Countryman: Exhaust fumes
As far as I've been able to discover, nobody makes a standard system in stainless steel. Unless this is a custom copy then it may be that you are using a special manifold and system. There could be two points of fault here.
1. with an LCB stainless manifold there is a join underneath the rear of the front subframe that you don't get on a standard system. If this joint is leaking it will allow fumes to be drawn up the side of the car and in through the window. With the windows closed the fumes will not get in.
2. The countryman is a van derived body and needs the longer exhaust system otherwise the fumes will build up inside the rear valance and around the rear subframe. These may then come out the side of the body and in through the windows when stationery rather than having a clean vent to the rear of the vehicle.
Do the fumes come in when the car is standing still, moving or both?
For good measure it would be worth checking that the following sealing was replaced when the car was restored
* blanking plate over exhaust tunnel - I used a mix of blu-tak and white plasticine to recreate the original mastic
* speedometer bezel to bulkhead - should have the same white/grey mastic
* speedometer to bezel - should be a rubber o-ring around the chrome. You can get one from a yacht chandlers (sailboats.co.uk provided mine)
* control cables - make sure all grommets are in place
* A-post packing - BMC used to put sponges in the top of each roof pillar, which soaked up condensation and caused the roof to rot. There is however a fumes route from the bulkhead via the windscreen corner and up the inside of the a-post (same route as wiring loom) If you don't seal this off then any engine fumes get inside the headlining. I used washing up sponges with the scouring pad peeled off but placed them in plastic ziplock bags so that they couldn't soak up the condensation.
Hope this helps
Posted: Mar 04, 2011 09:42 AM