82 Aircooled smelling heavily of exhaust fumes when stopped?

[Gingermonkey67]

Hi all

My van has started to smell very strongly of exhaust fumes after I have stopped. This is outside the van, i dont think its getting inside until the van is stopped. It didn't used to do this. I know it has a slight oil leak, but this doesn't smell of oil, but very much of exhaust.

I haven't had a chance to look under it yet for leaks. It does feel a bit down on power and isn't running as smooth as it was before.

Any ideas where the likely problem areas may be?

Cheers

Dave

[BOXY]

The exhaust gases out of a petrol engine are mostly nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water. None of those smell so whatever your nose is sniffing is something else. As soon as you turn the engine off there's no more exhaust gases being produced anyway.

If something is smelling strongly it's probably your leaking oil boiling away on top of the heat exchangers.

[Gingermonkey67]

Hi

I guess it must be oil somewhere. Just been out to it again after being parked up for some hours, and it still smells kind of oily. Thing is, the heat exchangers look pretty clean. Would they be pretty oily if they were being leaked onto, or would it all burn off?

If it is oil getting onto them, where is the likely source, and is it an easy fix? So far I haven't done anything engine side, concentrating mainly on interior, and structure for now.

[BOXY]

The rocker covers are right above the heat exchangers, but you should be able to see oil collecting along the bottom edge if they're leaking. If they are leaking, replacing the gaskets is a five minute job and the gaskets are a few quid each from GSF.

[shoey bracken]

buy a good detector digi one wot shows ppm levels been driving around smelling same thinking it was oil on heat exchangers , had bad headache ,feeling dizzie ,i disconnected pipes to cab and still small levels coming in. end result remove heat exhangers, replace with jtubes and have no heating. cold but alive

[Jeff J]

My first caravelle used to smell inside of exhaust fumes but not just when it stopped. Garage told me it was the push rod tube seals gone. Don't know if that helps or not.

[petethefeet]

Hi,
I have had similar prob with a 1982 Aircooled 2 litre, I changed the pushrod seals and the rocker cover gaskets, this had reduced the smell (hot oil smell out of the cab vents).
I ran it at the weekend, jet washed the heat exchanges and the bottom of the engine, still smells abit but I can only think it is the old oil that has got into the heat exchangers still burning off, may just need a good trip to burn it all off. When you stop the engine you can hear the oil popping in the heat exchangers
I also disconnected the fresh air pipe into the heat exchangers (in the engine bay ) when the engine was hot, I had oil fumes coming back up from the LH heat exchanger only when the engine was shut down; that has narrowed it down a bit

[paul lambert]

Hi,pretty much agree with previous replies,i`m lucky enough to have use of car hoist,my 82 does exactly the same thing,it has previously had new push rod tubes fitted but i can see that the oil is still leaking from them,maybe the seals wern`t fitted correctly as all 8 tubes are leaking quite badly,really annoying as it looks like quite a job to reseal them.
I have had similar prob with a 1982 Aircooled 2 litre, I changed the pushrod seals and the rocker cover gaskets, this had reduced the smell (hot oil smell out of the cab vents).
I ran it at the weekend, jet washed the heat exchanges and the bottom of the engine, still smells abit but I can only think it is the old oil that has got into the heat exchangers still burning off, may just need a good trip to burn it all off. When you stop the engine you can hear the oil popping in the heat exchangers
I also disconnected the fresh air pipe into the heat exchangers (in the engine bay ) when the engine was hot, I had oil fumes coming back up from the LH heat exchanger only when the engine was shut down; that has narrowed it down a bit

[Hendrixevo147]

Hi,
I realise its been a while since you posted, but I've just posted a similar problem so I was wondering if you ever solved the problem ? As I was thinking of taking it to a garage to get the oil leaks sorted if that's the cause.
Cheers
Pete

[shoey bracken]

hi mine was a cross between oil and fumes.oil seals on push rod tubes, empi rocker covers warp with heat , so leaking rockers change to steel and heat exchangers taking in oil and fumes. fitted fume detector until i could afford the parts. most cases i would say it can be oil clean everthing off and take a look ,hope this helps.

[Hendrixevo147]

Thanks Shoey,
I've just bought a digi detector for peace of mind, I have empi bolt on rocker covers, didn't know they warped, although I noticed oil on the fixing bolts and when I put a spanner on them they were not that tight, so I've tightened them up.. I need to wash all the oil off with a jet washer underneath the van and see how it goes. May change the rocker cover gaskets anyway as cheap. Did you actually go back to original covers ? Also how much is it to change tube seals ? Seems like a difficult Job to do yourself as the head would have to come off?
Thanks for your help anyway
Pete

[shoey bracken]

Thanks Shoey,
I've just bought a digi detector for peace of mind, I have empi bolt on rocker covers, didn't know they warped, although I noticed oil on the fixing bolts and when I put a spanner on them they were not that tight, so I've tightened them up.. I need to wash all the oil off with a jet washer underneath the van and see how it goes. May change the rocker cover gaskets anyway as cheap. Did you actually go back to original covers ? Also how much is it to change tube seals ? Seems like a difficult Job to do yourself as the head would have to come off?
Thanks for your help anyway
Pete

hi go back to stee rockers not cheap , but will save in long run on oil. tube seals are pence from just campers. i was told to tighten bolts up on rockrs every 100 miles as they rattle loose.change to originals and problems solved,ive just got all parrts together and im ready for fittiting 2 days when ur just a leaner like me

[petethefeet]

"Seems like a difficult Job to do yourself as the head would have to come off?"

On the 2 litre engine the head does not need to come off to do the push rod seals, you will need to take the rocker covers off, remove the rocker assy ( a few bolts) remove the push rods, keeping them in order, then pull the tubes out and fit new seals, put it all back making sure the push rods seat down and don't over tighten the bolts that hold down the rocker assy.
Just be methodical and keep it all in order and clean as you go.

[Hendrixevo147]

Thanks guys for all the information, think I will take on the challenge of replacing the seals myself knowing the head doesn't have to come off, that's a job too far (until I've got more experience) although I did change a gearbox last year so I'm not completely useless. Lol
Really appreciate the help though.
Cheers
Pete
Ps, will let you know when I've done it.