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I am tired of this smell help

  • Thread starter Thread starter rudy herrera
  • Start date Start date Feb 13, 2011
R

rudy herrera

Member
Jun 29, 2009
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Feb 13, 2011
#1
  • Feb 13, 2011
  • #1
i have a 1990 mustang lx the cabin always smells like fume like if i had the mufflers going to the inside of the car my car always smells like this on realy hot days it gets realy hot inthere and it smells more its so bad that the smell stays on your cloths the smell is so bad that if i dnt get rid of it im thinking about selling the car ....... i shampoo it and it still smells if i wash everything inside and put air freshners ill last like two weeks and it smells bad in there so please help any ideas ill do i want to get rid of the smell ohh it only smells like this with the car on
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
5,232
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223
gainesville
Feb 13, 2011
#2
  • Feb 13, 2011
  • #2
time for new door and hatch seals. lots of fumes get sucked into a hatch that wont seal well.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,260
17,945
224
Massachusetts
Feb 13, 2011
#3
  • Feb 13, 2011
  • #3
Check shifter and e brake seals as well.
 

wythors

Get off my lawn!!!
Founding Member
May 17, 2000
2,277
35
69
C Addle
Feb 13, 2011
#4
  • Feb 13, 2011
  • #4
Got cats?
 

MFE92

10 Year Member
Aug 25, 2010
1,094
373
124
Phoenix
Feb 13, 2011
#5
  • Feb 13, 2011
  • #5
With the complaint about heat plus the exhaust fumes, I guarantee you the inner boot for the shifter is either missing or hugely torn.
 
R

rudy herrera

Member
Jun 29, 2009
110
0
17
Feb 13, 2011
#6
  • Feb 13, 2011
  • #6
i have no cats and how do i check for the boot i was thinking of washing the motor and trany firewall headers anywere were oil can touch realy hot things and smell i mean i cnt drive the car like this when i get out i smell like a mechanic
 
R

rudy herrera

Member
Jun 29, 2009
110
0
17
Feb 13, 2011
#7
  • Feb 13, 2011
  • #7
no i have no cats
 

No.11

10 Year Member
Oct 13, 2009
614
10
48
Los Angeles
Feb 14, 2011
#8
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #8
to check for the lower shift boot you can remove the plastic frame around the shifter by just pulling up on it, and then removing your shift knob and take off the upper shift boot. There should be a rubber boot and a metal frame on top of that. like this:
 

wythors

Get off my lawn!!!
Founding Member
May 17, 2000
2,277
35
69
C Addle
Feb 14, 2011
#9
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #9
The lack of cats is why your car smells. The probable lack of the shifter boot is more than likely why you smell.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,260
17,945
224
Massachusetts
Feb 14, 2011
#10
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #10
+1

That was part of the reason I put cats back on my Mustang. Even with good door, hatch, shifter seals...i still smelled like raw fuel from time to time. Got old quick.
 
R

rudy herrera

Member
Jun 29, 2009
110
0
17
Feb 14, 2011
#11
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #11
the car smelled like this even before i took the cats off im thinking its prob going to be the boot seal plus i dnt mine the smell of gas or fumes i just dont want them in the cab i been in a couple of stangs before and yeah some of them do smell but its aceptable but this is realy bad
 

wythors

Get off my lawn!!!
Founding Member
May 17, 2000
2,277
35
69
C Addle
Feb 14, 2011
#12
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #12
Do you have tail pipes or dumps?
 
R

rudy herrera

Member
Jun 29, 2009
110
0
17
Feb 14, 2011
#13
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #13
i have tail pipe the motor seams to have a little oil on it do you guys think i should have the motor presure washed the trany looks a bit dirty tooo the boot seal is in the seals seams to be a little torn but the smell does not seem to be coming from there do you thing i should replace it still or no
 

ID89GT

10 Year Member
May 26, 2008
1,659
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49
Spokane Valley, WA
Feb 14, 2011
#14
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #14
I would replace it.
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
5,232
2,652
223
gainesville
Feb 14, 2011
#15
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #15
Replace any worn seals before you start messing with anything else. Fwiw I don't buy the no cats issue. Cars ran for decades without cats and didn't reek of gas. My car runs without cats and it doesn't smell.
 

MFE92

10 Year Member
Aug 25, 2010
1,094
373
124
Phoenix
Feb 14, 2011
#16
  • Feb 14, 2011
  • #16
stykthyn said:
Replace any worn seals before you start messing with anything else. Fwiw I don't buy the no cats issue. Cars ran for decades without cats and didn't reek of gas.
Click to expand...

But fuel-injected 5.0's don't. They REEK. It's in the tune.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,260
17,945
224
Massachusetts
Feb 15, 2011
#17
  • Feb 15, 2011
  • #17
Do you have any exhaust leaks under the car ?

Since fumes are coming in, you prob do.
 
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