Linked this Speedhunter article elsewhere, but their technique for finding interior exhaust leaks midway through seemed worth its own mention:

http://www.speedhunters.com/2016/10/ole-orange-bang-hanging-z-guys/

Thanks.  Good stuff.

Step #1. Roll up the windows and drive. Do your eyes burn.....yes or no? If yes then you have seal problems. If no you have the fumes that are coming into your windows while they are down. You can extend out your muffler tips to correct


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Good link,

I got lucky and didn't have to go thru all that. It was a defective driver side tail light gasket. Replaced them both and good to go.

3 hours ago, Travel'n Man said:

Step #1. Roll up the windows and drive. Do your eyes burn.....yes or no? If yes then you have seal problems. If no you have the fumes that are coming into your windows while they are down. You can extend out your muffler tips to correct


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Exactly my problem with the windows down. Hated it during the summer because it was either, keep windows up and endure the heat while driving (no A/C) or have windows down and smell like I just got done mowing the yard.

Smoke machine worked for me!! Windows down causes a vacuum inside the car and will pull any smells back in the car.


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Here is a couple questions to the group:

Do any of you have your rear bumper off.......with the windows down do you still get the vacuum?

Has anybody sealed up a 10" strip on the underside of the bumper to delete the void inside the bumper - wonder if that would remove the wrap around vacuum

Been running without a bumper my whole Z life. You still have to address all the other possible leaks because you still have a low pressure situation with the windows down. For me- the big one was the hatch . Low pressure in the cockpit caused enough vacuum to pull exhaust in through the latch assembly and around the edges of the hatch inner vinyl panel .

My exhaust is almost flush with the rear valence and I rarely get a wiff of exhaust. I think if the exhaust tips were a bit further out it would eliminate anything from getting back  into the car. I think the exhaust tip length is NOT the major issue though

Steve,

How did you see the latch area?

I did the smoke machine and vacuum trick .I glued a plastic layer over the opening and then installed panel . 

If you look at the hatch latch assembly you can see daylight right into the hatch area( panel off).

For me - this was the majority of the issue