EXHAUST LEAKS

QThe exhaust system delivers a severe dose of fumes to the driver cab....I
realize that some of this might be normal but it seems a bit extreme

A: (Norm Booth)

This is a problem to a more or lesser degree with a lot of the American Austins and
Bantams I have owned. There is usually, after 60 years of use, not much of a seal left
around the floor pedals and transmission. Some of the fumes come from "blow-by" thatblows out of the oil filler pipe. A pickup truck has a tendancy to suck a lot of
exhaust along with it under that square rear bed on the body. I have been able to
minimize the problem on my A/B cars by: (1) SEALING: Remove the carpeting and SEAL ALL openings in the firewall and floor boards. This includes around the tranmissionand foot pedals. I use large pieces of rubber tire inner tube to help seal the latter openings, under the carpet.(2) Extend the exhaust pipe to the rear tailgate. The tail pipe (from the muffler discharge to the rear extremity) should be 1 inch outside
diameter pipe (as original) so there is lots of velocity to push it beyond the
tailgate. (3) Check the exhaust system for leaks. Replace the entire system, if
necessary.(4) Install a crankcase breather devise on the oil filler tube. This is a
after market devise which looks like a short piece of pipe with a cap on it to allow
for adding oil. Out of the side of the somewhat verticle pipe is a "Wye" fitting with
about a 2 or 3 foot section of flexible pipe that goes down under the chassis beyond
the engine compartment toward the rear of the car. These can be occasionally found at
automotive swap meets for little cost. The idea is to get the engine blow-by fumes
back beyond the passenger compartment. (4) I always tour with the windows rolled downand the cowl vent open wide to scoop up the fresh air and force it into the cockpit.