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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject: exhaust fume question |
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hey everyone.. just a quick question.. i have been having problems with my exhaust smell in teh cabin of the Thing.. its a 73, and i have the aftermarket exhaust through teh bumper... im running a 1915 with 40 dells.. runs awesome been tuned.. but this exhaust is getting ridiculous..
any suggestions??
thx.. _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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bucko Samba Member

Joined: December 09, 2004 Posts: 2617 Location: Coppell, Texas
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:24 am Post subject: |
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If you have the heater boxes installed (assuming it is a 74 engine without the gas heater), make sure they are not rusted. This is difficult to tell, as the "J" tubes within the boxes cannot be seen. If they have holes in them, the exhaust fumes will enter into the vehicle cabin via the heater ducts. I mention this as some owners have converted their 73 gas heater setups to the heater box 74 style.
If it is a "true 73", then your aftermarket exhaust came with "J" tubes (no heater boxes), and you need to check the pipe clamps and gasket seals for complete sealing. Make sure you have no leaks. This is most likely your problem, as it is difficult to tell you have a leak since aftermarket exhausts are louder than stock systems.
Do the exhaust tips exit out from the bumper at least a couple of inches?
Is the top up or down when you have these strong fumes? |
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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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its a 73, and i have fumes both ways, obviously haveing more fumes with top up.. and its this exhaust: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VW-THING-181-EURO-2...enameZWDVW
thats actually a picture of my car at the end of it.. im also in az.. so no rust...
thanks for the comments so far.. _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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bucko Samba Member

Joined: December 09, 2004 Posts: 2617 Location: Coppell, Texas
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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I'd be checking all joints and contacts with gaskets for leaks. Since it appears that you don't have the stock intake and carb, did you seal the heat riser tubes carefully? I suspect these too, as they would be in the engine area, and could be getting drawn into the interior compartment. |
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Thingggg Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2004 Posts: 353
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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Yes is you bay sealed up good. Did you ask the builder of the exaust if he has any tips.
Looks nice
THIS COMES WITH PROVISION FOR STOCK CARBURETORS ENGINES WITH HEAT RISERS ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OR YOU CAN JUST BLOCK THEM OFF WHEN USING DUAL CARBS
I asume you did a good job @ this task. |
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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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ok thanks.. _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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markie61 Samba Member

Joined: April 11, 2005 Posts: 583 Location: Northern Virginia
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Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject: Re: exhaust fume question |
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181freak wrote: |
i have been having problems with my exhaust smell in teh cabin of the Thing... |
"I love the exhaust smell in the cabin of my Thing: smells like....victory..."
Mark
apologies to Major Kilgore[/i] _________________ Whut is that-there Thang!?
------------------------------
Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!? |
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Captain Spalding Samba Member

Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: exhaust fume question |
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markie61 wrote: |
"I love the exhaust smell in the cabin of my Thing: smells like....victory..." |
"Charlie don't surf. . ."
I had to re-upload this photo. Evidently the gallery moderator didn't notice the VW Thing in the background and DELETED it. |
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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:50 am Post subject: |
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ok so i had it looked at this weekend.... still has the smell.. its almost like its a vacuum and pushing the fumes underneath the top in the rear.. my top is about 3 years old.. im in AZ.. so the top is mostly down.. still have the smell..
any suggestions?
thanks _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:30 am Post subject: |
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any ideas??  _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:33 am Post subject: |
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i find it hard to believe that no one has any ideas....
doesnt anyone run this exhaust? _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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Towel Rail Horizontally Opposed

Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 4622 Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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You sure it's not partially a gas smell from the trunk? Next time you start the car, run around back and feel for puffs of air around the joints in the exhaust. You have to hurry before the muffler gets too hot. _________________ 1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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bucko Samba Member

Joined: December 09, 2004 Posts: 2617 Location: Coppell, Texas
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Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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I too had mentioned that he check all clamped areas for leaks. Never saw a response if this had been done.
If there are no leaks, loose clamps, or holes, then the fumes are being sucked back into the interior due to poor design.
Checking the gas filler rubber is an excellent suggestion. After 30 plus years, they are over due for replacement. How about the fuel line that runs from the transmission area to the engine compartment, then to the fuel pump? Any cracks in it? |
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Ferretkona Samba Member

Joined: December 03, 2005 Posts: 1306 Location: Columbia, CA
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Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Things have a pretty short exhaust system. We attach at four outlets on the heads, a few exhaust clamps and the heat risers. As long as all the above has been checked there is little else to go wrong. Hopefully the tips extrude beyond the bumper.
If this was my thing, I would take a rag and a blower nozzle and add some back pressure to the system thru the exhaust pipes and see if I hear it escaping. Non-running of course.
Maybe the engine is very tired, I have seen old motors that just plain stink. In Arizona maybe the wind is blowing it all back at him??? |
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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:45 am Post subject: |
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hey fols thanls for the responses..all of the clamps etc are hooked up and engine is definitely not tired.. it has maybe 8500 miles on it...
trunk has a new neck from about 2 years ago..
i have a feeling its coming up from the back and slipping underneath the top where it meets the loops on the rear..
i am just baffled by the whole thing... _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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181freak Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2004 Posts: 475 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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ok so does anyone know where i can get another exhaust that i wont have to worry about the whole smell issue?
my wife wa sin the car and got a raging headache from the fumes only after a few mile cruise yesterday..
im not sure if its the way my carbs are set up and the way the exhaust points up, but it is awful..
i know the carb has been tuned to a T...
any suggestions on exhaust.. etc.. other makes? for reference i have a 1915cc engine with dual 40 dells.. _________________ 1973 Thing
96 Golf
*Looking for any Dealer Items from
MIKE GRADY VOLKSWAGEN in South Carolina!!! |
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bucko Samba Member

Joined: December 09, 2004 Posts: 2617 Location: Coppell, Texas
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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181freak wrote: |
my wife wa sin the car and got a raging headache from the fumes only after a few mile cruise yesterday..
im not sure if its the way my carbs are set up and the way the exhaust points up, but it is awful..
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The wifes headache was most likely the start of carbon monoxide gas poisoning...very dangerous!
Since you said NOW, that the "exhaust points up", that tells us more! Take it to a muffler shop and have him weld new tips that point DOWN. That would save you $$$, and cure the exhaust in the vehicle problem. |
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Thingggg Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2004 Posts: 353
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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You did use NEW muffler to cylinder head exhaust gasket on all 4 exhaust port didn't you? You didn't forget one or more? And yuo didn't have a loose head stud?
Look @ the original pictures it says the tips are adjustable. Maybe you can adjust them to point down more?
Maybe they leeak were the tips hook to the outbound muffler tube? look @ the ebay add. This would no cause the system to be any louder and definatly give you fumes were you dont want them. Maybe try a standard muffler clamp here after adjusting. |
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TimGud Samba Member

Joined: March 03, 2002 Posts: 6459 Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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181freak wrote: |
ok so does anyone know where i can get another exhaust that i wont have to worry about the whole smell issue?
my wife wa sin the car and got a raging headache from the fumes only after a few mile cruise yesterday..
im not sure if its the way my carbs are set up and the way the exhaust points up, but it is awful..
i know the carb has been tuned to a T...
any suggestions on exhaust.. etc.. other makes? for reference i have a 1915cc engine with dual 40 dells.. |
I have this Kymco header on my 74 and have no exhaust smell. The exhaust pointing up may be part of the problem but it sounds like your carbs running on the rich side are most of the problem.
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Beetlescott Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2003 Posts: 5 Location: Louisville, KY
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:36 am Post subject: |
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Hello all! I just purchased a 1973 Super Beetle, and I am having the same issues. I wanted to impress my wife with my new ride and took her to work. By the time she got to work, her hair and clothes stank with exhaust fume smell. Everything on the bug has been built from the ground up, all new parts. When I had her checked out, the mech told me the carb was for a single port and the bug is a dual port. Would this have any bearing on the fume smell? Thanks in advance. I hope you get your problems with the Thing worked out. |
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