86 951 Driver

I have searched and researched this quite a bit. It appears that rear hatch seals cause this to happen quite a bit. I have tried to trace this down. Its not all the time, but its been more recent ever since I changed my cat pipe for that was all jerry rigged. It seems like maybe more exhaust is coming out the back, but I don't understand how that can be getting in through the hatch seal? I'm going to change that out as mine is shrunken and flat at the top. Any other ideas where this could be coming from. It doesn't come from the vents at all.

chichas01

sometimes my rear hatch does not close all the way and I have the same issue. I'd say check out your seal. Sounds like the culprit.

Van

Shifter boot? Is the body/torque tube foam in place? What's the condition of the rubber shift boot under the leather boot?

Tedro951

+1 on both above, and I wouldn't rule out taillight seal. Before paint, mine had fumes. New hatch seal and taillights resealed were done. Not sure which to give the credit to...

pettybird

you can check the hatch and taillights separately by running painter's tape along the edges and going for a ride. if the smell goes away, boom.

do you have an exhaust leak or does all of it go out the right way?

CRM...

Van, that is interesting. I don't have that foam in my shifter. Was told it was noisy that way (it is....), but nobody mentioned the relation to exhaust infiltration. I've had that since I got the car last year. Wonder if it could be that simple.....

ZR8ED

I've got the foam, but no rubber boot. I get some exhaust smell sometimes, but then my soft top is anything but sealed perfectly.

F40LM

I agree with the above posts but also....
when I started messing with my exhaust system I started having the same problem turned out one of the exhaust manifolds had a crack in it. After removing it and having it repaired once which failed within about 2 months (keep in mind my car does 600 miles a week) I ended up transplanting the manifold in question with one out of the '84 parts car which was beefier. Check your exhaust system out again and make sure when the cat pipe was repair something else didn't pop open.

just my .02 worth.

michael