TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:20 am

Hi everybody!

How would I know if exhaust is leaking into my heating system? Sitting in the car with the heater on and seeing if I pass out is obviously not an option ;). I was just wondering if there was a little trick.
Thanks!
Alex

Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:35 am

If you can smell exhaust while you have the heater on is one obvious indicator.

You could also use a carbon monoxide detector. They sell them at hardware stores.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:47 am

A CO meter is definitely a good idea when using your exhaust to heat your interior.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:48 am

great, thanks! Ill try that today!

Fri Sep 11, 2009 5:07 pm

I got one of those carbon monoxide alarms. Didnt go off in the car. Just as a test, I held it up to the tail pipe. Didnt go off either :lol:

Quality product.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 6:53 pm

CO detectors are not like smoke detectors.
Smoke detectors are looking for any sign of smoke at all. Then they go off.
CO detectors test for exposure concentration over time. Higher concentrations set them off sooner, lower concentrations take longer. Just sticking them in front of your running exhaust for a few seconds/minutes may not be enough.

Or, you could have an old detector... they do need to be replaced every so often. Mine also says if it ever goes off, you should replace it as they are not resetable/reuseable. Yours may be newer/different.

Sun Nov 01, 2009 8:05 pm

Hey Alex... sorry to bump,

What the latest on this? I have the same problem. My '74 SB stinks of exhaust whet the heat is "on." Bad heat exchanger perhaps?

Sean

Sun Nov 01, 2009 8:41 pm

Another issue you could have is an exhaust leak where the heaterbox meets the muffler, you may not necessairly need new heaterboxes. I found that out the hard way after spending $100 on a set of used heaterboxes, only to find mine had no leaks other than their connection to the exhaust. I just took a fog machine and ran it through the main pipe, and saw no leaks.