strong exhaust smell.
 

my non-turbo, all stock '92 has a strong smell from the exhaust. i've been researching on numerous forums for some ideas, but haven't come up with much. i've narrowed the smell down to the exhaust though. it's pretty fuely, but not like fresh fuel. more like burnt fuel. it doesn't smell in the trunk, and i get a good whiff when i stop. people behind me can smell it as well. and before i get the responses of "well, it's a car", i've driven other cars. this smell is too strong to be normal.

the car has a new O2 sensor, and stock exhaust. the only thing i can really think of is maybe the cat? the car gets fine mileage, about 32 is the best i have done. what type of smell would i expect from a bad cat?

Mine does too....so much so that during a "festive" road run with a group, no one wanted to be behind me because of the smell (rich smell).

3" exhaust, no cat, boosted (~15's cruising AFR, ~13's in boost AFR)

Hm. I've wondered if the car is just rich but it does get good mileage.

Bad cats are usually a bad egg smell i think. I've had an occasional exhaust smell in my cabin when I have the vent set to fresh air. None when set to circulate. Been trying to track it down, and my boots are all in good shape. Running a test pipe and boosted.

Maybe your injectors aren't running too well during idle? or maybe a tuneup might help? just pulling some ideas out of the air

It you can smell it in the car, you have an exhaust leak.

As for the tune up, it's basically had one. New plugs, o2 sensor, wires are fresh, af isn't that old...

And, concerning the exhaust leak, i'm not sure if I mentioned that I can only smell this when I stop. My assumption had been that it was comi g from the tail pipe and that I couldn't smell it while moving because it was just going behind me. And, that still wouldn't explain why it's so strong that people behind me can smell it. I will give the exhaust a good inspection though. Can't hurt.

It explains it perfectly. If its strong enough to bother you, you have an exhaust leak.

right on. i'll check it out.