GMCforum
For enthusiast of the Classic GMC Motorhome built from 1973 to 1978. A web-based mirror of the GMCnet mailing list.

Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Offensive Tail Pipe smell (From the Coach, not me. Thoughts and opinions)
Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296429] Mon, 29 February 2016 18:34 Go to next message
77Royale   United States
Messages: 461
Registered: June 2014
Location: Mid Michigan
Karma: 6
Senior Member
Thankfully no need for Beno or Gas X for me at this point. But in asking the family what one thing they would change on the Coach. Without hesitation the CFO said "the Exhaust smell".

As it stands currently, Its a 403 with 120K miles. Stock Carb, stock distributor, good Manifolds, Lenzi copper gaskets, New mufflers, collector donuts, no leaks.

The smell is not leaching into the coach per se. Its the eye burning and choking fumes when idling that is the offensive smell. So much that we have to close all the windows in the house, neighbors too, and it sticks to my clothes instantly.

What I do know. The carb needs to be rebuilt. No question it lopes when starting up, has hesitations and I know its time. None of the PO paperwork suggests that it was ever rebuilt. The distributor is in good shape, and working properly. Timing was set by a shop per the manual specs.

So my questions, Do you think a rebuilt carb (Patterson) would help clean up the eye burning smell? Understanding that there are no cats on this, and no real emissions to speak of. Would it at least help?

In reading up recently on the FiTech set up from Mr. Work, I read that system helped clean up the smell just a bit. So thats a possibility on the table.

I am by no means a carb guru and will gladly pay to have that properly redone the first time correctly. I know enough to not know if its an air/fuel setting out of whack, or something else. So if it is a fuel delivery issue, would you have the carb rebuilt or go to EFI?

What say the masses on how I can make the CFO happy?


77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy. Mid Michigan
Re: Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296431 is a reply to message #296429] Mon, 29 February 2016 18:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Carl S. is currently offline  Carl S.   United States
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
Senior Member

It sounds to me like it is running rich, at idle. A carb rebuild and proper adjustment of the idle mixture screws and choke will definitely make a big difference. New spark plugs, ignition wires and a check of the timing coulodn't hurt either.

Carl Stouffer '75 ex Palm Beach Tucson, AZ. Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
Re: Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296432 is a reply to message #296431] Mon, 29 February 2016 18:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
77Royale   United States
Messages: 461
Registered: June 2014
Location: Mid Michigan
Karma: 6
Senior Member
Thanks Carl, I would add the plugs are Autolite 847s. Gapped to .060 and have about 600 miles on them. The wires are newer Bosch 8mm. The distributor / timing was set about 600 miles ago as well.


77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy. Mid Michigan

[Updated on: Mon, 29 February 2016 18:54]

Report message to a moderator

Re: [GMCnet] Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296433 is a reply to message #296432] Mon, 29 February 2016 18:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
Old gasoline?
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Feb 29, 2016 4:54 PM, "Wayne Rogewski" wrote:

> Thanks Carl, I would add the plugs are Autolite 847s. Gapped to .60 and
> have about 600 miles on them. The wires are newer Bosch 8mm. The
> distributor / timing was set about 600 miles ago as well.
>
> --
> 77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies.
> Mid Michigan
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

Re: [GMCnet] Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296436 is a reply to message #296433] Mon, 29 February 2016 19:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
77Royale   United States
Messages: 461
Registered: June 2014
Location: Mid Michigan
Karma: 6
Senior Member
The gas in it right now is about 2 months old. I have been running the generator a decent bit this winter and warming up the coach. Put 5 gallons of fresh in last week to keep the tanks topped off.

I would say it was stinky this summer as well running almost 100 gallons of fresh fuel through it in a weeks time.



77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy. Mid Michigan
Re: Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296443 is a reply to message #296429] Mon, 29 February 2016 19:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
Senior Member
That really eye burn stuff is usually too lean. If no black smoke it may not be too rich. Any old school shop with an exhaust gas analyser should be able to get a mixture reading.

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: [GMCnet] Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296446 is a reply to message #296436] Mon, 29 February 2016 19:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
So that eliminates one possible cause. That narrows it down a bit. Check
the choke setting. When stone cold, the choke plate should be adjusted so
that it barely closes completely. Also, use a vacuum pump to verify the
choke pull off. It should hold vacuum with no leakdown. Make sure the hoses
are hooked up correctly.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Feb 29, 2016 5:03 PM, "Wayne Rogewski" wrote:

> The gas in it right now is about 2 months old. I have been running the
> generator a decent bit this winter and warming up the coach. Put 5 gallons
> of
> fresh in last week to keep the tanks topped off.
>
> I would say it was stinky this summer as well running almost 100 gallons
> of fresh fuel through it in a weeks time.
>
>
> --
> 77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies.
> Mid Michigan
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

Re: Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296447 is a reply to message #296431] Mon, 29 February 2016 19:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
A Hamilto is currently offline  A Hamilto   United States
Messages: 4508
Registered: April 2011
Karma: 39
Senior Member
Carl S. wrote on Mon, 29 February 2016 18:45
It sounds to me like it is running rich, at idle. A carb rebuild and proper adjustment of the idle mixture screws and choke will definitely make a big difference. New spark plugs, ignition wires and a check of the timing coulodn't hurt either.
On a cold start, it is common for 70's tech chokes to refuse to budge as the engine warms up unless you are working the accelerator (driving). That will richen the mixture as it warms up. You will notice the idle gets faster and faster when it does that. A quick stab on the accelerator will free it up and idle it down. Should clear up the fumes too.

If that's not what is happening, adjust the idle mixture for some immediate relief, then do a carb rebuild at your leisure.

Or adjust the choke if it is not opening fully.

[Updated on: Mon, 29 February 2016 19:29]

Report message to a moderator

Re: [GMCnet] Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296457 is a reply to message #296447] Mon, 29 February 2016 20:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ljdavick is currently offline  ljdavick   United States
Messages: 3548
Registered: March 2007
Location: Fremont, CA
Karma: -3
Senior Member
My wife has some kind of bionic sense of smell and we chased the smells quite a lot. At first it was raw fuel - replaced all the hoses. The raw few smell returned after parking - fuel boiling out of the carb on the 455 because of the exhaust crossover. Installed the Howell manifold. Poor performance and sooty exhaust - stinking in the coach - replaced exhaust manifold gases with Reflex, tried to adjust the carburetor. Too lean - different stink from the exhaust - had cheap muffler and pipes installed, adjusted carburetor. Finally pulled the trigger and installed Howell EFI and an electronic distributor, the timing chain is about 75k miles old. She purrs like a kitten at idle. Really - it’s beautiful to listen to the exhaust burble.

I’m not saying you have to go that far! Still, keep the timing chain, distributor advance mechanisms, and of course the carburetor in mind as suspects.

Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, CA
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Distributor

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org


Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, Ca
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Dizzy
Re: Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296471 is a reply to message #296429] Mon, 29 February 2016 23:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dan Borlase is currently offline  Dan Borlase   Canada
Messages: 743
Registered: May 2008
Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada
Karma: 0
Senior Member
Is it possable that your coach is suffering from "chipmonk cheeks" also known as bulging at the beltline at the cock pit area. The result is a significant gapping at the floor where the floor meets the side walls by the driver and passenger seats. This allows a large amount of "noxious gasses" to enter the coach when stoped and idleing.
The accepted fix is to get into the wheel wells where when looking up you see this gap...fill this gap with expanding insulating foam (be sure to get the limited expanding formula as opposed to the extended expand type). This should seal the opening and eliminate the migration of noxious oders from entering the cock pit easely.
Re: Offensive Tail Pipe smell [message #296480 is a reply to message #296471] Tue, 01 March 2016 06:33 Go to previous message
77Royale   United States
Messages: 461
Registered: June 2014
Location: Mid Michigan
Karma: 6
Senior Member
Appreciate the responses and thoughts. The smell is not leaching into the cabin (Fixed that with new mufflers and donuts at the manifolds. Its more everything around it outside which is gassed out. I will take a look at the choke and all the vacuum hoses. I know at minimum the choke is working some as I can kick it down once it warms up a bit. Its still the mechanical choke with the stove pipe, and is nearly fully closed when its cold out. Once warm it does idle nicely around 900 rpm.

At minimum I know the carb should be rebuilt. From the sounds of it this may help fix some of the issues. If not I will go to EFI and have a freshly rebuilt carb as a back up or to sell.



77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy. Mid Michigan
Previous Topic: Re: [GMCnet] How do those with a carb use their electric fuel pump?
Next Topic: [GMCnet] LED Marker light bulbs
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Mon Oct 07 13:25:39 CDT 2024

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.01504 seconds