Question for people with an o/r x-pipe

[psumustang]

I had my offroad x-pipe installed about a month ago, and I love the way it sounds, but when I'm in traffic I smell nothing but the exhaust fumes, is this normal? In my 2003 Mustang GT, I never had a problem with the smell - sorry for the stupid question..the smell is just getting really annoying on my commute to work everyday

 

[bigray327]

Not normal. You'll definitely smell more exhaust than with cats, but in the car you shouldn't smell much. I only smell it when backing into my garage.

 

[psumustang]

What could it be? Don't think I have an exhaust leak anywhere..

 

[06gtmustang]

My car smells pretty bad if i start it up in the garage with the door open of course. I was thinking of welding some cats on but i will be running a procharger soon so ill just stay with out for safety i guess.

 

[ChrisDR]

Have you checked for leaks?

I ran an off-road setup on another car and couldn't smell anything except, like bigray mentioned, when I was backing into the garage.

I wouldn't say it's normal to smell it on your commute.

 

[Alfiedagr8]

I had an off road pipe and it was an exhaust leak around the bung for the o2 sensor. But couldn't hear it. To find it. Lift it up on a rack or jack stands if you don't have access to a lift. Get big balls of rags and have a friend hold it on the exhaust tips with the car at idle. This will make any exhaust leaks louder and easier to find. Good luck.

 

[bigray327]

i use a trick where i take a 2 foot section of garden hose, hold one end up to my ear, and scan the other end around the exhaust interfaces, like a ghetto stethoscope. You'll hear it if you find a leak.

 

[VTXFrank]

The only time I smell my exhaust is with the windows down, stopped at a light with a tail wind or zero wind. If my windows are up, I never smell it.

But mine is welded. My whole system is welded. I hate couplings. Exhaust is bolted to the headers, but welded back from there.

 

[bigray327]

But mine is welded. My whole system is welded. I hate couplings. Exhaust is bolted to the headers, but welded back from there.

I did that once, but about 3 seconds later, I changed my mind and wanted something else. I'm like a freaking woman, on my fourth exhaust. Plus I gotta deal with emissions testing here, so the midpipe gets swapped out every 364 days.

 

[chutoyy]

You'll definitely smell the fumes if you're catless. More so if your windows are down and/or you have the climate fans on.

Well.. I do anyway.

 

[Ole Blue Hair]

Yes the fumes will be worst with out cats, only time I can smell them is at start up in the garage.

 

[Mike K]

You gotta look at the positive side here. The hybrid owners hate you. Lol

 

[fdjizm]

I smelled mine in the car, but I had an exhaust leak at the flanges (which I didn't notice other than the smell), only time I smell it now is idling with a tailwind at a stoplight or if I stand behind the car.

 

[bigray327]

Gentlemen, in case this isn't obvious, if you smell exhaust inside the car with the windows up, you have a dire safety hazard. This is how emos kill themselves, ya know.

I'm sure the OP smells it in traffic when the windows are down, but around here these days, ya never know.

 

[arabbit]

mine kinda does that. I can smell faint exhaust all the time, and when I drive it with the windows down I end up smelling like exhaust when I get out. But I've had the exhaust shop check it 5 or 6 times, they cant find any leaks.

 

[55p33d]

Mine did that too. Smelled like gas bad and ran weird too. Turns out a/f ratio was swinging wildly from rich to lean. (I think the computer was searching for good mixture by trying to get readings from the o2 sensors that were now missing catalytic converters.) anyway after dropping 250$ on a wideband af gauge. I was able to dial it in by telling the computer to actually add 30% more fuel under part throttle and taking away 10% fuel at wide open.(by using my diablosprt predator) now no smell and runs great. Look into it. I was going to get a dyno tune to make sure it was ok. But after dialingg in the a/f ratio with my predator, it runs good so im waiting on a dyno tune till I put more upgrades in the car.

 

[psumustang]

Thanks guys for all the info, I'm going to take it back to the shop and have it check out for an exhaust leak. I appreciate all the good information!