Thinking of putting cats on my 67 Coupe...

[Focker67]

I really think I should switch to EFI because I hate carbs, but I keep getting this smell on my clothes when I drive my car. I am going to try and retune the carb this weekend but I always smell like gas and it pisses me off.

Has anyone added cats to their car to clean it up some?

Any other ideas?

I am also going to Dynamat the interior this weekend, to try and give me some vapor barrier.

 

[6Stang7]

there is no reason to do that. if you do efi, it'll go away.

adding cats wont solve anything.

 

[Focker67]

I would rather it just went away without me spending the money to do the EFI. I really just want something I can drive with a carb.

 

[TT670]

why not just calibrate the carb correctly? If you cant do it Im sure you can find somebody who can. Adding cats for the sole purpose of burning off hydrocarbons from a mixture so rich that your clothes smell is asking for red hot cats with a short life at minimum, I could see them getting hot enough to start a fire.

 

[HuKares]

Has anyone added cats to their car to clean it up some?

My problem is trying to keep the damn cats off of my cars! The last thing they do is keep it clean, cat hair and muddy prints everywhere!

 

[Focker67]

Has anyone added cats to their car to clean it up some?

My problem is trying to keep the damn cats off of my cars! The last thing they do is keep it clean, cat hair and muddy prints everywhere!

Haha! {Super Troopers} Liscense and Registration, Meow {Super Troopers}

 

[65ShelbyClone]

there is no reason to do that. if you do efi, it'll go away.

Unfortunately EFI alone will not do it. My '89 smelled funky when I had the offroad x-pipe. Something that really helps is a chassis plug kit and a carb tuned properly......

 

[Focker67]

Does the firewall need to be smoothed? I can't imagine though, that everyone in the 60s drove around smelling like gas fumes. One of my racing buddies is coming over this weekend to help me tune it. If that doesn't work I am going to buy a 500cfm edelbrock or an autolite 480. I still can't believe that 600 is too much for my setup since the 84-85 Mustang Gts came with 600 Holleys I think.

 

[Rollinns]

I recommend the switch to EFI

Don't get the cats, with an improperly tuned car the cats can get glowing red hot, and due the location of the fuel line on classic mustangs I wouldn't risk it.

You basically have two options:

1. get a new carb ( not a remanufactured one) and have it tuned by an experienced mechanic.

2. switch to EFI and ditch the cats and the emissions equipment to simplify the installation and save weight. If you car is not a Calif. car then legally the only emissions equipment required is a muffler (for a pre-1968 car). You won't have the smell with EFI.

Mine runs cleaner now than it ever did with a carb.

 

[Pbum5]

does your exhaust run to the very back of your car? Do you have any leaks in the system?

 

[Loup-garou]

I really think I should switch to EFI because I hate carbs, but I keep getting this smell on my clothes when I drive my car. I am going to try and retune the carb this weekend but I always smell like gas and it pisses me off.

Has anyone added cats to their car to clean it up some?

Any other ideas?

I am also going to Dynamat the interior this weekend, to try and give me some vapor barrier.

Try examining the hood/firewall seal and the trunk weatherstrip. Also, make sure your PVC system is functioning. Crankcase fumes could be getting past the rear of the hood and into the cowl vent. Exhaust fumes also tend to swirl around the rear of the car (it's especially bad with fastbacks), so any rust holes in the trunk floor, dried-out taillight gaskets or old weatherstrip will let the fumes in.

It's hard to tune a carbureted car as clean as one that is EFI-equipped, and I kind of like the way my '65 makes the safety inspector's eyes water when I take it in for a new "brake tag".

I'd check out those things - in addition to the car's state of tune - before spending money on catalytic converters. If you really hate messing with carbs, you may as well start collecting EFI parts so you can eventually do the swap. I've heard that the older Crown Victoria is the better choice as a wiring harness source, due to the location of various underhood components. I'm sure someone here, or on the restomod-mustang e-mail list has the harness modification instructions.

 

[67CoupeDriva]

Another cheap & quick thing to check...I had a similar problem with my '67 coupe and it turned out to be two very small fuel leaks.

The first was the accelerator pump seal, which caused a small puddle of gas on the intake manifold (yikes). When that didn't fix the smell I kept looking and discovered...

The second was a 35-year-old hose from the fuel filler door to the tank that was dried and cracked (inside mostly, nothing visible on the outside) that was leaking just enough fuel into the trunk to smell but not be seen...I guess it evaporated quickly.

Now...to the BB King tune...the smell is gone!

 

[65ShelbyClone]

If you car is not a Calif. car then legally the only emissions equipment required is a muffler (for a pre-1968 car). You won't have the smell with EFI.

"Legally" in California you have to keep any and all emissions equipment that came with your car or was on the car you got a later engine out of. In practice, I dont think anyone, be it smog police or regular police, has a right to actually check you out if the car is pre-'75. BTW, is that Fire Marshal Bill?

A trunk plug kit cleaned up the air in my '65 like night and day and muight have been even better with new trunk weatherstripping. It had full exhaust too.

 

[Focker67]

Thanks for all the replies. I may gather up some parts for the swap. I have a 70 pedal and an EFI dist. I used to have a 95 intake but I tossed it. I can probably pick up one cheap on ebay.
The 600 will get tuned on this weekend and some dynamat I think will help.

 

[63_Fairlane]

What about the gas tank, AKA the trunk floor? Has it ever been replaced?

 

[mustangdave]

Before doing e.f.i., how about checking to see if your gas cap is sealing. If you have a pop-open cap, I'd bet on that being the problem; the seals were terrible to start with. You can remove the inner part and use a regular cap in there. As others said, check for leaks in the lines...it doesn't take much to permeate the interior. You definitely need to see if all of the rubber plugs are there. These are all things you can take care of for a few dollars.

 

[Focker67]

What about the gas tank, AKA the trunk floor? Has it ever been replaced?

gas tank was replaced about ten years ago. Had the problem then as well. I just recently replaced the rubber part of the filler neck. I think my problem is tuning though because it is rich everywhere not just in the car. It smells the driveway and garage up!
I'm going to tune it as best we can and then dynamat everything and put visqueen on top of that. If it doesn't work I'll sell.

 

[blk 02]

if your going to swap to efi, which I am, look at a mega squirt for your computer at www.msefi.com. Its a diy system which is easy to tune cheap like 180.00 for the computer (you have to soldier it yourself) or you can buy one pre built for double that. its totally flexible and can be set up in a number of ways. you wont have to worry about a egr kit to remove that or a chip to tune it. I will be doing that very soon, I’m waiting for an upgraded board to come out soon. its looking like i will be able to swap to FI for about 500.00.
hope this helps some
Graham

 

[Focker67]

BTW Here are a few pics of the car. I am pulling it out this weekend to resume work after my 1 year break from it.

 

[Rollinns]

Good eye, yes it is Fire Marshall Bill.