, don't drive the car. carbon monoxide poisoning (if that's what it is)
is serious stuff.

[7391420]

I dont know if they are out of production, but I see them in various adds in Excellence, I see to think that GPR sells them, and at least claims that they are 100% stainless? and I thought the price was more like 200-250 ea for 914 exchangers

[nebreitling]

as far as i know, those are the earlier style SS HE's.

i don't know of any aftermarket 75-6 HE's.

[seanery]

you can put the earlier ones on your car David, but put the original system on for smog checks.

[aircooledboy]

These guys are all jumping to a conclusion here. Could be something else. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

I say "think two words: bean burrito." I thought I had an exhaust leak, turned out to be the new mexican place I was going for lunch instead. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chairfall.gif)

[davidcalvin]

The mechanic reminded me that I did have a gargantuan oil leak in the oil cooler that may have caused oil runoff onto the heat exchangers and maybe it just hasnt totally burned off yet.

He's gonna take a looksee at it for me.

Thanks all for the information..

David